Agricultural sector shocked as sector inputs are ignored on national minimum wage for farmworkers
9 February 2021
The immediate equalisation and increase in wages for farmworkers would be unsustainable for the agricultural sector.
This was made clear by Agri SA through its inputs submitted to the department of employment and labour.
Agri SA and its affiliates take the needs of farmworkers and their families seriously, however, the poorest households are in need for access to employment and to retain those in employment. The immediate equalisation and increase will place many jobs in serious jeopardy, which and such could have been avoided.
The department of employment and labour published the annual adjustment of the national minimum wage for 2021 on 8 February. In terms of the reviewed adjustment, farmworkers will be entitled to a minimum wage of R21,69 per hour. The recommendation of the minority report by the business commissioners emphasised the need for a sustainable wage increase.