First time study to be conducted on how B.C. farm workers are paid

Piece rates could soon be a thing of the past for farm workers.

That from Minister of Labour Harry Baines who has hired an economist to study piece rates and minimum wages for farm workers who harvest crops by hand.

He said that B.C.’s 40 year old system has problems.

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“Piece rate is based on how much product you have picked by the end of the day, how many pounds? How many kilos? And based on that there’s different rates for different crops,” he said.

UBC agricultural economist Karen Taylor will work with farm employees in a first of its kind study, and present recommendations by the end of the year.

“No one actually knows, because of not enough data available, how much actually they’re paid,” said Baines.

“Are they close to minimum wage? Are they making more than minimum wage? Are they making less than minimum wage?”

Baines says no matter the outcome, piece rates will increase by 11.5 per cent as of January 1.