Ongoing labor shortage plagues growers in California

Ongoing labor shortages and no real immigration reform continue to plague growers everywhere, including California.

However, a local agriculture company and union are taking a new approach to deal with the issues.

More than 1,500 United Farm Worker members work for D’Arrigo Brothers Company in the Salinas and Imperial Valleys. On Thursday, leaders from both organizations signed a new three year agreement.

“We’re really excited about the new opportunity, the progressive and innovative agreement that we’ve signed here with D’Arrigo Farming Company,” said UFW President, Arturo Rodriguez.

The three-year union contract between the UFW and D’Arrigo calls for pay raises, company covered health plan for the worker and their family, six paid holidays a year and other contract improvements like differential pay, travel time and bonuses.

“The agriculture workforce that we have is really our life blood. Without these folks, nothing else happens. you can have the water, you can have the land, you can have the seed, you can have the tractors, but without the people it’s just not going to work,” said D’Arrigo.

D’Arrigo believes the contract deal will benefit the customer keeping the crops in Monterey County means keeping a closer eye on the crops and fresher produce.

While nothing is set in stone, the company is looking at housing options for its employees but realize that building new facilities is difficult in Monterey County.

“There’s existing buildings throughout town that if we could bring those up to code and up to federal standards that is one option that we’re looking at,” said D’Arrigo.

They said during our current political climate with labor shortages and immigration reform inaction now was the time to take action.