Workers paid as little as $1.25 an hour to pick fruit

A new investigation into employment in the horticulture industry finds the worker shortage is driven by poor wages and conditions.

Some workers are being paid less than $2 an hour to pick fruit on farms, a new investigation finds. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Young workers have been paid as little as $1.25 an hour to pick fruit on farms, a new investigation into employment conditions in the horticulture industry has found.

Worker mistreatment included manipulation of piece rates to bypass award and minimum wages, forcing workers to accept high cost but often substandard accommodation, and sexual and racial abuse.

The investigation by Unions NSW audited more than 1000 job advertisements for entry level farm work and interviewed Australian and temporary-migrant workers employed in the horticulture industry.

Two-thirds of the ads for strawberry picking and 22 per cent for grape picking would allow workers to earn less than $2 an hour.

The lowest hourly rates earned by workers were $1.25 for blueberries, $4.10 for peaches, $4.80 for strawberries and $4.90 for grapes.

Under the horticultural and wine industry awards, an employee can agree with their employer to be paid a piecework rate or an hourly rate. Under the piecework rate, earnings are based on the amount picked, packed or pruned.

The rate must allow the ‘average competent employee’ to earn at least 15 per cent or 20 per cent more than the hourly rate established under the horticulture or wine award respectively.

The report found 88 per cent of the ads for jobs audited offered wages by piece rate, and 96 per cent of the piece rates advertised would not allow a worker to earn the national minimum wage.

In one of the report’s case studies “Nadia”, from Taiwan, said 70 per cent of workers on her farm earned less than $10 an hour picking strawberries.

The report found temporary migrant workers, often vulnerable and dependent on farm work to extend their visas, were abused or sacked if they complained about pay or conditions.

Mark Morey, secretary of Unions NSW said piece rates were being cynically used to pay workers below the minimum wage.

“People are earning starvation wages to work Australian land due solely to the colour of their passport,” he said.

“This is a stain on our national character. The time for excuses and rationalisation has passed. We need deep, far reaching reform.”

According to the report, one worker “Catalina” was told at the end of her first day that she would earn $15 an hour. When she complained she was threatened by her contractor boss with having her wages withheld.

Another worker, “Hun” said she was forced to stay in accommodation provided by her employer, who charged her $165, although she earned only $100 a day for the first eight weeks. She said when workers complained they were told: “If you don’t like it … off”

Mr Morey said while the farm sector claimed COVID-driven migration limits were limiting their ability to find workers, and politicians claimed young people were shunning hard work to stay on job support, the report showed the worker shortage was overwhelmingly driven by poor wages and conditions.