Back to HOMEPAGE Scottish Agricultural Wages Board
to be retained
James Irvine
Editor: www.land-care.org.uk
Filed 25 Sep 09
©www.land-care.org.uk
Richard Lochhead, Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary, has made the decision to retain the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (SAWB). This is yet another step towards the demise of much of Scotland's agricultural industry, at least as far as livestock farming in the uplands is concerned. The arguments against retaining SAWB were previously made on this website (1). They have not changed.
Over many years and essentially for the same reasons, NFU Scotland has rightly pointed out the fallacy of retaining SAWB. But, as in so many matters that affect farming, farmers have the minority say in deciding what is good for their industry.
The vast majority of farm workers are paid the market rate, which is well above the minimum rate laid down by SAWB, which in turn is above the National Minimum Wage for all other enterprises. The elimination of wage bands according to a worker's age, makes the employment of an unskilled young worker uneconomic, especially for an industry that is in serious economic decline.
Within the farming work force, any increase in the minimum wage for farm workers (as opposed to any other type of worker) is perceived to apply across the board to those who are being paid well above the agricultural minimum. Although not legally the case, this inevitably adds to the cost of labour in a struggling industry. That is more likely to reduce the farm work force than augment it.
It would appear that Richard Lochhead may have been swayed by the Scottish Labour Party, who argued that it would be a huge mistake to scrap SAWB. With the lack of logic that characterises so much of Scottish Labour's policies, they argue that "The Board protects Scotland's poorest farm workers and ensures they get fair pay for the work they do"
Far from protecting them, they make the young inexperienced apprentice unemployable on many of Scotland's hill farms. Ideology without pragmatism is not much use.
Tom Gray (left) with Alyn Smith, SNP MEP candidate (centre), and Roseanna
Cunningham, SNP Environment Minister (right)
Tom Gray hosted the launch of the SNP Euro agriculture manifesto
on May 22nd 2009 in the run up to the Euro elections.
(Photo ©Kimpton Graphics)
To enlarge photo Click Here
In a letter published in The Scottish Farmer (19th September 2009) farmer Tom Gray of Braco, Perthshire, supports Richard Lochhead's decision to retain SAWB. Incongruously, he argues that, because the farming industry has become dependent on cheap labour from East European countries, we should counter the influx by legislating that we pay everyone a higher minimum wage than any other industry. The East European worker has a reputation for having a high work ethic and for doing what he or she is asked to do and for doing it well. Perhaps too many of today's Scottish youth may prefer to take unemployment benefit rather than work to improve themselves.
Perhaps the Scottish Labour Party were not the only ones having a word in the ear of the Scottish Rural Affairs Secretary.
Sadly, Mr Lochhead's halo seems to be slipping a bit. When the SNP formed a minority government at Holyrood, he started in his post with great words. Regrettably, the direction of the follow through has been disappointingly off course on too many occasions (2, 3).
References
1. Irvine, James (2008). Scottish Agricultural Wages Board achieves the damage it was predicted to achieve
See HOMEPAGE, filed 24 Mar 08, www.land-care.org.uk Click Here to View
2. Irvine, James (2009).Richard Lochhead makes disappointing statement on the future of Scottish farming
See HOMEPAGE, filed 10 Jun 09, www.land-care.org.uk Click Here to View
3. Irvine, James (2009). "Scotland stays on track for major decline in beef and lamb production"
says Allan Jess, SAMW president
See HOMEPAGE, filed 12 Jun 09, www.land-care.org.uk Click Here to View
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