Answer: Yes.

The Ministry of Labour has stated that piece-rate prices must be communicated to workers before work begins. This prevents employers from basing prices on workers’ efforts instead of setting a fair price at the start of work. It is acceptable for an employer to set a base tree price, and then increase the price based on the difficulty of the conditions. However, the majority of employers clearly state the tree price to workers before planting starts each day.

It may happen that your crew boss heads out to the worksite without actually knowing the tree price. In such situations, it is reasonable to ask them to contact the manager or supervisor to verify the price. There have also been a few cases where workers have refused to plant until a price is stated.

Of course, reasonable employers realize that not stating a tree price only encourages employees to work more slowly, as lower production provides a stronger argument for a higher price, and stating the price openly is more likely to prompt workers to instead focus on achieving their goals.