The Agricultural Wages Board for Northern Ireland has announced proposed increases to the minimum wage rates for agricultural workers of five per cent from April 1. The proposed new rates are as follows.

Minimum rate, applicable for the first 40 weeks’ cumulative employment – £6.95 per hour

Grade 2 – Standard worker – £7.49 per hour

Grade 3 – Lead worker – £9.36 per hour

Grade 4 – Craft Grade – £10.06 per hour

Grade 5 – Supervisory Grade – £10.59 per hour

Grade 6 – Farm Management Grade – £11.50 per hour

Should the National Minimum Wage or the National Living Wage, as applicable, become higher than the hourly rates set out above, then the hourly or other minimum rate will default to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage, whichever applies.

Any objections to the above proposals should be sent to: AWB Secretariat, 1st Floor, Ballykelly House, 111 Ballykelly Road, Limavady, BT49 9HO, or where possible, given current Covid-19 circumstances, via email to CorporateSponsorBranch@daera-ni.gov.uk, to arrive on or before Friday, March 11.

The Board will meet again on March 16 to consider any objections to the proposals, and may make an Order to give effect to the new rates and other amendments which would come into operation on April 1.

The Board consists of 15 members: three members appointed by the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs, one of whom is Chair of the Board (one position is currently vacant); six members nominated by the Ulster Farmers’ Union as representatives of agricultural employers; and six members nominated by Unite the Union as representatives of agricultural workers’ interests.