Agricultural wage negotiations for England and Wales


New rates reflect removal of age-related payments and benefits

The Agricultural Wages Board for England and Wales met on 8 September 2006 to consider representations made to its proposals for a new Wages Order to come into effect on 1 October 2006. The Board considered the representations made and decided to make an Order as proposed.

Among the changes confirmed by the Board are the following provisions that take effect from 1 October 2006:

• The minimum rates for Grades 2, 4, 5 and 6 increases by approximately 2.9%, e.g. for an adult standard worker from £5.58 per hour to £5.74 per hour.
  
  
• The minimum basic rate for a Grade 3 worker increases by 6.8% from £5.91 per hour to £6.31 per hour.
  
  
• The minimum basic Grade 1 rate for workers over compulsory school age increases by 5.9% from £5.05 to £5.35 per hour in line with the National Minimum Wage.
  
  
• Other rates and allowances increase by 2.9%.
  
  
• The Grade 1 Basic Trainee grade is re-named "Initial Grade".
  
  
• Initial Grade workers become entitled to receive training to meet Standard Worker requirements after 30 weeks continuous employment with the same employer.
  
  
• Age-related pay differentials are abolished with the exception of the rate for Initial Grade workers of compulsory school age and Apprentices in the second year of their Apprenticeship.
  
  
• Total annual holiday entitlement increases from 22 to 23 days a year for a full-time worker working 5 days a week (and other workers will receive pro-rata benefits).
  
  
• All workers receive appropriate entitlement to paid leave relating to Bank holidays and Public holidays which fall on a day when the worker does not normally work.
  
  
• Holiday pay is calculated on the basis of gross actual earnings for all hours worked excluding any non-pay benefits received and, where pay varies from week to week, will be averaged out over the 12 weeks prior to the worker's holiday.

...back to 21 September 2006

Further information:
Agricultural wage negotiations 2006

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