Farming News - Unite submits pay claim on behalf of 154,000 agricultural workers
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Unite submits pay claim on behalf of 154,000 agricultural workers
02/02/2011
Unite, the UK’s biggest union, has today (Wednesday, 2 February) submitted a pay claim on behalf of 154,000 agricultural workers in England and Wales to the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), calling for a substantial counter-inflationary pay rise and a public holiday to commemorate Workers' Memorial Day on 28 April.
The union will present more detailed information behind the claim in May and negotiations will begin in June to agree the rise by the time the new Agricultural Wages Order comes into force from October onwards.
Ian Waddell, Unite's National Officer for Rural and Agricultural Workers, said: “Feedback from agricultural workers has been loud and clear this year - they are struggling to survive in the face of rising inflation, massive increases in fuel costs and higher food prices. Our members in agriculture are paid well below the average weekly wage and one-in-four families in rural areas are below the poverty line.
“Farmers are struggling to recruit and retain skilled workers and the poor pay and long hours culture of the industry must change if we are to see farming as a professional occupation. We will be presenting compelling evidence for a substantial pay rise to beat the impact of inflation this year.”
Commenting on the claim for an extra public holiday linked to Workers' Memorial Day, Mr Waddell said:
“The farming industry must do more to improve health and safety as agriculture leads a league table of shame in having the highest number of deaths per 100,000 workers in UK industry. This shocking position shows no sign of improvement and masks an even bigger problem in terms of serious injuries, which are commonplace in farming.
“Our claim for an extra day's leave linked to Workers' Memorial Day is designed to drive home the message that the carnage going on in agriculture is not acceptable and must be tackled. It will be an annual reminder that we must do more to ensure the health and safety of agricultural workers and ensure they return home safe and sound from their work every day.”
Unite leads the negotiations on behalf of the workers on the Agricultural Wages Board, which is facing abolition under plans announced last year by the coalition government. Despite this threat, the union will press ahead with this pay claim.
Mr Waddell added: “It's business as usual for the Agricultural Wages Board as far as we are concerned. The Public Bodies Bill is progressing through the House of Lords and unless and until it becomes law, the Agricultural Wages Board remains in place. We have a statutory duty to protect pay and conditions, and we have an important job to do this year when things are particularly tough for agricultural workers, their families and their communities.”