New ruling on fruit picking wages shakes up farming industry

In a major shake-up in the horticultural farming sector, employers will have to pay minimum fruit picking wages to their workers under a new decision by the full bench of the Fair Work Commission.

This means if you earn less than $25 per hour fruit picking in Australia, the farm employer is breaking the law. Penalties for underpaying employees can be as high as $126,000. Directors can also be held personally liable and fined.

The ruling will effectively abolish "piece rates" which paid a "pieceworker" according to how much fruit or vegetables they pick in a shift, rather than being paid by the hour. (See Decision - Horticulture Award 2020, [2021] FWCFB 5554.)

Reforms of fruit picking wages expected in 2022