Labor Force Issues Par 3

Labor Force Issues Par 3

Labor Force Issues Part 3. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Fruit Grower Report.

Labor issue are gong to continue to be a hotbed of controversy over the next several years and it indeed will take that kind of time to get a working plan according to Mike Gempler, Executive Director of the Washington Growers League.

GEMPLER: I know a lot of people maybe still haven’t recognized it but the Democratic party owns both chambers of Congress and the White House and we have an administration that is very friendly with organized labor, so to think that we can push through an industry dream bill without the support of labor is really a fantasy.

Gempler says in addition to the actual labor issue the Growers League is working on another part of the same problem.

GEMPLER: Our big thing right now is housing. And it’s a strategic effort to prepare the industry for more widespread use of guest worker programs, housing is a key element.

It’s not something we think of but all those workers have to have someplace to eat, sleep and bathe.

GEMPLER: We’ve been trying to focus on helping make funds available for growers to do on farm housing. I know we are strong proponents this year of a continuation of the on-farm infrastructure loan program that the state government has had which has been a huge success. The new buzz word right now is “shovel-ready.” And we have more projects lined up, growers own projects where they have made applications to the state that are quote/unquote “shovel-ready” – ready to go, just waiting for funding.

That’s today’s Fruit Grower Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Northwest Ag Information Network.

 

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