Farm Workers’ Pay

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31304, 25 February 1967, Page 12

Farm Workers’ Pay

Sir,—l read with interest the survey by Mr Morris, Dr. Cant, and Mr Lawson of the farm workers in the Cheviot district. Plqase ask them who they talked to. The farmer, of course; otherwise their facta and figures would have differed. Many married couples like ourselves are wondering who gets this £23 16s they quote. Certainly not us; but of course, not having discussed this with the worker, they have drawn their own conclusions.— Yours, etc, AMAZED. February 20, 1967. (The authors of the report, Mr J. L. Morris and Dr. R. G. Cant, of Lincoln College, reply: “We are glad that the correspondent has raised these two questions, the first about our figure for gross weekly wage and the second about our sources of information. (1) The quoted figure of £23 16s for adult farm workers is made up as follows: average wage before tax, £l7 12s a week; average value of bonuses, £1 Is a week; average value of extras, including house, meat, etc, £5 3s a week; total, £23 16s a week. It is important to realise that these are average figures; some farmers paid higher wages, some paid lower wages. (2) The information contained in this survey was, as is suggested by your correspondent, supplied by farmers, and this is made clear in the original report. Two other surveys being made at present involve the collection of information from farm employees and from a group of people who have left farm employment to take up other jobs. When these are completed we will have a much more comprehensive picture of the whole situation. We are concerned that all points of view should be considered in studies of this type. We have forwarded a copy of the report for ‘Amazed’ and will be pleased to supply copies to anyone else who is interested. If anyone would like to make their own suggestions as to ways in which the farm labour situation can be improved we would welcome these.”]