Transcript
John Van Vliet known as JR to all his employees, used to be a fireman and ran a small orchard on the side.
Now Mr Van Vliet has 90 hectares of fruit trees and exports tonnes of produce to markets in Europe and Asia.
During picking time he employs 108 seasonal workers and half of them are from Solomon Islands.
"The workers that come here for that period really want to work and they want to send money home to their family. A lot of New Zealanders it is easy to get the dole and there is a large degree of drug usage in our industry and probably every industry at the moment and that is the reason why we do need to have RSEs because half the people are on drugs."
Mr Van Vliet says he still makes an effort to try and employ more New Zealanders but there just isn't enough interest.
"But I firmly believe also that we should also employ New Zealanders as well so I have twenty permanents all year round and that is why I think there is quite a good mix. So we are actually giving 20 families in New Zealand a permanent job and then we are giving those families that come from the Solomon Islands money to take home which New Zealanders aren't picking up."
One of the orchard's longest serving RSE workers Tony Analau was among the first to come to New Zealand through the scheme in 2008.
Mr Analau is now the foreman of the Solomon Islands men at JR's and he's on call 24/7 managing them.
The day before they had just finished strip picking the orchards and were done for the season and preparing to head home.
Tony Analau says his earnings over the past eleven seasons have been a real game changer for him and his family.
"When I go home I work on building my house with the thinking that eventually I will be able to rent it out. So I am still building. I have finished building one house but I want to build another one."
Pamela Aitorea is one of the few women Solomon Island workers employed at JR's.
She's just finishing up her first season in the pack house and appeared downhearted about the week's delay in returning home to her two year old.
The women have been told they'll have to stay on a bit longer because there are still more than 700 crates of fruit to pack for export.
She says seasonal workers don't earn very much in their first year.
"Us first timers find it a little difficult because of deductions for airfares for both this season and the next. So the pay for first timers is not really big income because there are a lot of deductions. If you are on your second or third season I think you should be making good money. Because there are expenses here rent and deductions so sometimes all we are left with is seventy five dollars that is for us new ones."
But with a little more cash to take home, she's looking on the bright side and looking forward to returning to work next year with airfares already deducted and the prospect of earning a lot more.
John Van Vliet says it's this kind of attitude which makes the RSE workers so invaluable.
"We have had not one day off for the Solomons whereas as with the New Zealanders you have probably got about three or four a day. A day. Everyone has only got a limited time until the fruit is finished. But I am just looking at the work ethic of an RSE worker or a Solomon Islander. They are here everyday whereas the New Zealanders they come when they feel like it. I don't think any orchardist in the country could run a business without having RSEs now. I think it is that important if we don't have them we may as well just shut our doors."
Next year John Van Vliet says he is increasing his RSE workforce from 55 to 65 and he says every single one of his current workers are welcome back.
