Sprayer operator/ driver
- Thread starter tower2238
- Start date
kiwi pom
Member
- Location
- canterbury NZ
I'm not sure what you mean by, rent is subsidised, are you in your own house be it rented or owned or are they providing something for you to rent?
I don't think its a bad offer. I would pretty much guarantee that there are plenty of people on much less than that including self employed drivers (remember the UK minimum wage is lower for under 23's and farm staff tend to be younger).
Its also a lot more interesting than driving a forklift for a shift, which may be 12 hours with no overtime rate.
It's disappointing that farmers with employees don't comment on these types of threads. There's constant complaining about how there's no staff or staff are useless but if someone asks a question about an employment package there's nothing.
If you have your tickets, are a decent operator and think the job looks ok, give it a go and see what happens.
Well said and thanks for your help Kiwi
- Location
- Lincolnshire
It’s not overwhelming. Sprayer operator is really a technician grade job in my opinion and should be paying nearer £20 per hour.
so what is the house package worth to you , how much would you have to earn out of tax paid money to fund your own house .
is it on farm , that will reduce your travelling costs .
and do you own a house , which you can rent out if you get house with job
fieldfarmer
Member
While I agree about the rate must rise, can I add sometimes is not all about top dollar, the veiw and enjoyment and job satisfaction would be far more than looking out a forklift window in a factory but that doesn't pay the bills I know.
Know a guy who is a competent operator and has done thousands of ha of spraying. He's not the type to walk the crop with the agronomist or do basis himself but give him a rec sheet and he will then watch the weather and get the job done properly. However he's now moved jobs 6 times in as many years. Half the jobs he's left of his own accord because he wants more money and the other half he's been moved on because he wants to much money. My point is that he values himself far more than what 6 employers have done. What you need to think about is what the industry can afford. The fact that a full time sprayer operator you are largely left to your own devices so if that means going out at 3am but then finishing at 10am and having the next 2 days off because of bad weather then this is worth a lot especially if you've young children.
But I have known thus guy 20 years and he's a decent hard working bloke who strives to look after his family. He's worked for me casually multiple times over the last 20 years so as well as knowing him socially I know him as an employee as well. BUT are 6 employers over the last 6 years all wrong? The answer is no they are not but if you've somebody willing to pay £15/hour for the position but offer you ultimate flexibility as long as the job is done, but you think the job is worth £20/hour with a house and all the flexibility then its never going to work.
The agricultural workforce is an issue as we all know because people don't want to do it due to low pay and conditions but be careful because the farmers themselves are having no choice but to squeeze the employees out. Theres a level a farm business can afford and if people want more money those farms will join forces with other farms and run massive equipment to do the job themselves to avoid the costly employee route. Plenty of big outfits now where 3 or 4 farmers have climbed together, and then each farmer runs one piece of the equipment in the agreement. Yes the farmer driving the sprayer might well be covering 5000 ac with one machine but from his point of view, he is busy in the spring time and autumn and then gets the rest of the year off. Same goes for the farmer operating the seed drill or the combine. Its very busy for certain periods then its easy. Be careful pushing for more money because you might find the jobs dry up.
serf
Member
- Location
- warwickshire
Ivorbiggun
Member
- Location
- Norfolk
If you can get £14 an hour driving a forklift as earlier in the thread, knowing exactly when you’re working and able to plan a life why the hell would you work on a farm for £10 quid an hour, working ridiculous long hours.
Farming has to get itself out of the victorian age and into the present day, all this moaning about can’t afford to pay their staff, then go out and spend quarter of a million on a machine.
There‘s some good wages out there being paid at the moment, some farms have worked out what they have to do to get and keep good staff, and they’ll be fine. The cheapskate farmer will struggle.
Farming has to get itself out of the victorian age and into the present day, all this moaning about can’t afford to pay their staff, then go out and spend quarter of a million on a machine.
