Agricultural Equipment Operator, X16, Wapato, Zillah, Prosser, Granger This job opportunity is limited to qualified, available workers that are currently eligible to work in the United States, per federal regulation. Crops/Commodities: Apples, cherries, pear, apricot/nectarine, and peach. JOB DUTIES: AGRICULTURAL EQUIPMENT OPERATORS: Sample of reported job duties include: Equipment Operator, Farm Equipment Operator, Loader Operator, Packing Tractor Machine Operator, Rake Operator, Sprayer, Windrower Operator. Job duties include, but are not limited to: -Drive and control equipment to support agricultural activities such as tilling soil; planting, cultivating, and harvesting crops. -Load and unload crops or containers of materials, manually or using conveyors, hand trucks, forklifts, or transfer augers. -Mix specified materials or chemicals, under the supervision or direction of an individual with a WSDA Private Applicators License, and dump solutions, powders, or seeds into planter or sprayer machinery. -Spray fertilizer or pesticide solutions to control insects, fungus, weed growth and diseases -Operate towed machines such as orchard sprayers or manure spreaders to plant, fertilize, dust, and spray crops. -Observe and listen to machinery operation to detect equipment malfunctions. -Manipulate controls to set, activate, and adjust mechanisms on machinery. -Operate or tend equipment used in agricultural production, such as tractors, combines, towed machines and irrigation equipment. -Adjust, repair, and service farm machinery and notify supervisors when machinery malfunctions. -Attach farm implements such as plows, discs, sprayers, or harvesters to tractors, using bolts and hand tools. -Load hoppers, containers, or conveyors to feed machines with products, using foklifts, transfer augers, suction gates, shovels or pitchforks. -Direct and monitor the activities of work crews engaged in planting, weeding or harvesting activities. -Weigh crop-filled containers, and record weights and other identifying information. -Walk beside or ride on planting machines while inserting plants in planter mechanisms at specified intervals. -Drive vehicles to haul crops, supplies, tools or farm workers. -Guide products on conveyors to regulate flow through machines, and to discard diseased or rotten products. -Position boxes or attach bags at discharge ends of machinery to catch products, removing and closing full containers. CHERRY Harvest: The Worker will hand harvest cherries, this can be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder. The Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and pick low hanging fruit while standing or on a ladder. The Worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing from the tree in a motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The Worker will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 20 lbs. and will place fruit into plastic lugs which hold approximately 30 pounds of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. Some Workers may be required to examine harvested fruit in plastic/wooden bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications. The worker must possess the ability to pick-up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing up to 40 pounds. APPLE/PEAR Harvest: The Worker will hand harvest apples/pears this can be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder. The Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and picks low hanging fruit while standing on the ground and higher branches while standing on a ladder. The Worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing from the tree in a motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. The Worker will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 60 lbs. and will place fruit into wooden bins, 4x4x3 which hold approximately 25 bushels of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. The Worker may be required to examine harvested fruit in bins and sort out any fruit not meeting the grade, color and size specifications. The Worker must possess the ability to pick-up; handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing up to 40 pounds. APRICOT/NECTARINE and PEACH Harvest: Worker will hand harvest apricots, nectarines and peaches. Worker will attach harness, bucket or bag and pick low hanging fruit while standing on a ladder. Worker will pick according to grade, color and size by grasping fruit with the hands and removing from the tree in motion so as not to harm adjacent buds on the tree branches. Worker will carry harness, bucket or bag of up to 22Ibs. and will place fruit into bins which hold approximately 450 pounds of fruit. Care must be exercised at all times to prevent bruising of fruit or breaking of branches. NURSERY TREE DUTIES - Nursery tree digging and tree training including but not limited to bamboo stakes, pruning, planting and falling. THINNING: Thinning is a manual process used to control the size and quality of grown fruit. The Worker must possess the ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Furthermore, the Worker must be able to use scissor like clippers. This process requires the Worker to remove, in some cases not limited to the smallest fruit blossom, bud and/or identifiable fruit from within a cluster of other fruits. The Worker will be expected to be able to identify and remove fruit that is misshapen, damaged and/or with other quality problems as directed by supervisors. Thinning may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or a ladder. TRAINING: Training is