n the WorkBC office are, from left, Jean-Michel Lampron from La Sarre Quebec, Ron Forrest from the BC Fruit Growers’ Association, Marianne Robert from Saint- Georges, Quebec, Pierre-Luc Deblois, also from Saint-Georges, and Kendi Clearwater from WorkBC/OpenDoor Group. Photo contributed
Recently I had the opportunity to grab a few moments with Ron Forrest from the BC Fruit Growers’ Association. When I say grab, I mean grab, because during fruit picking season this guy is on the go!
Ron trains new workers on how to pick, where they can stay, and where to go to get work He helps farmers and orchardists find the workers, orients folks from other cultures and helps ease tensions when the people who pick the billions of pounds of fruit come to the Okanagan in droves looking for work. He speaks French, Spanish and English and is an invaluable facilitator in this process.
I asked Ron where he connects with the workers, as all the farmers and orchardists know how to find him.
“WorkBC/Open Door Group offices are terrific places to find these kids, though they certainly are not all kids, but you guys are always my first stop. I also make my rounds to the bus depot and parks, even picking up hitchhikers. It’s easier now, because I have been doing this for so many years, the social networks I have are huge, old pickers, new pickers, one girl didn’t even know my name but BC cherries people said she had to find me.”
Ron first and foremost makes sure the workers know what they are getting in for, and gives them an hour or two training on how to do the job. A beginning worker after the first week to 10 days can make about $100/day, give it another week or so and that may go up to $150/day, and very few, but very good pickers can make $200-$250/day depending on the product. It varies from job to job but many cherry pickers start at about 4 a.m., picking until the heat of the day shuts them down and then start again later in the day.
Early cherries have almost finished, (this was on June 8) and the next should be starting in the week of June 13, always of course, depending on the weather.
After the cherries there will be apricots, peaches and so on, but they are in smaller amounts. The next big picking will be apples and grapes. Grape picking usually starts in September but, Ron said, with this weather who knows? Grape pickers put in very long days and the season can last into November depending on the variety and as always, the weather.
During the season Ron is often in and out of our offices, speaking with workers, connecting them with jobs. Eileen and Megan who work the front end in our resource centre know they can count on him to come by and assist. It’s a great partnership. We have 10 computers for public use, as well as a phone for job search purposes, and our job board. Sometimes the computers are full for most of the day, and there are times we need to limit the use to 20 minutes.
If you are looking for more information on fruit picking we urge you to stop by our offices on Fairview Road above Remedy’sRX pharmacy Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m to 4:30 p.m., or in Osoyoos, where we are open Mon, Tues and Friday in the plaza by the Red Apple.
By Kendi Clearwater, Open Door Group
