Donald Trump has Trump Winery GM Kerry Woolard on stage tonight as part of his “Make America Work Again” programming.
But rather than highlight Trump as a job creator for American workers, all Woolard draws attention to is Trump’s eagerness to hire foreign workers:
Trump Vineyard hired 58 foreign workers as seasonal farm employees from 2014-2016 — including 19 workers set to begin work in late March 2016.
Trump talks a big game about brining jobs back to America — but all he’s done at Trump Vineyard is bring foreign labor in.
Background:
Trump Vineyard Relied On Foreign Worker Visas
March 2016: Trump Vineyard Applied For 19 h-2A Visas For Temporary Foreign Workers
Trump Vineyards Applied For Up 19 H-2A Visas To Hire Temporary Foreign Workers In 2016. According to ABC News, “But it’s not just Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club that relies on foreign labor. So, too, does Trump Vineyard in Virginia, which is run by Trump’s son Eric. U.S. Department of Labor documents show that the vineyard has sought approval to hire as many as 19 foreign workers under temporary H-2A agricultural visas for this year’s five-month growing season.” [ABC News, 4/1/16]
Trump Winery Applied For 19 Foreign Workers To Work From March To October, 14 Of Whom Would Live In A Five-Bedroom House Together. According to The Washington Free Beacon, “Still, the origin of Trump’s wine may come as a surprise some of his supporters. The grapes are picked on-site by seasonal foreign workers on temporary visas—the same kind of visas Trump has criticized for taking away American jobs. The winery plans to house 19 immigrant workers from March to October of this year, according to visa records. At least 14 of these workers could be assigned to share a single five-bedroom home on the property, a separate filing states. While that sounds cramped, the home—a 4,000-square-foot Colonial with a screened back porch and large yard—apparently meets occupancy guidelines, according to the Albemarle County housing department.” [Washington Free Beacon, 4/1/16]
Trump Vineyard Applied For “Foreign Non-Immigrant Workers” Because Of “An Insufficiency Of Qualified U.S. Workers To Meet These Seasonal Labor Needs.” According to ABC News, “The application states that Trump Vineyard specifically sought ‘foreign non-immigrant workers’ as farm workers because it anticipated ‘an insufficiency of qualified U.S. workers to meet these seasonal labor needs’ and lists an hourly wage rate of $10.72 an hour for a 40-hour work week.” [ABC News, 4/1/16]
Trump Vineyard Applied For h-2A visas To Import Temporary Foreign Workers in 2014, 2015, and 2016
Trump Vineyard received certification for 58 foreign workers on H2A visas to work as seasonal vineyard farmworkers between 2014 and 2016. This included 19 workers hired to begin work on March 28th, 2016, during the Trump presidential campaign.
| Case Status | Certification Begin Date | Certification End Date | Job Title | Workers Requested | Workers Certified | Hourly Rate Of Pay |
| Certification | 3/28/2016 | 10/28/2016 | Vineyard Farmworker | 19 | 19 | 10.72 |
| Certification | 3/30/2015 | 10/30/2015 | Vineyard Farmworker | 19 | 19 | 10.32 |
| Certification | 2/17/2014 | 10/31/2014 | Vineyard Worker | 20 | 9.87 |
[Office Of Foreign Labor Certification, Accessed 3/24/16; U.S. Department Of Labor Public Job Registry, Accessed3/25/16]
The Law Firm “Mas Labor h-2a LLC” Filed H-2A Requests For Trump Vineyard
Mas Labor H-2A LLC Applied For H-2A Visa Requests With The U.S. Department Of Labor On Behalf Of Trump Vineyard. [U.S. Department of Labor, 2/11/16]
H-2A Visas Allow Foreign Workers To Do Temporary Work in The U.S. Agriculture Industry
H-2A Visas Are Issued By The Federal Government To Allow Non-Immigrant Foreigners To Work On A Temporary Or Seasonal Basis In The Agricultural Industry. According to the Press Of Atlantic City, “H-2A visas are issued by the federal government to allow non-immigrant foreigners to work on a temporary or seasonal basis in the agricultural industry. Employers can use attorneys or associations to help them with the application process.” [Press Of Atlantic City, 12/16/07]
Trump Winery Benefitted From The Trump Campaign
Manager Kerry Woolard Reported That Trump Winery Sales Increased Up To 1000 Percent Since Trump Announced His Candidacy For President. According to The Washington Free Beacon, “According to Kerry Woolard, manager at Trump Winery in Charlottesville, sales at the vineyard and its adjoining hotel have shot up as much as 1,000 percent since Trump announced his presidential candidacy in June 2015. ‘Business overall has been up, and the percentage increase is anywhere from 50 percent to over 1000 percent, depending on which channel,’ said Woolard. ‘Since the [March 1] Super Tuesday event, I would say it’s bumped up again, particularly online sales.’” [Washington Free Beacon, 4/1/16]
Kerry Woolard
Woolard Was The Trump Winery General Manager
Kerry Woolard Was The General Manager Of Trump Winery. According to Trump Winery, “KERRY WOOLARD, GENERAL MANAGER Kerry is responsible for overseeing all operations for the 1,300 acre estate. She has 15 years of winery management experience, is WSET Level 2 certified with distinction and has contributed to wine columns for the Wine Gazette and USAToday. She serves on the board of the Jefferson Wine and Grape Growers Society, served on various committees with the Virginia Wineries Association, and served on the Marketing Committee for the Wine Board. Kerry is a graduate of the College of William and Mary where she studied Chemistry and Economics.” [Trump Winery, Accessed 7/19/16]
Kerry Woolard Authorized The 2016 H-2A Visa Applications For Trump Vineyard
[U.S. Department Of Labor, 2/18/16]
[U.S. Department Of Labor, 1/28/16]
Woolard Was Scheduled To Speak At The RNC
Kerry Woolard Planned To Speak At The 2016 Republican National Convention. According to The Washington Post, “Some of the other names with a Trump connection: Kerry Woolard, general manager of Trump’s Virginia winery; Lynne Patton, vice president of the Eric Trump Foundation and senior assistant to Eric Trump; Michelle Van Etten, who hasn’t carved much of a digital footprint but organized business leaders for Trump in Florida; the head of Korean Americans for Trump, Lisa Shin; and Andy Wist, about whom we would welcome more information, the president of a waterproofing company in the Bronx.” [Washington Post, 7/14/16]
Published: Jul 19, 2016