a process in which the fruit tree is manipulated to increase yield and/or quality. The Worker must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Training may be performed from a motorized platform and/or from the ground or ladder. Some example training tasks are but not limited to: *Tying, taping or clipping apple, pear, or cherry limbs to wires. *Tying up or down apple, pear, or cherry limbs. *Training and limb positioning of apple, pear and cherry trees. *Shoot thinning, sucker removal, cluster thinning, shoot positioning, hedging, or leaf removal. *Propping and supporting apple and pear trees. PRUNING: Pruning numerous varieties of apple, cherry and pear trees according to established company procedures based on the difference in the treatment of different varieties. Work will be performed on trees for long periods of time using a variety of pruning equipment including but not limited to hand shears, hand loppers, hand saws. Furthermore, the worker must possess ability to pick up, handle a 10 ft. or 12 ft. orchard ladder weighing 40 pounds. Pruning may be done from the ground or a ladder up to 12 feet in height or from a motorized platform. The Worker may be required to selectively prune only trees of a certain size and color as instructed by the crew supervisor. The Worker is expected to possess or acquire pruning skills in order to identify and remove stubs or broken branches, downward-growing branches, branches which rub against each other, shaded interior branches, dead wood and shoots/suckers with hand pruning saws and clippers, mechanized equipment in pruning activities. Other Job Specifications Include: THIS IS A DESCRIPTION FOR APPLES, APRICOTS, CHERRIES, NECTARINES, PEACHES and PEARS. 1. The Worker will care for young non-producing fruit trees including but not limited to weeding, hoeing, trunk painting, hand fertilizing and growth selection by hand and clipping. 2. Hand thinning of apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach and pear trees to ensure proper fruit load on tree. 3. Pruning of apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach and pear trees. 4. Training of apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach and pear trees to trellis, including clipping and tying limbs and shoots to wire. 5. Training and limb positioning of apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach and pear trees. 6. Provide general labor to assist in the establishment of new orchard properties by clearing property, planting trees, building trellis, repair and spreading of composted material and any other labor considered necessary for the efficient structure of new orchard properties. 7. Care for trees during growing process- recognize tree disease such as of blighted branches in apples and gummosis in cherries. 8. Harvest preparation including spreading liners in bins, rolling bins into blocks by hand. 9. Propping and tying of apple, apricot, cherry, nectarine, peach and pear trees and limbs. 10. Pruning and thinning may be done from the ground or ladder up to 12 feet in height, or from a motorized platform. 11. Repair sprinklers on overhead cooling system. 12. Load and unload empty bins by hand and place in orchard. 13. Picking numerous varieties of apples, apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches and pears according to established company procedures accounting for difference in the treatment of different varieties. 14. Selectively pick only fruit of a certain color and/or size as instructed by the supervisor. 15. Handle fruit carefully and not bruise or damage fruit when it is placed in the bin. 16. Observation of bruised, damaged or cull fruit by the supervisor will result in a bad bin mark and after three bad bin marks, the workers will receive disciplinary action up to and including termination. A bad bin mark occurs when a bin is inspected and a significant number of culls, bruised or damaged are found by the supervisors. 17. Farm clean up tasks to include picking up garbage around the orchard, removing old string and wire from trellis and orchard blocks, and other hand tasks. 18. The Worker must be adept at safely placing and using ladders. Much of the work will be done from an aluminum ladder up to 12 feet in height. Workers can also: * Perform any combination of tasks involved in the operation of tractors and farm machinery to plant, maintain and harvest apples, pears, cherries, apricots, peaches and nectarines. * Attach farm implements to tractor and drive tractors in fields and orchards to prepare soil, plant, fertilize, mow grass, mulch brush and prune, plant young trees, take out old trees, and/or harvest crops. * Drive tractor, forklift or farm truck to transport materials, supplies and products. * Operate tractors, tractor-drawn machinery, and self-propelled machinery to plow, harrow and fertilize soil, or to plant, cultivate, and harvest crops. * Operate or maintain equipment used in agricultural production and field preparation such as tractors, irrigation equipment, 4-wheelers, trucks, and other commonly used equipment in agriculture. * Operate tractors to mow, and move bin/tote trailers in the orchard and fields. * Workers may assist ranch mechanic, this includes, under the direction and supervision of the ranch mechanic, performing minor repairs to farm equipment and transporting parts or supplies * Pack crop into containers and lift and stack produce on trucks for transport JOB REQUIREMENTS - Worker must possess 3 months of pesticide/herbicide spraying, 3 months of driving, and 3 months of tree fruit experience.
