THE Horticulture Award comes into force on April 28 and from that point all workers on farms must be paid at least the minimum award rate.
In November last year, the Fair Work Commission decided that a minimum ‘floor price’ must be set for workers currently paid on a piece rate, which is a rate defined by the amount of product harvested by the worker.
Last week, the Commission announced the deadline for the changes to the award and the introduction of the minimum floor price.
While the Australian Workers Union has stated that the new award won’t cause an increase in fresh food prices, but farming industry organisations have argued that it could result in a drop in productivity and an exodus of the most productive workers.
However, the fall in productivity argument was dismissed as speculative by the Commission.
While the Commission’s decision will mean that Horticulture workers must be paid a minimum of $25.41, workers can still be paid a piece rate but it must allow for the average worker to earn the equivalent of at least 15 percent above the casual rate.
