"The proposal to suspend the rule will be made official on Tuesday, and is open to public comment for 10 days."

Labor Dept: Suspend Bush's guest worker rules
The Associated Press
Posted: 03/13/2009 05:18:11 PM PDT

FRESNO, Calif.—Labor Secretary Hilda Solis wants to rethink rules issued by the Bush administration that changed the nation's guest farmworker program.

Bush's overhaul to the program was intended to make it easier for farmers to hire foreign field workers.

Solis announced Friday she plans to suspend the new rules for the program for nine months so her department can review and reconsider them.

Farmworker advocates have argued the changes would lower wages in the fields and erode labor protections. Growers criticized the fix too, saying it doesn't streamline the process or provide the comprehensive immigration reform they've been looking for.

The proposal to suspend the rule will be made official on Tuesday, and is open to public comment for 10 days.

http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_11908266