horses - rumblings in the stables
WORKERS, FEB 2005 ISSUE
The National Trainers' Federation and the Stable Lads' Association have announced a new pay settlement for horse racing stable staff. This includes a 3.3% wage increase, a £6 daily subsistence allowance, and improvements on overnight and away day allowances.
Until recently stable staff - all "lads" irrespective of gender - received a flat rate of £12 a day, but now the statutory minimum wage of £4.85 per hour will apply from February. The pay settlement is a major step forward in some respects, but the profession is still run in a backward, almost feudal way and the deal was recently criticised by Lord Donoughue in an independent review of terms and conditions as not going far enough to advance the stable staff.
In June 2004 Donoughue led a committee investigation into the conditions of stable lads which resulted in a damning indictment of the sport of kings, oil magnates and millionaires. The report called for pension provision, a brand new system of wages, benefits, remuneration and working patterns, and the tackling of health and safety issues, bullying and sexual harassment.
The review also suggested the formation of a proper trade union to replace the Stable Lads' Association. Rumblings among stable staff indicate that this might happen sooner rather than later.