Field Workers: Berries 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:

Field Workers to perform the following duties:

Berries machine & ground harvest, transplanting, planting, plant pruning, runner cutting, spacing, trellising, cleaning, general ranch maintenance / general farm labor, shovel work, hoeing (long-handeld hoe), hand weeding, bird net installation, truck loading, box assembly, loading, sucker removal, pot filling, container irrigation, cart/plant loading, plant preparation and packing for shipping, plant loading/unloading, plant transplanting, plant spacing, plant dumping, boxing for shipping, cutting sticking, bench moving, irrigation assembly & installation, plant harvesting, machine operator, forklift driver, tractor driver, time keeper, puncher/QC, loader, prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment. All activities are conducted in the field.

Workers will also perform duties associated with and directly related to strawberry, blueberry, blackberry harvest work, including but not limited to picking and berries in the field for fresh market and freezing/juicing; Prepare freshly harvested crop for shipment; Distinguish quality and ripeness; Pick, and place in tray / packing containers in the field. Strawberry, blueberry, blackberry ground/table crews will not use a machine aid. Pickers will work on a strawberry, raspberry picker machine to aid harvest; working in rows, the worker bends over and picks berries with hands; places the berries in a box and stacks the full boxes on the machine floor, the top of the machine carries the empty boxes; the worker, therefore, does not carry the full boxes to the end of the row. Strawberry, raspberry ground/table crews will not use a machine aid; working in rows, the worker bends over and picks berries with hands; places the berries in a box; walks and carries the box with berries to the packing table located at the end of the row in the field. The worker returns to the row to continue ground harvest.

The task of "hand weeding" consists of removing, pulling, discarding the leaves out from the strawberry plant which affect its growth and production, greatly reducing the berry quality. This job is done in the same manner as picking berries - working in rows, the worker bends over and pulls leaves out from the strawberry plant with hands. The workers are not explicitly stooping, kneeling or squatting. The leaf removal is necessary to remove those weeds which hinder harvesting which if allowed to go to seed will reinfest the field. This work is performed occasionally/sporadically and does not require more than 20% of the workers scheduled hours. Specifically, this task is performed for approximately 1 hour per day every 3-4 weeks.

Forklift Driver Specifications: The Forklift driver is responsible for inspecting the forklift. Forklift drivers use knobs and levers to operate the forklift. Duties include the transferring and stacking of bins full of product onto the trailer. The employee works in an area that consists of 300 ft. in radius. Cycle is repeated.

Tractor Driver Specifications: The tractor driver is responsible for inspecting the tractor. Duties include getting in and out of the fields. The tractor driver takes empty bins, goes into the lot and sets them throughout the lot for workers to fill with product. The tractor driver gets in and out of the field as bins are set. Once workers fill up the bin, the tractor driver gets into the lot to take out the bins full of product. The tractor driver takes them out of the field and once out the field, a forklift transfers the product into the trailer. Cycle is repeated.

Special Requirements

Workers must stand, sit, crouch, bend, reach, lift and carry items weighing up to 50 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.