Good Fruit Grower

July 1

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British Columbia, Canada, piece and wage rates This table shows the piece rates and minimum wage in British Columbia, Canada, over the past decade. Apples bin (Canadian $) (Canadian $) (Canadian $) (Canadian $) (Canadian $) (Canadian $) (Canadian $) (Canadian $) (Canadian $) 12.05 13.16 13.16 13.44 14.46 15.37 16.18 15.60 17.06 1992 1995 1996 0.17 1998 0.18 1999 0.19 2000 0.20 2001 0.21 2003 0.21 2011 Apricots ½ bin 12.81 13.99 15.14 15.46 16.63 17.68 18.61 17.94 19.62 Cherries pound 0.16 0.17 Grapes ½ bin 12.81 13.99 13.99 14.29 15.38 16.34 17.20 16.58 18.13 Peaches ½ bin 12.81 13.99 13.99 14.29 15.38 16.34 17.20 16.58 18.13 Pears Prunes/ plums Minimum wage 13.56 14.81 14.81 15.13 16.28 17.30 18.22 17.56 19.21 ½ bin 13.56 14.81 14.81 15.13 16.28 17.30 18.22 17.56 19.21 hour bin 5.50 6.50 Canadian and U.S. dollars are at par. SOURCE: B.C. Ministry of Labour, Citizens' Services and Open Government 7.00 7.15 7.15 7.60 8.00 8.00 8.75 0.22 off because growers need access to cheap, willing, and reliable labor. Above minimum But the study shows that it's not really wages that are the issue for either growers or workers. Workers who received the piece rate of 22.4 cents for harvesting cher- ries last year, for example, typically earned an average of "The issue . . . is finding good people who can do a good job and come back regularly." —Christine Dendy $18.59 an hour. (A Canadian dollar is nearly equivalent to a U.S. dollar.) Grape harvesters received $18.13 per half bin, which worked out to an average of $15.71 an hour. Apple harvesters received the lowest hourly wage, averaging $15.43 an hour on a piece rate of $17.06 a bin. But all were well above the rates paid packing-house employees—workers packing cherries for Dendy receive $13 to $14 an hour—and last year's minimum wage of $8.75 an hour. While the minimum wage increased to $10.25 an hour on May 1, piece rates still pay well above the minimum. Dendy said most growers are willing to pay good money for good labor. While increases in wage rates makes growers think twice about hiring people who may be less productive from the get-go, most growers are happy to pay for workers who will help them get a better return from their fruit. 100 YEARS Because we offer the QUALITY you expect and deserve! "I think most orchardists find, over time, paying mini- mum wage isn't really the issue. It's finding good people who can do a good job and come back regularly," Dendy said. By holding the line on piece labor rates, the province has given growers the flexibility they need—allowing them to pay piece rates that exceed the minimum wage, or a minimum wage that puts the emphasis on a good job rather than a fast one, Dendy added. "Conditions vary from farm to farm, and the point of having a minimum in piece work is to ensure that the base rate is going to be the equivalent and fair to the min- imum wage. If you're trying to color pick and do some sorting while you're picking—say in the case of apples— and you'll be going back in and picking again, a lot of people will pay by the hour because you're trying to get people to not go as fast as they can." • 2012 Buyer's Guide Coming in August Your access to everything! In print and online www.goodfruit.com Your Krymsk 5 & 6 Headquarters! ® 100 Years at Newcastle, Ca 800-675-6075 FowlerNurseries.com GOOD FRUIT GROWER JULY 2012 21

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