At the 2016 Citrus Showcase in early March, the California Citrus Mutual announced the formation of a new association, the California Agricultural Labor Association (CALA).
The announcement was made during a workshop at the Showcase about major developments in labor compensation laws for employees paid a piece rate.
Going forward, CALA will provide guidance, assistance and training to employers and farm labor contractors in the citrus industry for complying with all labor laws and compensation regulations.
"Piece-rate compensation and joint liability are only two labor obstacles that the agricultural industry is struggling to understand and implement," says CCM President Joel Nelsen. "Regulatory compliance is constantly evolving and the challenge of maintaining compliance with both state and federal regulations is difficult and taxing. To meet this challenge, the citrus industry formed CALA, which will serve farm labor contractors, growers, and packinghouses alike."
Over the next several months CALA will be busy enrolling members and hiring an executive officer to put together staffing and programming, with a goal to be fully operational by fall 2016.
Source: thebusinessjournal.com
