A4 BAKER CITY HERALD • TUESDAY, MAY 10, 2022
BAKER CITY
Opinion
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Baker City, Oregon
EDITORIAL
Overtime law
will change
agriculture
O
regon Gov. Kate Brown has signed
legislation that will grant farm-
workers overtime pay after 40
hours of work beginning in 2027.
Under the law, farmworkers will be owed
time-and-a-half wages after 55 weekly
hours of work in 2023, after 48 hours of
work in 2025-26 and after 40 hours per
week beginning in 2027.
The legislation changes a farm pay for-
mula that has stood for 84 years, and will
lead to big changes for both employers and
employees.
The Fair Labor Standards Act, passed
by Congress in 1938, established a federal
minimum wage and provided for overtime
pay for work beyond 40 hours. The act
also provided 19 job classifications, includ-
ing farmworkers, that are exempt from the
overtime rule.
Critics argue the exemption was the
product of racism and pandering to the
needs of special interests — big, “corporate”
farming concerns. Farmers of every scale
note that farm work is distinct from factory
production. The nature of most farm work
makes it difficult to schedule in eight-hour
days and 40-hour work weeks.
The economics of agriculture have not
changed since 1938. Farmers still are price
takers, not price makers, who cannot sim-
ply pass along higher labor costs to con-
sumers the way retailers and manufac-
turers, though limited by the impacts of
competition, do.
Gov. Brown acknowledged the bill she
signed is not perfect. She points out the bill
allows for a phase-in for overtime pay, a
provision she says will give farm interests
time to negotiate changes and improve-
ments to the legislation.
No doubt farm interests will try to get
the law changed. But, it seems unlikely
there will be significant changes made. It
is more likely that farmers and processors
will use the grace period to find ways they
can change their operations to reduce la-
bor costs.
Mary Anne Cooper, vice president of
government affairs at the Oregon Farm Bu-
reau, said farm employees also will lose out
when employers can’t afford to hire more
workers or must offer workers fewer hours.
“We think this legislation will have dev-
astating consequences for our family farms
and their employees, will likely result in sig-
nificantly reduced farm employment in Or-
egon and is really going to change the land-
scape of Oregon agriculture,” Cooper said.
Innovators are busy designing machines
that can do intricate and delicate work such
as picking fruit and pruning trees. Higher
labor costs will hasten that effort.
Farmers who produce labor-intensive
crops also are weighing the profit poten-
tial of growing crops that require less labor.
Those crops generally are not as valuable
as the labor-intensive crops, but for smaller
producers the potential reductions in costs
could make those crops more viable.
Inevitably, some farmers will decide they
can’t afford higher labor costs, increased
automation or changes in their cropping
plans. They will sell out to a larger opera-
tion that can.
We think everyone performing farm
work should be paid as much as busi-
ness conditions allow. But we know that
mandating overtime won’t change the ba-
sic economics.
Unsigned editorials are the opinion of the
Baker City Herald. Columns, letters and car-
toons on this page express the opinions of
the authors and not necessarily that of the
Baker City Herald.
YOUR VIEWS
Witham is the right choice for county
commission
me in voting for Witham for Baker County
Commission, Position 2.
Beverly Calder
Baker City
our community, provide fewer services in a
timely manner and cut corners to save profit.
I have experienced this in another com-
I am writing in support of Christina
munity. The contract service was limited in
Witham for Baker County Commission,
knowledge, could not find the transport loca-
City, county need to solve the
Position 2. Christina has built and run a
tion and left their patient (my father-in-law)
successful business in Baker City for 3 de-
in the rain outside while they knocked on
ambulance problem
cades. She is familiar with our diverse econ-
doors to get into the facility.
omy and has working relationships with
I was saddened to see the paper where the
If we lose the ambulance service from the
folks in natural resources, ranching, manu- dedicated and concerned firefighters and
fire department, we will lose more than half
facturing, recreation and retail. She under- paramedics spent their own time to knock on of the firefighters/paramedics, leaving the
stands the needs of job creators and knows doors and explain and pass out flyers regard- staff below safe levels to even go into a burn-
how important a strong economy and
ing the budget situation for the ambulance
ing structure to save someone. How would
healthy environs are for the future genera- service. I am shocked, appalled and ashamed you feel about that circumstance if your
tions of Baker County.
that the City Council, County Commission- home was burning with someone still inside?
