NSW Farmers members have voiced their concerns about the Fair Work Commission’s decision to alter piece rate arrangement by introducing a floor hourly rate, telling us they are worried about the impact to business sustainability. The overwhelming majority of farmers do the right thing by their workers in terms of pay and conditions, and the number of workers returning to work on the same farms year after year is a strong sign that the current piece work arrangements are fit for purpose. There are very real fears that our farmers, who already need to compete with cheap imported produce on supermarket shelves, will be squeezed even tighter by a decision that does not take all factors into account, add to the administrative burden of farmers, and invariably result in higher workforce management costs. Our organisation is currently considering the appropriate next steps.
Statement on Fair Work Commission decision
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