Changes to pickers’ conditions could be dire for horticulture, industry warns

AUSTRALIA’S horticulturalists are poised to fight proposed changes to pickers’ conditions they say could cripple the industry.

AUSTRALIA’S horticulturalists are poised to fight proposed changes to pickers’ conditions they say could cripple what should be a growing industry.

In a four-year review of the horticulture award rate, the Australian Workers’ Union wants casual workers to be paid overtime, four-hour minimum shifts, and for casuals to be converted to full-time employment once eligible.

Horticulture lobby group Voice of Horticulture fears moves to abolish piecework rates may be in the pipeline.

Voice of Horticulture chairwoman Tania Chapman said the changes would hold back what should be “the largest and fastest-growing employer in the agriculture sector”.

Ms Chapman said recent free-trade agreements gave horticulture the potential to increase from a $10 billion a year industry to $20 billion — but not without flexibility for employers, who relied heavily on seasonal visa workers and backpackers.

“What will happen is all these people pushing for changes will see huge volumes of horticulturalists leave the land,” she said.

Under the award, minimum hourly wages start at $17.29 and staff can be hired full-time, part-time, as casuals, or on piecework rates.

Ms Chapman, also chairwoman of Citrus Australia, said getting rid of piecework rates would “really push us out of the game”.

“If I have pickers that can pick 12 bins a day and pickers that pick two, well obviously if I have to pay all the same wages we would get a lot less done,” she said.

NFF workplace relations manager Sarah McKinnon said minimum shift requirements in other awards had caused problems for producers.

“(Four hours) is half the day and some regions won’t have that much picking time in the day, because of the heat,” she said.

AWU national secretary Scott McDine said there was ambiguity in the award about overtime entitlements.

“As things stand casual workers engaged in the horticultural industry are missing out on overtime pay they should be entitled to,” Mr McDine said.