| Agricultural Wages Board demoUnite has pledged to support its members working in farming, setting up a Wages Watch hotline after the government yesterday axed the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) in England. The AWB set minimum pay and conditions for an estimated 140,000 workers in England, providing a benchmark for thousands more including estate workers and equestrian staff. The position in Wales is still under discussion, while Scotland and Northern Ireland retain their own boards. Unite has now issued its own guidance leaflet on pay and conditions after the AWB’s abolition. The union is advising workers to know their rights: workers on existing contracts will see their current pay and conditions remain the same, unless they agree to changes workers starting to work on new contracts from 1 October should receive at least the national minimum wage, which rises today to £6.31 an hour, and at least the same terms and conditions as workers in other industries a worker has a right to a written contract giving details of pay and other employment terms, and should get advice if they have not been provided with one by their employer individual workers may have to negotiate face to face with their employer on pay. Those who are Unite members can get advice on how to do this from their union. Julia Long, the national officer for agricultural workers, said: “Our members in low paid rural industries are facing a vindictive assault on their pay and conditions from a multi-million pound industry backed by a coalition government of millionaires. “But our members have the support of Britain’s biggest union and we would urge farm workers who don’t yet have that backing to join now.” She added that the union would be keeping an eye on pay levels as abolition takes effect. Farm workers can ring the Wages Watch number on 0207 611 2534 to give their experiences and seek advice. During the campaign to save the AWB, Unite argued that workers faced ‘a sea of uncertainty’ over their future housing arrangements and incomes, when ‘the harsh mechanics’ of the AWB’s axing kick in; substituting the national minimum wage for the current higher rates of pay. It is estimated that there are about 60,000 agricultural workers and managers in accommodation provided by their employer – and from yesterday, they also lost their security of tenure. - See more at: http://union-news.co.uk/2013/10/unite-sets-wages-hotline-replace-axed-agricultural-wages-board/#sthash.LtBu5Bcb.dpuf |