Rudeness at receival sites - Letter to the editor

I am writing to express my disappointment at the way some local grain producers are talking to the predominantly young women in the local grain receival sites. I, like every other grain producer, know very well how frustrating harvest can be at the best of times, but this year is certainly testing us all.

This however is not an excuse to be rude, condescending, and dare I say threatening to others. These grain receival sites are a great place to work hard and earn some good money as a school leaver or young university student.

My own daughter did a couple of seasons locally and I’d like to think it equip her with life/job skills, as a lot of agricultural work does, that has been attractive to future employers and given an ability to deal with the broadest cross section of the agricultural community.

I do urge local producers to remember these young people are just doing a job for their employer, following the guidelines set, not by them, not even by the local site managers, but a lot further up the chain. Go home and take your grievance to these people, more than likely sitting in air-conditioned offices in Sydney.

I have often received an email from these companies asking for my opinion on my experience at the local site. Use that forum, they do respond. Please realise we need and want these sites open, but if the employer cannot attract workers because of the way customers treat these workers, I can only see the sites being shut, or at best restricted hours.

At the risk of sounding like a past PM, would you like someone talking to your daughter or wife like that? It’s not hard to be nice.

Sara Roche,
Gilgandra