They tell farmers how much they'll be paid on delivery, and based on that price, workers are hired to harvest the crop. Mt. Olive Co. plainly controls working conditions and the marketplace. Boycott endorsers include the Farmworker Ministry of the North Carolina Council of Churches, the national and the North Carolina AFL-CIO and many others. Unfortunately, Mt. Olive Company officials have so far refused to bargain a contract to improve wages and conditions. In North Carolina, in 1998, the Dept. of Agriculture added 3 pesticide field inspectors for a total of 7.
None are bilingual.
It would take them 43 years to inspect farms certified to use pesticides. One washtub for 30 workers satisfies laundry requirements. Portable toilets and hand-washing facilities in the fields are rare. In Ohio, pickle farmers have continued to thrive and food industry giants like Vlasic Co. and Heinz USA Corporation have renegotiated contracts with FLOC since 1986. He says he is not responsible for the pay and conditions of farmworkers since they are employed by the farmers.