Excerpts: Approximately 12,000 raisin-grape growers in California produce annually, on 245,000 acres, close to a million tons of raisin grapes. Most of these are small operators located in a compact group in the south central part of the San Joaquin Valley. In 1942, the harvest season was hectic. Agricultural workers spent much time shopping around for better wage rates rather than working steadily for a lower figure. Growers actively bid against each other obtain workers or to keep the ones they had. Under this pressure the rate for picking raisin grapes rose from 3 cents a tray to 6 and 7 cents. In 1943, therefore, operators responded readily to the idea of a wage ceiling. The wage ceiling on picking raisin grapes was established on August 27, 1943. The ceiling rate was the same as that which had been recommended by the growers as the going wage for the season--a base rate of 5 cents a tray for Thompsons and 6 1/2 cents for Muscats.