SEASONAL WORKER

"Worker who is employed for fixed, but limited periods, related to fluctuations in demand for labour at different times of the year."
(International Labour Organization (ILO), Seasonal Worker, Thesaurus, 2005, visited 2009-07-05)

"The usual goal of farm employers [...] is to minimize their fixed costs, which means they want to hire and pay seasonal workers only when they are needed. Seasonal employment is generally not attractive to workers who can obtain year-round work, which also tends to offer higher wages, more fringe benefits, and more opportunities for upward mobility."
(Martin, P., Managing Labor Migration: Temporary Worker Programmes for the 21st Century, International Symposium of International Migration and Development, United Nations Secretariat, 2006, visited 2009-08-31)

Seasonal workers are those who hold contracts of employment where the timing and duration of the contract are significantly influenced by seasonal factors such as the climatic cycle, public holidays or agricultural harvests. Clerical employees, for example, may be hired seasonally for specific holidays, such as the Christmas rush or the Easter season. This is also true of some agricultural employment either at planting or harvest time.
(adapted from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), Glossary of Statistical Terms, visited 2009-08-05)

"Because of their limited workforce commitment, seasonal workers are often poor prospects for unionization. […] Many seasonal employees are students, housewives, or others wanting temporary work." (Anglim, C.T., Labour, Employment and the Law, A Dictionary, Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 1997)

"Although the situation differs from country to country, seasonal workers are often treated less favourably than permanent workers in terms of legal entitlements (e.g. dismissal protection), benefits offered by employers (e.g. pension entitlements) and other employment conditions (e.g. health and safety, training)."
(European Industrial Relations Dictionary, Seasonal Work, visited 2009-08-31)