On This Day, 17 June 1918

Birmingham Daily Post 

Monday 17 June 1918

WAGES OF AGRICULTURAL WORKERS.

MINIMUM RATES FOR WOMEN.

At meeting of the Agricultural Wages Board held in London, a deputation from the Warwickshire District Wages Committee was heard in regard to the alterations proposed regarding the minimum rates of wages and a report of a committee appointed to consider the principles which should be adopted in fixing minimum rates in respect of the hay and corn harvests, was adopted and referred to the District Wages Committee for their consideration.

A committee dealing with the wages workers employed in market gardening and fruit growing reported that it did not appear practicable to fix different minimum rates, and it was suggested that if any differentiation was made it should on the basis of special rates for particular areas.

Regarding the Wages of Women, a special committee recommended that the case of women over 18 years of age the Board should not agree to a rate of less than 5d. per hour for women with at least three months’ experience, and for women of less than three months’ experience in agricultural work the minimum rate should be 41/2d. per hour. Overtime rates should be at the rate of time and a quarter on week days and time and a half Sundays, except in the hay and corn harvests, when payment should made on the basis of the principles laid down by the Harvests Committees.

The Board decided that the District Committee which had already made recommendations as to minimum rates for women should have an opportunity of reconsidering their recommendations.