Farmworkers

Job description

Perform manual labor to plant, cultivate, harvest, grade, and pack blueberries. Prune, trim, and maintain crop. Pick/harvest berries according to quality standards. Walk through assigned row while bending and reaching to pick ripe blueberries by hand without bruising or damaging the fruit or bush. Workers must use care to pick bushes clean of all berries of the correct color and size, as instructed by their supervisor. Green and red berries must not be picked. Defective and low-quality fruit will not be accepted and must be discarded. Workers will not break skin, damage, drop or bruise produce, or leave any appropriate product on the plant during harvest. Workers must complete assigned rows as instructed by supervisor. When picking blueberries, workers will carefully place picked berries into buckets that are strapped around their waists. Once all buckets are full, workers will carry buckets to the trailer that is moving through the field. Buckets will then be emptied into trays that are inspected for quality and weighed. Worker will be given a chip for every bucket. Wash selected products. Use hand tools such as shovels, tampers, pruning hooks, machetes, hoes and knives. Pull weeds, prune crop, maintain fields and perform irrigation activities. Operate, repair, and maintain farm vehicles and agricultural equipment. Stack boxes onto pallets, transport vehicles or trailers. Lift, carry, and load/unload products or supplies. Assemble cartons, crates and containers using hand tools. Measure and weigh products or estimate, visually or by feel. Grade and sort products according to specified factors and discard defective, inferior and/or foreign matter. Place acceptable products in specified containers according to grade. Manually lay and/or remove plastic and/or drip tape. Install and remove stakes, string, netting, and plastic. Clean and maintain materials, containers, fields, work areas, grounds, and equipment. Mow, cut, and weed fields. Perform ditching, shoveling, hoeing, hauling, ground preparation, and other manual tasks. Direct and monitor agricultural activities. Workers who apply for and obtain an FLC or FLC employee certificate of registration with driving authorized by the USDOL Wage and Hour Division during the employment period may transport workers and may be offered additional work hours. Assist with Good Agricultural Practices policies.

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 attests that it has sent (or will promptly send) original surety bond to CNPC.
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. Workers will have an unpaid lunch break. 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.

There will be two shifts occurring for the entire contract. The first shift will begin at 8:00am and end at 3:30pm. The second shift will begin at 9:00am and end at 4:30pm.
TERMINATION. All workers will be subject to a 2 day introductory period, during which the employer will evaluate workers' performance of required tasks. Employer reserves the right to terminate a worker at the conclusion of the 2 day introductory period if the worker's performance fails to satisfy the employer's reasonable expectations, or is otherwise unacceptable.

Special Requirements

One month experience in grading and packing vegetables required. Perform repetitive hand movements. Bend, stoop, walk, push/pull, sit, reach, lift and carry 50 lbs. over the shoulder repeatedly for long periods of time. Stand for prolonged periods of time. Physical stamina is required. Work in extremely hot (up to 100 degrees), humid, cold, or wet weather.