AWU argues minimum floor wage for ag workers is ‘strong’ and ‘just'

This change would entitle all farm workers to a minimum casual rate of $25.41 per hour - even if they are employed on piecework rates.

The Fair Work Commission will hear from both horticulture growers and workers over the next few months.

AWU national secretary Daniel Walton said he was confident the union’s case was strong and just.

“Australia was built on the principle of a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. Piecework violates this principle, making it easy for vulnerable workers to be cheated, ripped off and exploited,” Mr Walton said.

“The farming lobby loves to claim that workers on piecework arrangements make more than the minimum wage. If that’s the case what we’re proposing should have no impact on them.”

The National Farmers’ Federation will be fighting against the changes, driven by concern an hourly wage floor price will “effectively abolish what is ultimately a method (piecework) that can reward a fair day’s work with a better-than-fair day’s pay”.

NFF chief executive Tony Mahar said the AWU had mounted a ‘misleading’ case against farmers at a time of severe labour shortages.

“The risk of putting a minimum hourly wage floor price on piecework rates is that growers will see productivity and the pool of suitable workers drop in the midst of an already chronic labour shortage,” Mr Mahar said.

Under the AWU’s proposed amendment, piecework arrangements will still be permitted, but every worker will have a guaranteed award rate as a floor.

Mooroopna orchardist Peter Hall said a ‘floor price’ would be problematic if approved.

“The whole idea of harvest is the pickers self-regulate their output,” Mr Hall said.

“People are given equipment and fruit and told, ‘rightio, work as hard as you want'. There is no direct supervision but if we bring in the award wages we need to introduce supervision.”

Mr Hall said forcing horticulturalists to pay an award rate would mean far more new workers would be let go before they could ever get their foot in the door and develop fruit picking skills.

“If someone can only pick one bin, that bin now costs the grower $200 which is more than the cannery will pay for it. How long do the AWU expect growers to keep these people on for? One week? Two weeks? Mostly likely they will be told to pack their bags within the first four hours.”

Both the AWU and NFF will be presenting their opposing arguments to the Fair Work Commission over the coming months.