Labour AM for the Vale of Clwyd, Ann Jones has welcomed a Supreme Court judgment that “helps safeguard Agricultural workers pay and conditions.”
The Supreme Court of the UK has today ruled that a move by the Welsh Government to protect Agricultural Workers’ pay and working conditions – the Agricultural Sector Bill – was within its powers, countering the argument put forward by the UK Government.
The Agricultural Sector Bill was an Emergency Bill put forward by the Labour Welsh Government last year following the coalition UK Government’s decision to scrap the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB). Established in 1949, the AWB set the minimum rates of pay and other terms and conditions of employment for agricultural workers in England and Wales.
Despite being passed by a majority of Assembly Members in the National Assembly for Wales, the UK Attorney General, Conservative Dominic Grieve, blocked the law saying it was not in the Assembly’s Power when it went before the Supreme Court on 17th Feb 2014. Today’s finding by the Supreme Court has confirmed that the Assembly does indeed have competence over this matter allowing the Bill to pass into law.
Welcoming the Supreme Court’s announcement, Ms Jones said:
“I welcome the Supreme Court’s judgment which will ensure that Agricultural workers will continue to have a fair future in the sector in Wales. The abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board was another attack by the Tory-led Government on workers rights and I am proud of the stand we took against this disgusting attack on workers rights.
“The cynical way in which they originally sought to abolish the AWB by by-passing the Welsh Government demonstrated their contempt for the people of Wales, and their attempts to scupper the Welsh Government’s efforts to retain its functions shows that they are happy to play politics with the working conditions of agricultural workers.
“This is now the third time that the Tory-led UK Government has humiliatingly lost against the Welsh Government in the Supreme Court. This marks a big blow to the Tories as they continue to fight their “War on Wales”.
“They have treated the people of Wales with contempt by trying to scupper laws made by the democratic body that was elected by the people – not once, but one three separate occasions.
“In my mind, the UK Government should apologise to the Welsh Government and the people of Wales for wasting taxpayers money on pointless and baseless court cases”.
