The Australian Workers' Union (AWU) has taken its fight for fruit pickers to be guaranteed minimum wage to the Fair Work Commission.
Currently, fruit pickers are being paid "piecework rates", with pay based on the volume of a crop picked.
The union supports these arrangements continuing, but wants the award rate set to guarantee the minimum wage of $25.41.
"Unfortunately, for a lot of farm workers in the industry, they’ve discovered piece rates don’t guarantee minimum rate of pay," AWU national secretary Daniel Walton said.
But the National Farmers' Federation (NFF) is fighting back.
The organisation said it would protect farmers' access to piecework rates, as they attract "dedicated and ambitious workers".
NFF chief executive Tony Mahar also claimed these rates were better for workers.
"Over the same period, a worker on piece rates might earn $45 per bin, effectively doubling their earnings."
Payments go before Fair Work Commission
This week, the Fair Work Commission will hear from growers and workers on both sides of the argument.
The AWU has lashed out at the NFF, claiming it’s running a protection racket for "dodgy operators" which are "cannibalising" good farmers.
But Mr Mahar argued a minimum hourly wage floor price on piecework rates risked scaring off workers, just as farmers were suffering a chronic labour shortage due to pandemic border closures.
Clash over minimum wage
Mr Walton said he had met blueberry pickers in Coffs Harbour who were being paid as little as $3 an hour.
But Mr Mahar claimed this was merely a “PR stunt”.
Instead, the NFF argued the real issue lay with labour hire companies, and called for national regulation of the industry.
The AWU agreed regulation was crucial, but said piecework rates were a separate issue.
"The NFF are waving a shiny, dangly thing to the side and saying, ‘Don’t worry about exploitation, everyone look over there’," Mr Walton said.
It is expected the Fair Work Commission will deliver its decision in the coming months.
