Agricultural Wages Boards

EDM number 2336 in 1992-93, proposed by Alan Meale on 19/07/1993.

That this House, aware that the Government have issued a consultative document on the future of the Agricultural Wages Boards, is determined to ensure that this action is not the first step towards an extension of their policy to abolish wages councils in Britain; calls upon the Government to remember in its deliberations that to the United Kingdom's disgrace, today 43 per cent. of full-time men and 68 per cent. of full-time women employed in farming continue to be paid below the accepted minimum thresholds with workers in the industry only earning 76 per cent. of the average industrial rate, despite the fact that they are expected to work at least 2.8 hours longer at their workplace for the privilege of being paid less; and calls upon Her Majesty's Government not to make such a move which would be disastrous not only for the workers concerned and their families, but also for the rural economy.

This motion has been signed by a total of 76 MPs.