NORTHERN IRELAND-FARM WAGES.
Changes announced for agricultural workers
The Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland (AWB) has confirmed changes to pay and employment conditions for agricultural workers.
At a recent meeting of the AWB the Board removed Age Bands (16 to 22) and set overtime to apply only where a worker has worked more than 39 hours per week ie the automatic right to overtime for working on a Sunday etc. will no longer apply.
The Board increased the Accommodation Offset for ’Temporary and Harvest Employees’ to £31.22.
This Accommodation Offset will also apply to all workers commencing work in agriculture for the first time from 6 April 2009.
At the meeting the Board increased the minimum rates for Grade Two and above by 3.75%.
The lowest wage pay band known as the "Grade One - Minimum Rate" has not been increased at this time.
Grade One Minimum Rate, applicable for the first 40 weeks cumulative employment - £5.73 per hour.
The new rates are as follows:
Grade Two
Standard worker - £6.14 per hour
Grade Three
Lead worker - £6.74 per hour
Grade Four
Craft Grade - £7.24 per hour
Grade Five
Supervisory Grade - £7.67 per hour
Grade Six
Farm Management Grade - £8.29 per hour
The operative date for these new rates and Employment conditions is 6 April 2009 and these are specified in the Board’s Order No.89.
The Order will be available shortly from the Stationery Office Bookshop, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast, BT1 4DG.
Where at any time the National Minimum Wage becomes higher than the hourly rates set out above, then the minimum rates shall be equal to the National Minimum Wage.
The National Minimum Wage will be reviewed and any changes recommended should take effect by 1 October 2009.
The Definitions for the grades and the qualifications required for each grade are available on the DARD website at: www.dardni.gov.uk/enforcement-awb.
Alternatively contact the Agricultural Wages Secretariat, Room 910, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Belfast BT4 3SB (Tel: 028 9052 0813 or Fax: 028 9052 4266).