Legislators and Ag Overtime
From the Ag Information Network, this is today’s Fruit Grower Report. Over regulation from the state legislature is a problem Washington farmers are far too familiar with.
When it comes to ag overtime, Senate Republican, John Braun tells the ‘Elephant in the Dome’ podcast that too many urban legislators can’t admit it’s bad policy …
BRAUN … “For them, it’s no longer, the Democratic majority, it’s no longer about making sure these workers can make more money to support their families. It’s all about getting their way on a policy that they really don’t understand the implications of.”
Even, Braun says after many ag laborers testified in Olympia against ag overtime …
BRAUN … “They just don’t want to listen. They have a very ideological viewpoint of what’s the right policy and they are somewhat indifferent to, maybe more than somewhat, largely indifferent maybe to the real-world experience, the lived experience as they would say, of folks who are working in the agricultural industry.”
And the employers, Braun says want what’s best for their workers …
BRAUN … “In the end, it’s a business. It’s just like any other business. You have to treat your employees well, but they have unique conditions because of the seasonal nature of the work.”
Without workers, Braun says farmers are lost …
BRAUN … “They have different challenges when it comes to workforce. And they know very well, if you don’t have the workforce for all the activities, harvest in particular, that go into farming, you’re not going to make it very long.”
Braun says they treat their workers well because it’s the right thing to do and it’s good for business.
