On 20 February 2009, the Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland published proposals for changes to pay and employment conditions for agricultural workers. The changes have now been confirmed and come into force from 6 April 2009. The main details are as follows.

The age bands (16 to 22) are removed and the automatic right to overtime for working on a Sunday no longer applies. Overtime now applies only where a worker has worked more than 39 hours in a week.

The accommodation offset for ‘Temporary and Harvest Employees’ in increased to £31.22, and applies to all workers commencing work in agriculture for the first time from 6 April 2009.

The Grade 1 minimum rate, applicable for the first 40 weeks cumulative employment is unchanged at £5.73 per hour, the same as the adult rate of the National Minimum Wage. The minimum rates for Grade 2 and above are increased by 3.75% and now stand as follows:

• Grade 2 - Standard worker - £6.14 per hour
• Grade 3 - Lead worker - £6.74 per hour
• Grade 4 - Craft Grade - £7.24 per hour
• Grade 5 - Supervisory Grade - £7.67 per hour
• Grade 6 - Farm Management Grade - £8.29 per hour

Further information:
Agricultural Wages Board

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Written by Ian Congreave -

Filed under: Northern Ireland on April 20th, 2009

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