Fractured Factual Tales : Fruit picking and maths

[rogespeed]

So the producers are whinging because not enough idle citizens are fruit picking , and the suburban idle labour force is reluctant to offer themselves because the earnings are effective  2rd world low

In a free enterprise system ( even if we are not quite ) the labour force can decide to withhold their labour pending a better offer of earnings

So take orange picking piecemeal rates , is paid by volume picked , that being a bin ( like a small car trailer with high sides , not a house rubbish bin ) - weight of oranges when filled i got told was 400kgs ( seems reasonable and close enough for this discussion)

So the newbie lured from suburbia dolefully picks the reasonable 3 bins , maybe four , takes 90 minutes per bin , for a princely sum of gross $90-$120 per day , 5 days a week .. $450 - $600 pw gross @ $30 per bin

I think is reasonable to understand a problem with motivation

Now if rate per bin was increased to $60 per bin ... for a newbie  would gross $900 - $1200 per week  , more likely enough to overcome pain and suffering , disruptions to home and social life and other privations while enabling a progressively better standard of life

Of course the producers would claim outrageous !

But should that be ?

By my reckoning ( i am lousy for maths logic )

The price at retail  currently is about $2 per kilogram , this represents value of $800 per bin @  $30 labour to pick

now if the rate was doubled to $60 , this would add $30 costs to the current nominal $800 for $830

A $30 increase , shock horror , however sold at retail per kg an increase from $2.00  per kg to $2.08 per kg

The difference between newbie nett poverty earnings and reasonable is represented by 8 cents per kg at retail.

Of course retailers do not pay pickers - but I thought the dynamics of costing and prices brings a little more insight into what is entrenched thought that is somehow grossly disadvantagous  

[katistrophik]

Yeah, you lost me..........

let us know when you find a workable solution

[rogespeed · Accepted solution]

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@katistrophik wrote:

Yeah, you lost me..........

let us know when you find a workable solution

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Double the piecemeal rate 

[imastawka]

I read........fruit picking and moths    

[chameleon54]

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@rogespeed wrote:

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@katistrophik wrote:

Yeah, you lost me..........

let us know when you find a workable solution

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Double the piecemeal rate 

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@rogespeed - Simple question - Have you ever done fruit picking as a paid worker ???

I have, so has my wife and my son has recently spent 6 months working full time on a horticultural property, so I know from experience what its like. 

Answer is it is not too bad. Didnt phase me at all and I earned quite reasonable wages. I also had to travel 250 km. from my home for the job. Wasnt a drama, I have also travelled similar distances while sheep shearing, landscaping and working in the building industry. The last when my kids where small and my blind wife was left at home to look after them by herself.

Its simply what you have to do sometimes to keep the bills paid and the kids fed. It wasnt forever, but it did get me by for awhile and lead to other work opportunities.

Australians need to toughen up a bit, stop being so sookey and learn how to do a decent days work. Get that sorted and you will find good wages and plenty of employment opportunities in more suitable employment will soon follow.

[the_great_she_elephant]

It seems there have been surveys done of growers to find out what they see as their needs.

Maybe it would also be worth doing a survey of the unemployed to find out what they see as their problems in meeting those needs  before sitting in judgement on them. 

[rogespeed]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

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@rogespeed wrote:

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@katistrophik wrote:

Yeah, you lost me..........

let us know when you find a workable solution

---

Double the piecemeal rate 

---

@rogespeed - Simple question - Have you ever done fruit picking as a paid worker ???

I have, so has my wife and my son has recently spent 6 months working full time on a horticultural property, so I know from experience what its like. 

Answer is it is not too bad. Didnt phase me at all and I earned quite reasonable wages. I also had to travel 250 km. from my home for the job. Wasnt a drama, I have also travelled similar distances while sheep shearing, landscaping and working in the building industry. The last when my kids where small and my blind wife was left at home to look after them by herself.

Its simply what you have to do sometimes to keep the bills paid and the kids fed. It wasnt forever, but it did get me by for awhile and lead to other work opportunities.

Australians need to toughen up a bit, stop being so sookey and learn how to do a decent days work. Get that sorted and you will find good wages and plenty of employment opportunities in more suitable employment will soon follow.

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"Australians need to toughen up a bit, stop being so sookey and learn how to do a decent days work. Get that sorted and you will find good wages and plenty of employment opportunities in more suitable employment will soon follow".

IoI - "  I have also travelled similar distances while sheep shearing, landscaping and working in the building industry." 

typical response of a hardened worker !

I am talking about transitioning from urban couch potato to useful worker , jobs in demand , stone fruit picking , primarily years 35 -65 old , long term unemployed  

[imastawka]

I can't seem to get my brain around the idea of a blind fruit picker

[katistrophik]

Kind of like - if you pay peanuts you will get monkey's working for you

Spoiler

and they will eat all the fruit

[domino-710]

This has possibilities,

[chameleon54]

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@imastawka wrote:

I can't seem to get my brain around the idea of a blind fruit picker

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While always being visually impaired, the wife hasn't always been blind. She worked in the packing shed, cutting apricots in half to be dried on racks while I worked with the picking gang. And yes, she could probably still cut apricots in half now, ( its mainly a feel thing ) even though she is blind. She ran a garden nursery for several years once her eyesight had completely gone and is never home now, working with local governments in designing infrastructure suitable for people with disabilities.

Anyway I have to go. I need to spend a few hours checking the sheep before packing my bags and driving 250 km. tonight, ready to head over the border and do a days work interstate tomorrow. Around 5.30 pm. tomorrow, I,ll knock off and drive 300 km home again.........And I,m nearly 60 years old with 2 discs gone in my back. 

The princesses just need to toughen up a bit and learn how to work !!!