The Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) has warned that a proposed workers’ rights bill, as currently framed, “risks causing serious damage” to the agri-food sector and family farms.
The UFU has written to Northern Ireland’s Minister for the Economy, Dr. Caoimhe Archibald, following a consultation on the proposed ‘Good Jobs’ Employment Rights Bill, to outline concerns about the practical impact of the proposals on farm businesses and the wider supply chain.
The ‘Good Jobs’ bill proposes significant changes to Northern Ireland employment law. It is still in the development stage.
When introducing the proposals in the Northern Ireland Assembly last year, the minister said: “Zero hours contracts, which provide workers with no guaranteed hours, do not provide a good basis for a stable income.
“They should only be used for work that is genuinely casual or seasonal.
“Under my bill, people on a zero hours contract will have the right to move to a banded hours contract that reflects their average working hours.”
Dr. Archibald added: “Workers on a zero hours contract will also have the right to reasonable notice of shifts, and the right to compensation if shifts are cancelled or curtailed at short notice.”
UFU
In its letter to Dr. Archibald, UFU said it highlighted that agriculture “operates under unique conditions, with farm businesses heavily reliant on flexibility to respond to seasonal labour demands, weather and animal welfare requirements”.
The UFU raised particular concerns around proposals on zero and low hours contracts, including the introduction of banded hours arrangements.
The organisation said that these measures “risk locking farm businesses into fixed working patterns that do not reflect the seasonal nature of agriculture, limiting flexibility and potentially leaving farmers exposed to unsustainable labour costs”.
UFU president William Irvine said: “There is a clear disconnect between what is being proposed and how farming businesses actually operate on the ground.
“Agriculture is not a standard working environment.
“It depends on weather, seasonal pressures and the demands of animal welfare.”
According to Irvine, the proposed restrictions on flexible working arrangements “risk leaving farmers tied into costs they simply cannot sustain, particularly outside seasonal periods”.
“As it stands this alone will ultimately drive up costs, increase legal risk and undermine the competitiveness of Northern Ireland’s agri-food industry.”
The union also outlined concerns regarding proposals to extend automatic trade union access to workplaces and lower the threshold for trade union recognition from 21 to 10 employees.
“These measures do not reflect the structure of the agri-food sector, which is dominated by small, family-run businesses, and could introduce disproportionate administrative burden and unnecessary complexity,” the UFU said.
The organisation further stressed that farm businesses often operate within private working environments, including family homes, where access, health and safety and biosecurity must be carefully managed.
Irvine added: “We support fair work and are proud of the good jobs our industry provides, but these proposals, as they stand, are not workable for agriculture, a sector that is already under significant pressure.
“These are small family-run businesses, not large corporate workplaces, and they should not be treated as such.”
Pace
The UFU also raised concerns about the pace at which the legislation is being progressed.
It said: “We have made it clear that there must be meaningful engagement with the industry, including all business representatives from all sectors.
“Policymakers need to take the time to understand the consequences of these proposals and ensure the final legislative changes are practical, proportionate and fit for purpose for all. This cannot be rushed.
“Over the last decade, we have seen a year-by-year decrease in the number of farm workers employed, due in part to the excessive burdens placed on employers through standards that are higher for agriculture than other sectors, such as through the Agricultural Wages Board.
The UFU said that in many cases, this has resulted in family members having to step in to fill labour gaps.
“We must not now add further pressure to these farm businesses.”
The UFU said it will “continue to press for changes and engage with the minister and her department to ensure that the voice of agriculture is fully represented as the proposals progress”.