Colorado’s agricultural industry will soon have new rules aimed at protecting workers under a law that Gov. Jared Polis signed on Friday, reports The Denver Post.
SB21-087 will allow agriculture workers to join unions, get paid at least minimum wage, and be eligible for overtime pay.
It also requires employers to provide their workers with certain health and safety protections and restricts the use of the short-handled hoe — California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico have banned its use. And it provides protections for whistleblowers and agricultural workers who want to sue over working conditions.
The bill faced a contentious fight from the start. Republicans opposed the measure, saying it would harm the state’s $41 billion industry and does not take into account the differences between agricultural work and other professions.