- Worker must complete WSDA WSP Pesticide Handler Training. If worker has not already completed the training, employer will arrange for and cover costs associated with completing the training, once worker has arrived and prior to performing any spray applicator duties. Worker must possess valid driver’s license.
- Must be able to work through extreme temperatures.
- Must be able to push/pull and stoop/bend repeatedly.
- Worker must have clean driving abstract.
- Worker must pass criminal background check.
- Worker will be drug screened (random and post-employment).
- Saturday work required.
- Ability to lift/carry 60 lbs.
HOURS/DAYS/SCHEDULE Contract period is March 10, 2024 to November 15, 2024 6 hours per day, Monday through Friday 5 hours Saturdays SALARY/WAGE/BENEFITS Wage offer $19.25/hour No work will be performed at less than the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR) of $19.25 AEWR The payroll period is weekly. HOUSING Employer agrees to provide or secure housing for the H-2A workers and those workers in corresponding employment who are not reasonably able to return to their residence at the end of the work day. TRANSPORTATION The Employer will offer transportation to and from employer provided housing to the work site, at no cost to workers who qualify. The workers will be picked up at the housing locations; the time of pick-up depends on variable factors, such as weather, field location, job duties, etc. They will be returned to the housing in the same manner after their shift is done; time varies depending on the same factors. MEALS The employer will provide the opportunity for either: (a) three prepared meals a day to each worker, or (b) the Employer will furnish cooking facilities with working appliances, hot water, a place to prepare food at no cost to employees occupying employer-provided housing. Employees will purchase their own food and prepare their own meals. In the event that it becomes necessary for the employer to provide 3 meals a day to the workers, the employer will charge $15.88 per day or the current allowable charge as designated by the DOL. Workers residing at the FairBridge Hotel or Budget Inn will be purchased 3 meals per day at the cost of $15.88 per day, or the current allowable charge as designated by the DOL. All breaks and lunches will be subject to local, state, and federal regulations. (See 17. C. of the Conditions of Employment and Assurances for H-2A Agricultural Clearance Orders. THREE-FOURTHS Employer agrees to offer the worker employment for a total number of work hours equal to at least three fourths of the workdays of the total period beginning with the first workday after the arrival of the worker at the place of employment or the advertised contractual first date of need, whichever is later, and ending on the expiration date specified in the work contract or in its extensions, if any. TOOLS Employer agrees to provide to the worker, without charge or deposit charge, all tools, supplies, and equipment required to perform the duties assigned. CLOSING DATE/DEADLINE Employer will accept referrals until July 14, 2024 HOW TO APPLY/REQUEST A REFERRAL This employer has asked WorkSource to refer only fully qualified applicants for this job. If you would like to request a referral, please contact any WorkSource office for detailed instructions on how to apply. Job ID: 269888471 WorkSource is an equal opportunity employer and provider of employment and training services. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to persons with disabilities. Washington Relay Services: 711 In view of the statutorily established basic function of the ES as a no-fee labor exchange, that is, as a forum for bringing together employers and job seekers, neither the ETA nor the SWAs are guarantors of the accuracy or truthfulness of information contained on job orders submitted by employers. Nor does any job order accepted or recruited upon by the ES constitute a contractual job offer to which the ETA or a SWA is in any way a party. Staff Special Instructions Please link to access the side by side checklist, Workers' rights trifold and a copy of the complete job order for inspection. |