We hope you all are doing well and preparing for the quickly approaching holidays. We have one urgent end of year request for your action. As you may be aware, the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (“AEWR”) will increase 12.8% from the current $15.37 hourly figure to $17.34 in 2023. This will have a severe negative effect on many Michigan growers!
We ask that you to contact your member of congress via letter and by phone to urge them to freeze the AEWR at 2022 levels. The information below contains a simple link to send an email message to President Biden and Labor Secretary Walsh voicing your concerns about the AEWR increase. A separate message will go to Congress urging action on an AEWR freeze at 2022 levels. We strongly encourage you to personalize the pre-populated letters with a story of your own.
In addition to the letters, we have attached a list of phone numbers to Congressional offices and ask that you CALL your member of Congress today and explain how this new AEWR is going to impact your greenhouse/operation. It’s very important that Representatives and Senators hear directly from you.
Please feel free to share this with your peers and urge them to take action as well.
Click https://bit.ly/MIAEWR to access the pre-populated letters. You’ll have to begin by entering your contact information and click next to take you to the letter screen.
See the phone numbers for the Senators and the Representatives currently in Congress. If you aren’t sure who currently represents you, click here and enter your zip code and address:
| District | Name | Phone | Website |
| 1 | Jack Bergman | (202) 225-4735 | https://bergman.house.gov/ |
| 2 | Bill Huizenga | (202) 225-4401 | https://huizenga.house.gov/ |
| 3 | Peter Meijer | (202) 225-3831 | https://meijer.house.gov/ |
| 4 | John Moolenaar | (202) 225-3561 | https://moolenaar.house.gov/ |
| 5 | Daniel Kildee | (202) 225-3611 | https://dankildee.house.gov/ |
| 6 | Fred Upton | (202) 225-3761 | https://upton.house.gov/ |
| 7 | Tim Walberg | (202) 225-6276 | https://walberg.house.gov/ |
| 8 | Elissa Slotkin | (202) 225-4872 | https://slotkin.house.gov/ |
| 9 | Andy Levin | (202) 225-4961 | https://andylevin.house.gov/ |
| 10 | Lisa McClain | (202) 225-2106 | https://mcclain.house.gov/ |
| 11 | Haley Stevens | (202) 225-8171 | https://stevens.house.gov/ |
| 12 | Debbie Dingell | (202) 225-4071 | https://debbiedingell.house.gov/ |
| 13 | Rashida Tlaib | (202) 225-5126 | https://tlaib.house.gov/ |
| 14 | Brenda Lawrence | (202) 225-5802 | https://lawrence.house.gov/ |
| Debbie Stabenow | (202) 224-4822 | https://www.stabenow.senate.gov/ | |
| Gary Peters | (202) 224-6221 | https://www.peters.senate.gov/ |
Thank you for your support and taking action!
Jared Rodriguez
Executive Director
Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council
Author: Cindy Ray
Cindy has years of experience in association management and administrative support.
