Two weeks ago, November 30th, the Oregon Law Center filed a suit over agricultural overtime in the state. Mary Anne Cooper, Vice President of Public Policy at the Oregon Farm Bureau, said they were floored by the lawsuit.

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“Because we had come to a workgroup that legislators convened last month in good faith and had been working through that process, we had growers participating, sharing confidential business information to help inform legislators and work with labor advocates to try to reach a resolution.”

But, Cooper pointed out, Oregon Law Center was working on that recently filed suit while participating in that workgroup where confidential information was being shared. Cooper noted the farmers across the state care deeply about the health and welfare of employees and pay some of the high Ag wage, not only in the U.S. but in the world. She added that Ag labor in Oregon competes with construction work, other kinds of labor and of course other farms, so if an operator did not treat their employees well, those employees would not return.

“A lot of the things that we hear alleged ‘those are labor violations and you should be calling those in immediately’ but what we’re hearing from our members and from talking to our agricultural workforce is that’s not what’s happening.  And [farmers] are helping people get through college and helping them put their kids through school and helping with housing, and helping with what the family needs.”

Some have claimed seasonal farmer workers are under paid, receiving only $25,000 for the work they do. But, Cooper said it must be noted that pay is for two to three months of work and is not an annual salary.




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