“Work with us for a fair deal for farming” Unite urges the NFU
15 February 2011
Unite, the union which speaks on behalf of 154,000 agricultural
workers, has written to the National Farmers Union (NFU) president,
Peter Kendall, asking him to join forces to urgently address the
serious problems the agricultural industry is facing.
Unite wants to work side-by-side with the NFU and other
employers in agriculture to get better margins for farmers, arguing
that a more profitable industry will fuel higher wages and
increased professionalism.
Earlier this month when Unite submitted its annual pay claim on
behalf of agricultural workers in England and Wales - calling for a
substantial counter-inflationary pay rise and an extra day’s leave
linked to Workers’ Memorial Day - the NFU described it as
"outrageous".
In the letter to the NFU, Unite national officer Ian Waddell
said: “We recognise that farmers are facing an increasingly tough
time. However, we will present a fully reasoned case to support our
claim given that farm workers are facing huge increases in the
costs of living, and to highlight the genuine concerns we have over
the rising fatal injury rate in the industry.
“Farm workers want their employers to be profitable, because
that is the best guarantee of stable, well-paid and rewarding
employment for them. As well as holding back pay rates and career
progression, poor margins encourage risk-taking and corner-cutting
which can and do cost lives.
“I believe that there is a total imbalance in the power of the
major retailers and food manufacturers over the supply chain,
including farmers and their farm workers. This translates into an
industry with below average pay and above average hours as farmers,
their families and their workers struggle to meet ever more
stringent contracts from their customers.
“The industry faces a constant squeeze from the supermarkets and
major food processors and even when farm gate prices are high,
margins are low. This benefits no-one in the industry.
“I urge the NFU to break with tradition and work with us to get
a fair deal for farming from the supermarkets and food processing
industry. Together we can tackle the retail giants and build a
farming industry with fair pay, reasonable hours and a professional
career structure.”
ENDS
For further information contact Ian Waddell on 07768 931269 or
Ashraf Choudhury in the Unite press office on 020 7420 8914 or
07980 224761.
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