Her knowledge of Baker County history
ers and Budget Committee seem unwilling
I am requesting that the City Council,
and commitment to our shared values re-
to roll up their sleeves, come up with options County Commissioners, and Budget Com-
garding private and public lands are key to a and make this work. Those firefighters/para- mittee work overtime to find a solution to
healthy future for our rural lifestyle. Chris-
keeping the ambulance service a part of
medics did not hesitate to spend their own
tina’s ability to learn, listen, and involve all
the fire department. Consider Mr. Nich-
time knocking on doors to talk to the com-
involved parties to find reasonable solutions munity in person.
ols’ ideas, develop your own proposals. The
and get things done will benefit the operation
County residents that are not in the City can
The community and County are best
of the county and inspire future leaders.
pay their part along with the City residents.
served if the ambulance service is part of
We need a commissioner that will seek
When services are provided to folks driving
the Fire Department. The community and
solutions, that will listen and actively work to the County get a 2 for 1 already with most
through on the freeway, charge them for it.
Everyone expects to pay for services. There is
forge the best path forward for Baker County. of these folks that are trained and able to do
We don’t need elected officials that talk, talk, BOTH firefighting and serve as professional no excuse to work on anything more import-
ant than funding emergency services. I am
talk or make decisions that directly benefit
paramedics. They are truly public servants
their own pockets. We need local officials that and we are all better off with them being part sure we all will believe this when we call the
911 for an ambulance or fire. We do not ex-
are committed to communicating and solv-
of the community, the economy and raising
pect to wait a few months or years until the
ing problems, not looking for someone else to their families here.
City or County decide to solve this problem.
blame. We need county commissioners that
However, if the community and county
Make it happen please!
are dedicated to serving the people of Baker
contract with an outside “for profit” ser-
Dorothy Mason
County, all of the people of Baker County.
vice we can expect something very different.
Baker County
We need Christina Witham. Please join
They can be expected to be unfamiliar with
OTHER VIEWS
Recognizing the value of nuclear power
Editorial from The Orange County Register:
California Gov. Gavin Newsom has
opened up to the possibility of extending
the operation of the Diablo Canyon Nuclear
Power Plant, according to multiple reports,
despite past opposition. That’s a positive de-
velopment. We encourage the governor to
resist ideological or special interest pressure
to shutter the facility, which provided 6% of
the state’s power last year.
Six years ago, Pacific Gas and Electric,
which owns and operates the plant, agreed to
close Diablo Canyon by 2025.
According to The Associated Press,
PG&E stated at the time that the decision
to close Diablo Canyon was made as part of
an agreement with environmental and la-
bor groups, with PG&E saying its decision
was out of “recognition that California’s
new energy policies will significantly re-
duce the need for Diablo Canyon’s electric-
ity output.”
But, fast forward to today and it’s apparent
that Diablo Canyon’s carbon-free energy is
still as needed as ever while the state contin-
ues its long, expensive march toward a green
future.
“The governor is in support of keeping
all options on the table to ensure we have
a reliable (electricity) grid,” spokeswoman
Erin Mellon told The Associated Press last
Saturday. “This includes considering an ex-
tension to Diablo Canyon, which continues
to be an important resource as we transition
to clean energy.”
Newsom reportedly has suggested PG&E
seek a portion of the $6 billion in federal
funding the Biden administration is making
available to keep nuclear power plants open.
It’s a bit of a reversal from Newsom, who
supported the shuttering of Diablo Canyon
and remains opposed to nuclear power in the
long run because of the admittedly unsolved
problem of nuclear waste.
But his newfound openness to keeping Di-
ablo Canyon open is a sensible approach.
Last year, researchers at Stanford Univer-
sity and the Massachusetts Institute of Tech-
nology found that keeping Diablo Canyon
open until 2035 would reduce the state’s
“power sector carbon emissions by more
than 10% from 2017 levels and reduce reli-
ance on gas, save $2.6 billion in power sys-
tem costs, and bolster system reliability to
mitigate brownouts.”
The researchers further noted that if the fa-
cility were to be paired with a desalination fa-
cility and hydrogen plant, the benefits would
become even more pronounced.
