Vineyards Workers

Job description

Vineyard Worker to perform the following duties: Fruit thinning, leafing, suckering, hoeing, leafing pruning, installing wire mesh & trellis, harvesting, tractor driving, clean-up, spraying and other related viticulture operations.

Wine Grape Harvest Workers use a knife to cut grape bunches off of grape vines and into a tub (also called a lug). The tub/lug is then dumped into a bin (also called a gondola). May drive a tractor directly in connection with picking grapes. Tractor driving, weed control and property maintenance, leaf picking, crop thinning, tally sheet recording, and picking with a machine harvester. Will work in shop on site as needed.

GENERAL VINEYARD WORKER (NON-HARVEST):
Assisting in the production, planting, and maintenance of vineyards, which involves preparing the soil, erecting trellis and irrigation equipment, pruning and training vines, and controlling pests/diseases with regular spraying. Will work in shop on site as needed.

Work Schedule

The normal work week is 8 hours per day, Monday through Friday (40 hours per week). Workers may be requested to work on Saturdays, depending on the conditions of the fields, weather, and maturity of the crop. Overtime may be requested. However, Employer does not require overtime or work on Sundays and Federal Holidays. The Employer abides by California Wage Order 14. (i.e. Agricultural employees are generally entitled to time and one-half pay for the first eight hours worked on the seventh consecutive day of work, and double-time pay for all work performed in excess of eight hours on the seventh consecutive day of work). The employer will abide by the seventh (7) day of rest rules.

During the pre-harvest season, the workday start time is 7:00 a.m. and the workday end time is 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday (depending on the start time). During the harvest season, the work period may start at 12:00 a.m. and the workday end time is between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. (depending on the start time).

Workers must be able to work varying shifts as required by the season and work performed. Workers are notified of any change in the start time. Work can start early in the morning. An unpaid lunch break of 30 minutes and two paid 10-minute work breaks are provided. On workdays of less than 5 hours, no lunch break will be provided. Workers must refrain from performing any work during scheduled rest breaks and for the full period of the scheduled lunch break. Workers will be assigned a specific work schedule at the sole discretion of the employer. Work schedule assignments may be changed at the sole discretion of the employer.

Employees will begin work at staggered times.

The work described in this Clearance Order is regular, full-time work requiring all workers to be available for work on a daily basis. This is not "day work". Tardiness and/or unexcused absences will not be tolerated and will result in disciplinary action as set forth in the employer’s employment policies.

All workers not occupying employer-provided housing must provide the employer with contact information before the worker commences employment. This contact information will be used to notify the worker not to report to work due to inclement weather or when work is not available, to notify the worker of any change in the worker’s daily work schedule, or for any other reason.

Employees may experience a temporary reduction in work and/or a temporary work stoppage due to the natural agricultural cycle.

TRAINING: The employer will provide a 1-day training session from each worker’s initial date of employment and workers will be allowed 3 days (break-in period) from the initial date of employment to reach the production standards of the activity.

Special Requirements

Minimum Job Qualifications:
1 month of vineyard work experience. Workers must be able to lift 65 lbs. frequently. No smoking or illegal weapons or controlled substances in the vineyards or in the houses. Cannot be color blind due to the need to distinguish colors of crops. Able to stoop, bend, and work in cold and wet conditions. Able to use tools such as pruning shears, grape knives, hand saws, weed eaters, hedgers, shovels. Workers may use chains saws. Safety use and training provided by employer. Workers must abide by Employer housing rules. Ability to understand and communicate in English or Spanish is required for training and safety purposes. (i.e., Workers must listen to, understand, and follow instructions of Employer supervisors and managers.)