Pay Increase For Agricultural Workers Announced

The Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland (AWB) has confirmed changes to pay for agricultural workers. At a meeting of the AWB on Friday 21 March 2014, the Board increased minimum rates for agricultural workers across all grades by 1.85%. The proposed new rates are:

* xa0Minimum Rate, applicable for the first 40 weeks cumulative employment – £6.47 per hour.

* xa0Grade 2 – Standard worker – £6.77 per hour

* xa0Grade 3 – Lead worker – £7.44 per hour

* xa0Grade 4 – Craft Grade – £7.99 per hour

* xa0Grade 5 – Supervisory Grade – £8.46 per hour

* xa0Grade 6 – Farm Management Grade – £9.16 per hour

The operative date for the new rates isxa06 April 2014xa0and these are specified in the Board’s Order No 94. Copies of the Order will be available shortly. Where at any time the National Minimum Wage becomes higher than the hourly rate set out above, then the minimum rate shall be equal to the National Minimum Wage. The National Minimum Wage will rise to £6.50 per hour fromxa01 October 2014, which is higher than the AWB Minimum Rate; therefore the Grade 1 Minimum Rate for agricultural workers will increase to £6.50 per hour fromxa01 October 2014. The definitions for the grades and the qualifications required for each grade are available on:

xa0http://www.dardni.gov.uk/awb-rates-of-pay-and-orders

or by contacting the Agricultural Wages Secretariat, Room 910, Dundonald House, Upper Newtownards Road, Ballymiscaw, Belfast BT4 3SB (Tel: 028 9052 4872).