Reeeeally good reporting on this!

Way to go, Ansel. And just for grins, a replay of a wry comment from Lily Tomlin on farm-labor issues:

["Glenna and Jane"]

The piece ends in present time (the late 1970s) as Glenna, a harried mother, talks to her friend Jane on the phone, making plans to ‘‘go to the Unitarian for the fundraiser,’’ and then ‘‘Lord & Taylor. There’s a big sale.’’ It ends finally with her speaking to her maid. ‘‘Rosita, I am going out. Yo voy ahora. I’ve left the grocery list on the counter. Remember, no lettuce and no grapes. Adios.’’

Ummmm...it is not legitimate to blame ADP for a payroll fuck up. I used to do payroll using ADP and if there was a mistake it was my fault not ADP's.

Blaming ADP the same as blaming the intern, it makes you look stupid and deceitful.

The Stranger: Since the guest workers showed up, everyone has been making at least $12 an hour. However, once the farm is done with guest workers, they would be under no obligation to keep paying domestic workers that wage.

FACT: Under the federal guest worker program, the wages are set by the program and the wages are a minimum of $12 per hour. We are required by federal law to pay exactly the same wages to the domestic workers as the guest workers who are doing the same work. That means all those involved in picking berries are paid a minimum of $12 per hour. No differences, no discrimination. But, because we have an incentive per piece pay system, most workers get more than that. Depending on the type of berry picked, the average is about $13 to $14 per hour, with some making as much as $30 per hour. This is well-above the minimum wage in the State of Washington is $9.19 per hour which is the highest in the nation.

Seems like both sides (the workers and the Stranger) are tilting at windmills while, surprisingly, the business seems to be the only rational entity.

The domestic workers have nothing to worry about if they pay the same wages to guest workers because there is no incentive to hire them other than real demand.

The Stranger has no reason to criticize because unlike many of the urban low wage workers who stuff their wraps and pitas for lunch, these workers are getting a good wage!

Any time someone says The Stranger got it wrong, they're right. Your "reporting" is a joke. Ansel, go back to kissing McSchwinn's ass and losing your camera. At least that's amusing, you worthless turd.

They were paying $12 an hour all along, plus piece rates. As usual, The Stranger sends some bitch masquerading as a reporter to get it all wrong. And ooh, the "ad hominem" attacks! They said The Stranger isn't exactly The New York Times. Do tell!

Not true. They were required to have the same pay schedule for all of their field workers.

Unlike @5, I don't know anything about ADP or ADS, but if Sakuma's going to stand by that claim, he might be opening himself up for a libel suit.