Lourdes Cortes has worked in agriculture most of her life, save a two-year stint cleaning houses. The 42-year-old thought 10-12 hour days and safety risks were par for the course in agricultural work.
Then she met Zach Ramirez.
Ramirez owns Willamette Farm Labor Contracting. In the larger contracting landscape, he is considered one of the good guys. Which is to say, he takes care of his employees, he says.
Cortes agrees.
"I would never work for another contractor," she said. "I see how they treat their employees."
Farm labor contractors are third-party companies or individuals who solicit and recruit employees on behalf of farms. Contractors must have a license from the Bureau of Labor and Industries (BOLI) and the Department of Labor to operate.
Oregon’s farm labor contract system is decades old; laws governing it predate federal regulation.
But people on all sides say the system is flawed and fails to protect workers because regulations aren’t adequately enforced, penalties aren't strong enough, contractors aren’t given enough education once they’re licensed and there isn't an easy way to keep track of elusive players.
And then there are unlicensed contractors who “fly by night” and have no incentive to follow rules, draining resources and muddying the whole system.
A Statesman Journal investigation into discipline against farm labor contractors found few complaints and inconsistent enforcement of state and federal regulations.
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