The Texas Citrus Labor Market Demonstration Project
Author: Van Cleve, Roy R.
Date Published: 1981
At the conclusion of the 1972-1973 citrus harvesting season in South Texas, the industry realized a considerable financial loss from fruit which remained unharvested. This incomplete harvesting had resulted from a shortage of citrus harvesting labor in an area which is normally perceived of as being a labor surplus area. The shortage was attributed to two factors: (1) heavy rains which delayed the completion of harvesting past the time when the Lower Rio Grande Valley agricultural workers who normally join the migrant stream had left the valley, and (2) competition from the onion industry, which was paying wage rates the citrus industry officials felt they could not meet, for the agricultural labor force which remained in the valley. This perceived labor shortage problem revitalized interest in improving labor management practices among the more progressive Texas citrus growers. In response, the board of directors of Texas Citrus Mutual (TCM) appointed a special committee to analyze the problem. This committee requested the assistance of the Council on South Texas Economic Progress (COSTEP) in solving what was considered a critical emerging shortage in the supply of labor. Subsequently, COSTEP and TCM enlisted the aid of the Center for the Study of Human Resources to assess the citrus harvest labor market in South Texas and to offer technical assistance in demonstrating techniques for rationalizing employment. The specific objectives of the demonstration project were to: increase the status of citrus work; devise measures to coordinate citrus work to stabilize employment and reduce turnover; generate alternative sources of employment for citrus workers during the off-season; develop more equitable wage payment systems; develop alternative worker utilization procedures; develop improved worker and product transportation systems; increase the supply of local labor attracted to citrus harvesting and, in so doing, become less dependent on agricultural workers who migrate; with a more stable work force, develop measures to increase productivity.
Date Published: 1981
At the conclusion of the 1972-1973 citrus harvesting season in South Texas, the industry realized a considerable financial loss from fruit which remained unharvested. This incomplete harvesting had resulted from a shortage of citrus harvesting labor in an area which is normally perceived of as being a labor surplus area. The shortage was attributed to two factors: (1) heavy rains which delayed the completion of harvesting past the time when the Lower Rio Grande Valley agricultural workers who normally join the migrant stream had left the valley, and (2) competition from the onion industry, which was paying wage rates the citrus industry officials felt they could not meet, for the agricultural labor force which remained in the valley. This perceived labor shortage problem revitalized interest in improving labor management practices among the more progressive Texas citrus growers. In response, the board of directors of Texas Citrus Mutual (TCM) appointed a special committee to analyze the problem. This committee requested the assistance of the Council on South Texas Economic Progress (COSTEP) in solving what was considered a critical emerging shortage in the supply of labor. Subsequently, COSTEP and TCM enlisted the aid of the Center for the Study of Human Resources to assess the citrus harvest labor market in South Texas and to offer technical assistance in demonstrating techniques for rationalizing employment. The specific objectives of the demonstration project were to: increase the status of citrus work; devise measures to coordinate citrus work to stabilize employment and reduce turnover; generate alternative sources of employment for citrus workers during the off-season; develop more equitable wage payment systems; develop alternative worker utilization procedures; develop improved worker and product transportation systems; increase the supply of local labor attracted to citrus harvesting and, in so doing, become less dependent on agricultural workers who migrate; with a more stable work force, develop measures to increase productivity.
