Changes to the Pastoral Award and Horticulture Award

As previously advised the Fair Work Commission issued new wage guidelines in relation to the minimum wages that are payable to employees. This is to ensure that employees under awards do not receive less than the National Minimum Wage for extended periods.

The Pastoral Award and Horticulture Award will change the definitions for both Levels 1 and 2 from 1 April, 2025.

Pastoral Award

For the Pastoral Award Level 1 will only apply for the first 6 months of employment for station hands, station cook, station cook’s offsider, cattle farm worker grade A, and dairy operator grade 1A with less than 6 months’ experience in the industry

Level 2 will apply to station cooks, station cook’s offsiders with more than 6 months experience.

It will also now apply to station hands and dairy operators grade 1A with 6 to 12 months’ experience in the industry. They will progress to level 3 after 12 months’ experience in the industry.

For piggery workers the move from PA! to PA2 will be no later than 3 months after starting in the industry.

Horticulture Award

The Horticulture Award has been varied to state that an employee can only remain at level 1 for 3 months. This is based upon experience in the industry not just experience with the employer, and it doesn’t matter the fruit or product with which the experience has been gained. The classification descriptors for Level 2 have been changed to include the same tasks as level 1 so still the basic tasks of level 1.

What this means in both awards is that as from 1 April, 2025 if an employee has the required period of experience they move up a level.

Copies of the new wages’ schedules are available on the Members Only section of the website.