Strawberry Machine & Ground Harvest

Job description

H-2A and corresponding domestic workers must be available to perform each of the following job activities in connection with the harvesting and farming operations:

Strawberry Machine & Ground Harvest, Indirect Labor (Puncher/Checker), Harvest Machine Driver, Forklift Operator/Box Scanner, Machine Stacker to perform the following duties:

Strawberry Stripping: cleaning old, rotten, non-usable fruit from the plant either into the furrows or juice tubs. Workers will also perform duties associated with and directly related to strawberry harvest work, including but not limited to picking and packing strawberries in the field for fresh market, cannery, and freezing/juicing; distinguish quality and ripeness; pick, and place in tray / packing containers in the field.

Ground Harvest (strawberry): Working in rows, the worker bends over and picks strawberries with hands, places the strawberries in a box, walks and carries the box with strawberries to the packing table located at the end of the row in the field, presents their box to quality control for inspection. After passing the quality check, they palletize the box, grab an empty box along with necessary clamshells and returns to the row to continue ground harvest. Worker may also perform harvest for cannery: picking berries and running the green ends through a blade which cuts the calix off of the berry. Berries are then put into an RPC and presented to the checker for inspection in same fashion as fresh harvest.

Machine Harvest (strawberry): Workers will perform duties associated with and directly related to berry harvest work, including but not limited to picking and packing berries in the field for fresh market and freezing/juicing; distinguish quality and ripeness; pick and place in tray/packing containers in the field. Pickers will work on berry picker machine to aid harvest: working in rows, worker bends over and picks berries with hands; places berries in clamshell and stacks full boxes on machine floor. Empty boxes are retrieved from top of machine. The machine will transport filled boxes to the end of the row - workers using machine aid do not carry full boxes to the end of rows. Workers may be required to adjust to Ground Harvest while machine is turning of when machine is being repaired for breakdown/maintenance. Worker may also perform harvest for cannery: picking berries and running the green ends through a blade which cuts the calix off of the berry. Berries are then put into an RPC and presented to the checker for inspection in same fashion as fresh harvest.

Special Requirements

Workers must stand, sit, crouch, bend, reach, lift and carry items weighing up to 20-60 pounds in the course of performing required activities. Workers must be able to listen, understand, and follow instructions of company supervisors and managers.

The company's Employment Arbitration Agreement is set forth in this Clearance Order outlining the procedures to follow in raising concerns to seek their prompt resolution with an option to arbitrate unresolved matters.