3 August 2011
MP fights threat to farm workers protection
Local MP Sandra Osborne has spoken out against measures which will begin the abolition
of the Agricultural Wages Board - which over 140,000 workers in Britain rely
on.
Sandra said:
“The Agricultural Wages Board has protected the wages and rights of agricultural workers for over six decades. The Board’s abolition is part of the Public Bodies Bill, which had its second reading in the House of Commons last month.”
With the Coalition Government starting the process of abolition in England and Wales,
the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board is up for review shortly. There are already noises among some MSPs indicating that they will also attempt to secure its abolition here in Scotland.
Sandra added:
“I am concerned that more than 140,000 farm workers will no longer be automatically entitled to sick pay and three extra days of holiday - and many may see their pay drop sharply.
“We need to head off this race to the bottom for rural workers who are feeling the squeeze. That is why I am working with the relevant trade unions and supporting the campaign for the Agricultural Wages Board to be removed from the Public Bodies Bill. ”
Ends