Watermelon Harvesting And Packing

Job description

The worker will perform job duties as assigned by supervisor. They will vary from time to time depending on crop ripening and weather. The watermelon harvesting and packing is temporary and will last from June to July.

Watermelon Hand Harvesting-In order to perform this kind of work, the worker must be able to walk down the field row and use a knife to hand cut ripe watermelons off the vine for harvesting. The watermelons are then loaded in a bus by forming part of an assembly line, in which the first worker bends down picks up the watermelon and it is passed on to consecutive workers by passing, catching, lifting, until it reaches the worker on the bus, who then sets it down and stacks them until the bus is considered full.

Watermelon Packing- The watermelon is transported by bus to the packing shed. Upon its arrival, it is unloaded by a group of workers and placed on a conveyer belt. The group of workers on the conveyer belt are responsible for sorting, labeling, and packing the watermelon in cardboard containers. While the workers are waiting on the next load of watermelons to arrive, they will be responsible for assembling card board containers.

Field Drivers-The field drivers will drive the buses out to the field where the field workers who are harvesting the watermelon will load the watermelon on to the bus until full. They will then drive the fully loaded bus back to the packing shed where the packing shed workers will unload them onto a belt. The process is then repeated again.

All of the watermelon harvesting, packing, and transporting labor is performed on a farm specifically in the work-sites listed on the application and itinerary and are all a part of the watermelon farming operation. The field drivers, which are employees of Sunstate Harvesters, Inc. are the ones that drive the buses being used in the field to load the watermelons and take them to the shed for packing. The packing shed workers are employees of Sunstate Harvesters, Inc. The packing shed is located on the farms listed on the harvesting itinerary. The packing of watermelons is considered agriculture labor because the work is being done on a farm and the watermelons are a horticultural commodity that must be packed by grade before leaving the farm for selling purposes at the market. The watermelons are in unmanufactured state at the time of packing and all the watermelons are produced on the farm. Sunstate Harvesters, Inc. is the operator of the farms for the time period requested.

The worker must be able to work outside for 6 to 9 hours a day in all kinds of weather including, but not limited to extreme cold and hot conditions, direct sunlight, and rain. Workers must have the required physical strength and endurance to repeat the process rapidly and skillfully involved in this type of work. Workers will perform prolonged walking, bending, stooping, reaching, pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying 0-75 lbs. Due to the nature of this type of work, there will be a Probationary Period of six (6) days beginning on the first day of employment for the employee to acclimate to the job specifications listed under the Job Descriptions and Requirements. The worker will be given specific instructions as to how to properly perform the work specified in the Job Description and Requirements Section on the first day of work. Quality work must be performed and adhered to and no messy work will be permitted. At the end of the second workday, the worker will be evaluated. If the worker does not perform the work as specified under the Job Descriptions and Requirements, he/she may be terminated. If the worker works by the piece rate he/she must make the federal minimum salary after the Probationary Period.

Special Requirements

The worker must be responsible and consistent on the job. The worker must be able to lift 0-75 lbs., do repetitive movements, extensive pushing and pulling, walking, frequent stooping continuously throughout the day, and work in all kinds of weather conditions.

Workers are subject to random drug testing at no cost to the workers. All drug testing will be carried out after the
workers begin employment and is not part of the interview process. Workers who do not go through or decline a
drug test will result in immediate termination.