Decision to allow RSE workers in welcomed, despite the price tag
Growers have welcomed the Government’s decision yesterday to allow 2000 Pacific Island horticultural workers to enter the country in the new year, but one fears it will still fall ‘‘grossly short’’.
The Registered Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme workers will be able to enter the country under strict conditions, including employers paying a minimum hourly rate of $22.10.
Employers would also be required to pay the cost of managed isolation while also paying the workers for 30 hours while in isolation.
Organic apple grower John Bostock said the move was a good start but it wasn’t just a question of picking the fruit.
The fruit had to be picked at exactly the right time to meet export quality requirements, he said. ‘‘We have a plan. If we don’t have enough workers we’re going to pick the priority fruit, the most valuable fruit, the one that is in the greatest demand.’’
Bostock said the new rules would mean an extra outlay of $6000 per worker, compared to hiring a Kiwi. ‘‘The incentive is to hire a Kiwi, but they’re just not available.’’
Hawke’s Bay apple grower Leon
Stallard, who uses locals and backpackers, said the new rules would not solve the problem.
‘‘We’re still going to be incredibly short of labour and its just doubled your costs.’’
He would be harvesting a smaller volume this year because of the labour shortage and said there would be some ‘‘distressed’’ growers who would be wondering how they would get through the season.
Managing director of labour supply contractors Thornhill, Richard Bibby said the industry would wear the extra costs if bringing workers in because it had no other choice. ‘‘We’ve got clients out there where the squashes won’t get picked, the peaches won’t get picked and the apples won’t get picked. To us it’s a no-brainer.
‘‘We’re in the industry for the long term.’’
NZ Apple and Pears chief executive Alan Pollard said it would be a challenge to allocate all the RSE workers but the extra incentives to attract Kiwis would help. It was yet to work out how workers would be allocated.
‘‘Our first priority was to get a decision out of Government, and we’ve all worked really well together on that. At the end of the day all our livelihoods are at stake here,’’ Pollard said.
The summer fruit harvest had already missed out on the needed labour but the next most urgent crops were apples in February and March, then kiwifruit, then grapes.
The RSE workers would come for seven months. They would ideally spend the first three and a half months working in Hawke’s Bay before spending the rest of the time in Marlborough, Bibby said.
The Council of Trade Unions supported the changes.
Co-convener Caroline Mareko said the living wage would enable workers to support their families at home, which was significant given the impact of Covid-19 on tourism.
It was appropriate that employers wore the cost managed isolation, she said.
Business Central chief executive John Milford said the extra workers would take the total number of RSE workers to around 7000, and while that was significant it was a lot fewer than the number usually employed. He called for the resumption of the RSE scheme in full, with quarantine protocols, given that most Pacific Islands were now Covid-free and relied on remittances.
‘‘Our horticulture sector is still in desperate need for workers, despite this boost in numbers.’’
BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope said the move was timely but warned several other industries still needed international skills. the of