Dealing with Labor Issues

Dealing with Labor Issues. I'm Greg Martin with today's Fruit Grower Report. Dan Fazio with Washington Farm Bureau has been telling us of some issues with the Department of Labor and some questionable inspection practices recently in the news. Farm Bureau has invited the Labor Department to attend various seminars to explain but so far they have declined even though they made commitments to do so. FAZIO: We also contacted our federal elected officials, Representative Doc Hastings and Representative Cathy McMorris-Rogers were very interested in helping us but also very interested in helping and the person who took the lead on it was Senator Cantwell's office. So we got a letter that was sent out to the Department of Labor saying what's going on here, requesting them to do this outreach training from Senator Cantwell, Senator Murray, Representative Hastings and Representative McMorris-Rogers. Fazio says that while it is important for the Department of Labor to keep an eye on things, it really doesn't appear that they are doing that particular job. FAZIO: These DOL inspections are intended to find employers who haven't paid the correct wages to workers, after all they are the wage and hour division of Department of Labor and we're not aware of a single inspection that's resulted in a fine for failure to pay correct wages. But we are aware of lots of little inspection deficiencies for not giving out this form or not having that form posted or some strange violations. If you have any questions regarding the wage and hour portion of your operation or about an inspection process, contact the Washington State Farm Bureau at www.wsfb.com. That's today's Fruit Grower Report. I'm Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.