CAMPAIGN Labour in the countryside


2012 Scarecrow protest – Labour backing Unite in the fight to keep the AWB


“There are so many examples now of farmworkers in England being on the minimum wage.


“If the government was just to say it wanted to introduce some form of wages board in England and would work with us on its structure we would be up for that.


“But that’s not what they are offering – they have just said the wages board will not be reinstated.”


Ivan, who has held a number of positions on Unite committees, said he was “disgusted” at the lack of action by the government, but agrees Unite must keep putting pressure on ministers to act.


Back in 2012 responding to a consultation on the abolition of the AWB, Unite submitted evidence complaining about the lack of time to reply, given it affected the future pay and conditions of over 150,000 directly affected workers as well as seasonal and other temporary workers, many of whom were migrant workers.


Despite the seriousness of the consequences of abolition for hundreds of thousands of workers, the consultation was only four weeks long in England and one week in Wales, said Unite, noting that this compared with a consultation on the noise from ice cream van chimes, which was 12 weeks long.


Research by Unite on the impact of the abolition of the AWB in England after six months found that only just over half of those previously covered by the board had received a pay rise, whereas everyone would have had a wage increase if it had not been abolished.


Most had a pay rise imposed by their employer even though the Conservative government had claimed that abolition would free employees to conduct individual negotiations with their employer.


Changes to sick pay and working hours were also reported to Unite following the abolition.


The submission said, “In Unite’s view the government’s treatment of rural workers and workers more generally is typified by how this consultation was conducted.


“It showed contempt for the democratic process and disregard for the grave consequences of abolition for hundreds of thousands of rural workers.”


Unite told Labour ahead of last year’s election that AWB for England was a red line, but it didn’t make it into the manifesto.


Ahead of the election, there was a commitment from Labour to sector collective bargaining for a few sectors that are generally low-paying and Unite was led to understand that would include agriculture.


26 uniteLANDWORKER Summer 2025


But since the election, proposals on the scope for sector collective bargaining seems to have been limited to just adult social care.


Unite’s national officer, Bev Clarkson said shadow ministers were very supportive of demands to reinstate the AWB in England, but alarm bells started ringing when it was not included in the last election manifesto.


“They could have reinstated the AWB but they have chosen not to do so, and I don’t know why,” she told the Landworker.


“The devolved nations all have some kind of advisory panels – they are not ideal, but they are better than nothing.


“It means that farmworkers in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are on a higher minimum wage and better terms and conditions than in England. It is an unfair playing field.”


Bev says the Labour government is “burying its head in the sand” over issues affecting farmworkers, warning that the industry now struggles to attract skilled workers or seasonal staff, despite its importance to people’s lives.


Asked what she feels about Labour’s lack of action on the AWB, Bev replies, “It’s disgraceful.”


Farmers staged a protest about the inheritance tax in London on Pancake Day, but it’s England’s farmworkers who fear they are being battered by the government.


Mark Thomas


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