Nursery Workers

Job description

Crops/Commodities: Plants, shrubs, trees, woody ornamentals, tropicals, semi-tropicals, vines, groundcovers, bamboo, and palms.
Primary duties (performed the majority of workdays):
Perform manual labor outside in fields to plant, transplant, label, weed, fertilize, prune, trim, and harvest plants, shrubs, and trees including bamboo, palms, woody ornamentals, tropicals, semi-tropicals, vines, and groundcovers. Dig and transplant field stock into containers. Work in groups to dig, ball and burlap trees, tie up and label for shipping. Operate tractors, front end loaders, forklifts, power shears, other machinery and equipment and use assorted hand tools. Operate automated potting equipment to produce plants. Sort through liners. Stake and tie trees and shrubs. Space plants. Pull and prepare orders of plants for shipment, load orders on trucks, and unload plants from trucks. Move containerized shrubs, plants, and trees. Plant and harvest ball and burlap nursery stock.
All Primary Duties are entry-level and require close supervision and/or a short-demonstration of the task by a more experienced worker.

Secondary duties (performed on less than half of the workdays in the contract period):
Operate man lift and repair shade cloth and irrigation at lath house. Use mowers and edgers to maintain grounds around buildings. Regulate greenhouse conditions. Clean work areas. Maintain, regulate, and repair irrigation systems. Attach trees and large plants to trellis wires. Climb ladders to prune trees. Throw away dead and culled plants. Apply agricultural chemicals and maintain fields and grounds. Install and remove greenhouse poly and winter protective fabric. Carry fertilizer bags during fertilization process.

Allergies to ragweed, goldenrod, honey bees, insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, or related chemicals may affect a worker's ability to perform the job. Persons seeking employment in this position must be available for the entire period requested by the employer. Employer reserves the right to discharge an obviously unqualified worker, malingerer or recalcitrant worker who is physically able but is unwilling to perform the work necessary for the employer to grow a premium quality product, or for any other lawful reason.

Employer may request, but not require, workers to work more than the stated daily hours and/or on a worker's Sabbath or federal holidays. Worker must report to work at designated time and place each day. Daily or weekly work schedule may vary due to weather, sunlight, temperature, crop conditions, and other factors. Employer will notify workers of any change to start time. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break.

Due to increased planting, increased cultural practices, and increased sales between February 12th and April 30th, workers may be offered additional hours each Saturday.
TERMINATION. Prior to any termination for cause, employer evaluates workers' performance of required tasks and compliance with Work Rules and other employer policies. Employer may terminate a worker for cause if the worker's performance consistently and/or substantially fails to satisfy the employer's reasonable expectations (in accordance with the criteria set forth herein), or otherwise engages in serious or egregious misconduct that endangers health, safety, or property. In assessing whether workers' performance meets reasonable expectations, employer evaluates, among other reasonable criteria, whether the worker: (1) has adequately complied with the Work Rules and any other policies or procedures; (2) has complied with all health and safety guidelines, including the use of tools or equipment in accordance with best practices to protect the employer's property, crops, and in a manner that avoids injury or damage; (3) has treated company property (tools, equipment, crops, fixtures, etc.

Special Requirements

Work outside in adverse weather conditions. Continuously walk, bend, stoop, reach, push, pull, lift and carry up to 50 lbs. Climb ladders up to 12 ft. Post-accident drug testing will be conducted when required by insurance.