FLOC wins accord on worker visa costs

3/17/2006

The Toledo-based Farm Labor Organizing Committee, which two years ago reached a historic agreement representing some North Carolina pickers, said yesterday it won a settlement in a court case forcing farmers to pay for all visa and transportation costs for their migrant workers.

The settlement provides $1.48 million will be paid by the North Carolina Growers Association to compensate temporary workers from outside the country for prior wage deductions, FLOC said.

The union claims about 10,000 members, mostly in Ohio, Michigan, and North Carolina.