There‘s some good wages out there being paid at the moment, some farms have worked out what they have to do to get and keep good staff, and they’ll be fine. The cheapskate farmer will struggle.
tullah
Member
- Location
- Linconshire
But the farmer goes out to spend £250k on a machine not for economics but to get Labour to drive it. No Labour no business. He takes on more land so he can buy this kit to stay in business and attract Labour. If he had out of date rough tractors then few would want to drive them even if offered £15.
The reason why they forgo earning £20 in a factory as against £15 on a farm is solely down to job satisfaction. Boss buys shiny new kit and what better place to be seen than driving it up and down a big open field in the open air with full suspension. Quite impressive and very enjoyable. This is probably a major reason why there's not the temptation to go after that extra £5 an hour on a factory floor.
You see very few driving around in an old Fiesta because they want to be seen in a more street cred car. They both do the same job but one half the annual running expense of the other.
Ivorbiggun
Member
- Location
- Norfolk
1
Now we’re talking. Most farms around here £10 and £15. Guess he’s going to have loads of applicants.
local farmer advertising for a job, £12 an hour for 40 hours, £18 an hour overtime, anything over 12 hours a day, Sundays and bank holidays £24.
Now we’re talking. Most farms around here £10 and £15. Guess he’s going to have loads of applicants.
tullah
Member
- Location
- Linconshire
He certainly will especially if it's bums on seats with shiny kit. Seems rather ott for the going rate. That's why I do it myself.
Ivorbiggun
Member
- Location
- Norfolk
Yes it does sound a bit ott If you’re a farmer, any other industry that would be the norm.
Farmers you’ve been warned about this for years, do something about it soon or you’ll not have any staff left.
The guy offering this kind of money has obviously woken up and realised what he needs to do.
serf
Member
- Location
- warwickshire
All this talk of oh go and work in factory or tesco ect , I doubt many from a farming stock could just adapt to it and would prob drive them up the wall if they could even stick the work !
Mire to it all than just money ....
Mire to it all than just money ....
kiwi pom
Member
- Location
- canterbury NZ
I suppose it depends on what those 6 employers were paying him?
Fit is very important in agriculture too. Look at all the different personalities on TFF. Its unlikely that even a good employee would get on with all of them.
I agree money isn't everything, its finding somewhere you can fit in and get along with the boss.
Finding a good employer in farming is as hard for the employee as finding good staff is for the farmer
Weasel
Member
- Location
- in the hills
Hoy dick head, I drive about in an old feista and probably worth more and better off than them pansies that drive about in range rovers
Chae1
Member
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
Could be dangerous spraying in the open air. I'd want a cab.
Quick question ,ivor
you are ploughing some strong land ,and you have a table booked at your favorite pub ,should be done by 5 ,but get a blown pipe and get delayed ,and wont be finished till 7 ,when your supposed to be out ,
and rain forecast quite heavy rain ,
do you stay and finish it and cancel pub
or say f**k it it will still be there monday and will get done some time ,makes no odds to me am still getting paid regardless if done or not
tullah
Member
- Location
- Linconshire
Have cab on a 7610. Metasystox has long gone.
kiwi pom
Member
- Location
- canterbury NZ
Don't know what Ivor would say but for me it would depend on a few things. If I'd pointed out a worn hose but the boss wouldn't allow it to be fixed, I'd knock off. If it was something like my kids birthday I'd knock off, if it was just tea I'd carry on.
My last UK boss had a habit of sending me home when I was trying to finish baling a paddock or finishing drilling before rain because he didn't want to pay the overtime, then it would rain and bugger the job.
The last straw was when he asked me to work my weekend off (we milked cows too) to do some ploughing. No problem, make some money, cracked on but at 2 o clock his fiver an hour cash in hand retired chap finished what he was doing so the boss sent him to do my ploughing. I said I'd carry on as it was too late to do anything else. "no you go, he's cheaper"
"but can you come back tomorrow (Sunday) as Mr cash in hand is doing something else.NO, no I don't think I will thanks.