Posts By: Jeff Janas
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Western Growers Asks Feinstein to Reconsider Her Position on Ag Overtime Bill
Late last week, California Senator Dianne Feinstein unexpectedly issued a letter of support to Speaker Anthony Rendon for AB 2757, a UFW-sponsored farmworker bill that would change the overtime rules for agriculture. In response, Western Growers President and CEO Tom Nassif sent a letter to the senator asking her to reconsider her position after detailing ...
Water Education Foundation to Hold Free Drought Briefing on June 1 in Fresno
The Water Education Foundation is offering a free one–day briefing on June 1, 2016, in Fresno for anyone interested in understanding how San Joaquin Valley groundwater conditions have responded to the multi-year drought and to learn more about what actions are being taken towards sustainable groundwater management. Topics to be discussed include: Hydrologic conditions and ...
House Approves Valadao Drought Bill as Amendment to Senate-passed Energy Bill
Yesterday, the House approved an amendment to an energy bill that includes drought relief legislation introduced by California Congressman David Valadao (CA-21). The inclusion of the amendment in the previously passed Senate energy bill, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016 (S. 2012), provides impetus for discussions on drought related matters, particularly for California, but also…
Western Growers Joins Amicus Brief in Challenge to MMC before State Supreme Court
Western Growers, along with five other organizations representing agriculture and the general business community, has filed an amicus brief supporting Gerawan Farming Company’s challenge of California’s “mandatory mediation and conciliation process.” Gerawan successfully challenged the MMC provision of the Agricultural Labor Relations Act in the California court of appeal on…
100+ Degree Temps Expected around California This Week; Cal-OSHA Issues Heat Warnings
Following the issuance of excessive heat warnings for many areas throughout California by the National Weather Service’s issuance, Cal/OSHA sent out a notice reminding employers to protect their outdoor workers from heat illness. The greater San Diego area and the Inland Empire east of Los Angeles as well as cities in the San Francisco Bay ...
Gonzalez’s Ag Overtime Bill Defeated on Assembly Floor
Yesterday, the California Assembly rejected a UFW-sponsored overtime bill by a final vote count of 38-35, with seven members abstaining. Western Growers helped lead a broad coalition of organizations from both agriculture and allied industries in the effort to stop the bill. We appreciate the engagement of our members in reaching out to their Assembly ...
AB 1513 SAFE HARBOR DEADLINE SET FOR JULY 1: Attend Compliance Seminar on June 22
Western Growers will present an AB 1513 “Safe Harbor” seminar conducted by industry lawyers on June 22 at the Taylor Farm headquarters in Salinas, Calif. July 1, 2016, is the deadline for employers to elect the safe harbor option under AB 1513. Employers who timely make the election and back payments will have a legal ...
WG to Mark Transportation Program Anniversary by Holding Giving Day Campaign
For nearly ten years, Western Growers has been strategically aligned with C.H. Robinson through the Western Growers Transportation Program (WGTP) allowing us to offer our members access to a full array of turnkey supply chain solutions that include consultative account management, tailored pricing options, national surge capacity and business intelligence. To mark the 10-year anniversary ...
AB 1513 SAFE HARBOR DEADLINE SET FOR JULY 1: Attend June 22 Compliance Seminar
Western Growers will present an AB 1513 “Safe Harbor” seminar conducted by industry lawyers on June 22 at the Taylor Farm headquarters in Salinas, Calif. July 1, 2016, is the deadline for employers to elect the safe harbor option under AB 1513. Employers who timely make the election and back payments will have a legal ...
Fight Continues on California Farmworker Overtime
In an unfortunate development for California’s farmers and farmworkers, Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez (D, San Diego) has amended one of her bills in the Senate to now include language from her previously defeated AB 2757. AB 1066 would repeal the longstanding 10-hour daily and weekly overtime requirements currently in place. The legislation would incrementally decrease ...
ALRB Member’s Reappointment Opposed by WG at Hearing
The state Senate Rules Committee met yesterday to consider Governor Brown’s reappointment of Genevieve Shiroma to the Agricultural Labor Relations Board (ALRB). Her appointment was opposed by several agriculture associations, as well as farmworkers, who cited Shiroma’s close ties to United Farm Workers (UFW) lobbyist Richie Ross and the potential conflict of interest she had in…
Cal/OSHA Urges Continued Diligence in Protecting Workers from Extreme Heat
With temperatures reaching 120 degrees in parts of California over the weekend and throughout this week, Cal/OSHA is reminding employers to be diligent in protecting their workers during the current and future heat waves. In addition to the basic steps outlined by California’s heat regulation for employers with outdoor workers, heat above 95 degrees Fahrenheit ...
Organic Compost Court Ruling Leaves Farmers in Limbo
This past Monday, a federal district court issued a decision in the Center for Environmental Health v. Vilsack case striking down a five-year-old federal Guidance document allowing the use of composted municipal green waste on organic farms in California. Western Growers previously weighed in on the case having filed an amicus brief that laid out ...
WG Issues Statement on Supreme Court DAPA Ruling
Yesterday, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a tie decision that keeps in place a ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit blocking the Administration’s efforts to grant millions of undocumented persons reprieve from deportation. The 4-4 decision upholds a lawsuit brought by Texas and 25 other states that sued to block President ...
Western Growers Issues Joint Response to The Produce News’ EFI “Advertorial”
On June 21, 2016, The Produce News published an “article” titled “Equitable Food Initiative partners with industry to advance labor issues.” The piece touts the Equitable Food Initiative as a “‘one-stop-shop’ certification covering labor, pest management, and food safety standards.” The story, which also contains a three-minute video of…
Ag Overtime Bill to be Heard in Senate Labor Committee
Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez’s (D-San Diego) resurrected agriculture overtime bill is expected to be voted on tomorrow in the Senate Labor Committee. Western Growers helped lead a broad coalition of organizations from both agriculture and allied industries to defeat AB 2757, a UFW sponsored bill in the Assembly, in early June. However a procedural maneuver ...
AB 1513 SAFE HARBOR DEADLINE SET FOR JULY 1: Resources Now Available for WG Members
July 1, 2016, is the deadline for employers to elect the safe harbor option under AB 1513. Employers who timely make the election and back payments will have a legal defense to claims for back wages and other penalties associated with unpaid and underpaid piece-rate compensation. Western Growers conducted an AB 1513 “Safe Harbor” workshop ...
UFW-Sponsored Ag Overtime Bill on the Move in California Senate
Yesterday, the Senate Labor Committee passed AB 1066, a bill that would decrease the existing overtime threshold levels for California farmworkers. Assembly Member Lorena Gonzalez resurrected the UFW-sponsored bill that was killed in the Assembly (formerly AB 2757) on June 3 of this year. The bill now advances to the Senate Appropriations Committee. A hearing ...
Nisei Farmers League Challenges AB 1513 Piece-rate Legislation
Calling the legislation ambiguous and unconstitutional, the Nisei Farmers League (NFL) filed an application for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction with the Superior Court of California in Fresno against AB 1513. The state law that requires piece-rate workers to be paid for “other non-productive time” and rest and recovery periods separate and apart ...
Superior Court Ruling Extends Piece-rate Safe Harbor Sign-up to July 18
Late yesterday, June 30th, a superior court in Fresno issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) extending the deadline to sign up for the so-called “safe harbor” provisions of AB 1513 (Labor Code sec. 226.2(b)(3)) to July 18, 2016. The Order also states that if the court ultimately decides NOT to issue a preliminary injunction at ...