Farmworker And Laborers, Crop

Job description

Work under this contract will consist of thinning, weeding (using a long-handled hoe) and hoeing fields and harvesting various rows of crop vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce.

Work may be done on the ground and/or with the use of a harvesting machine where workers may pack the cartons while walking behind or mounted on the machine. Some workers may carry and assemble empty boxes.

Packing line workers: sort produce from conveyor belt for proper sorting while in the fields (but not pack in retail boxes).
Machine/equipment operator: able to operate machinery including tractors as directed and trained by supervisory personnel.
Forklift operator: single/double, individuals should be able to operate a forklift to load pallets of packed product into refrigerated trucks as directed and trained by supervisory personnel.
Thinning: Workers walk in uneven furrows. Under the direction of the field supervisor, field workers look for the specified gap between seeds, and using a long-handled hoe thins out any excess crop/seeds and/or weed on the seed line and leave the desired product and gap on the field. The worker cleans the lot for any unwanted weed on the beds and seed lines and takes it out of the field as instructed by the field supervisor.
Iceberg Lettuce: Fieldworker to harvest iceberg lettuce. Cut, core, bag/wrap, pack and load fresh lettuce in the field. Cutting is done on a harvesting machine by using hands and a cutting knife. Using a harvesting hand knife and bending at the waist, the employee cuts the head from the roots and trims the outer leaves from the head to prepare it to be packed into a carton, tote, or bin. The process is repeated.
Romaine Lettuce: Fieldworker to harvest romaine conventional romaine hearts. Cut, bag, pack, and load fresh lettuce in the field. Cutting is done on a harvesting machine by using hands and a cutting knife. Using a
harvesting hand knife and bending at the waist, the employee cuts the head from the roots and trims the outer leaves from the head to prepare it to be packed into a carton, tote, or bin. The process is repeated.
Brussels Sprouts: Fieldworker to harvest Brussels sprouts. Cutting is done on a harvesting machine by using hands and a long cutting knife. Using a long harvesting hand knife and bending at the waist, the employee cuts at the bottom of the stalk and throws Brussels sprouts stalk on the machine belt where other field workers will receive the stalk and separate the Brussels sprouts from the stalk.

Irrigating crops, setting and removing sprinklers, running wheel lines, driving equipment, operating pivots, flood irrigating, moving portable sprinklers, and installing drip tape.
In order to perform this kind of work, workers must be able to work outside for at least 7 hours a day in all kinds of weather and be in possession of the requisite physical strength and endurance to conduct harvest activities, working rapidly and skillfully with hands. Must be able to bend and stoop throughout the day. The worker will be provided with all the necessary equipment to perform these harvest-related tasks. Workers must be able to listen, understand, and follow the instructions of company supervisors and managers. Workers must be willing to perform all duties according to the employer's rules and regulations during the contract period.
Working conditions: Workers will be expected to work in conditions normally associated with uneven fields and the California climate. These conditions include dust, extremes of temperature and humidity, wind, and at times, exposure to high levels of pollen. Workers should wear clothing suited to these conditions, including closed-toe shoes, hats, gloves, protective sleeves, and jackets which will provide adequate protection and allow freedom of movement.
Please see addendum C.

Special Requirements

Variable weather conditions. All work must be performed in a manner that exhibits Generally Accepted Practices (GAP) and the utmost food safety at all times.
Requires 1 month of experience in harvesting row crop vegetables to avoid crop damage and personal injury. Irrigating crops, setting and removing sprinklers, running wheel lines, driving equipment, operating pivots, flood irrigating, moving portable sprinklers, and installing drip tape. Verifiable work experience is required.
Please see Addendum C