Doing this would not only provide tre-
mendous amounts of water, but “produce
clean hydrogen to meet growing demand
for zero-carbon fuels, at a cost up to 50%
less than hydrogen produced from solar
and wind power, with a much smaller land
footprint.”
These are ideas that merit nonpartisan
discussion. The issues at hand — power and
water — are practical issues about which all
sensible approaches should be openly con-
sidered.
While what to do from here is ultimately
PG&E’s call, with the governor’s resistance
to the plant now out of the way, keeping the
plant open is a logical thing to do.
CONTACT YOUR PUBLIC OFFICIALS
President Joe Biden: The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania
Ave., Washington, D.C. 20500; 202-456-1111; to send
comments, go to www.whitehouse.gov.
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley: D.C. office: 313 Hart Senate Office
Building, U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-
3753; fax 202-228-3997. Portland office: One World Trade
Center, 121 S.W. Salmon St. Suite 1250, Portland, OR 97204;
503-326-3386; fax 503-326-2900. Baker City office, 1705
Main St., Suite 504, 541-278-1129; merkley.senate.gov.
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden: D.C. office: 221 Dirksen Senate
Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20510; 202-224-5244;
fax 202-228-2717. La Grande office: 105 Fir St., No. 210,
La Grande, OR 97850; 541-962-7691; fax, 541-963-0885;
wyden.senate.gov.
U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz (2nd District): D.C. office: 1239
Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C., 20515,
202-225-6730; fax 202-225-5774. Medford office: 14 N.
Central Avenue Suite 112, Medford, OR 97850; Phone:
541-776-4646; fax: 541-779-0204; Ontario office: 2430 S.W.
Fourth Ave., No. 2, Ontario, OR 97914; Phone: 541-709-
2040. bentz.house.gov.
Oregon Gov. Kate Brown: 254 State Capitol, Salem, OR
97310; 503-378-3111; www.governor.oregon.gov.
Shane Alderson, Joanna Dixon, Kenyon Damschen, Johnny
Waggoner Sr. and Dean Guyer.
Oregon State Treasurer Tobias Read: oregon.treasurer@
ost.state.or.us; 350 Winter St. NE, Suite 100, Salem OR
97301-3896; 503-378-4000.
Baker City administration: 541-523-6541. Jonathan
Cannon, city manager; Ty Duby, police chief; Sean Lee, fire
chief; Michelle Owen, public works director.
Oregon Attorney General Ellen F. Rosenblum: Justice
Building, Salem, OR 97301-4096; 503-378-4400.
Baker County Commission: Baker County Courthouse
1995 3rd St., Baker City, OR 97814; 541-523-8200. Meets
the first and third Wednesdays at 9 a.m.; Bill Harvey (chair),
Mark Bennett, Bruce Nichols.
Oregon Legislature: Legislative documents and
information are available online at www.leg.state.or.us.
State Sen. Lynn Findley (R-Ontario): Salem office: 900
Court St. N.E., S-403, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1730.
Email: Sen.LynnFindley@oregonlegislature.gov
State Rep. Mark Owens (R-Crane): Salem office: 900
Court St. N.E., H-475, Salem, OR 97301; 503-986-1460.
Email: Rep.MarkOwens@oregonlegislature.gov
Baker City Hall: 1655 First Street, P.O. Box 650, Baker City,
OR 97814; 541-523-6541; fax 541-524-2049. City Council
meets the second and fourth Tuesdays at 7 p.m. in Council
Chambers. Councilors Jason Spriet, Kerry McQuisten,
Baker County departments: 541-523-8200. Travis Ash,
sheriff; Noodle Perkins, roadmaster; Greg Baxter, district
attorney; Alice Durflinger, county treasurer; Stefanie Kirby,
county clerk; Kerry Savage, county assessor.
Baker School District: 2090 4th Street, Baker City, OR
97814; 541-524-2260; fax 541-524-2564. Superintendent:
Mark Witty. Board meets the third Tuesday of the month at
6 p.m. Council Chambers, Baker City Hall,1655 First St.; Chris
Hawkins, Andrew Bryan, Travis Cook, Jessica Dougherty,
Julie Huntington.