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Ventura County Farm Workers Protest Labor Conditions

Farm workers march to demand more overtime.

Farm workers chant "Si, Se puede," meaning "Yes, we can."  They hold up signs that say “We Feed You” and pictures of Cesar Chavez, along with dancers dressed in colorful Aztec costumes and a little mariachi. More than 100 people marched through the streets on Sunday, sending one clear message.

“More overtime, please,” said 24-year-old Claudia Rocha, a single mother of three young children. She works in the fields in Camarillo and says it’s a struggle to make end’s meet.

“Sometimes I don’t have enough money for giving my kids food,” she said.

United Farm Workers members march to push for AB 2757, a state bill that would phase-in farm worker overtime after an eight hour day, instead of the current ten-hour day.

The legislation is opposed by farmers who say they need this flexibility to stay competitive given the variable nature and seasonability of farming.