The trend has resulted in a shortage of shearers, with older workers left to fill shearing stands.

The average shearer was now in their mid 30s, a considerable age given the physical demands of the job, Australian Workers Union (AWU) spokesman Carl Phillips said.

Shearing sheds were finding it difficult to attract workers as a shortage of shearers and trainee shearers spread across rural areas, Mr Phillips said.

This week the AWU presented farmers with a log of claims aimed at reviving the industry by making it more attractive to rural youth.

The claims include a 16 per cent pay rise for shearers and a pay increase of up to 32 per cent for trainee shearers and shed staff.

Mr Phillips said shearers were prepared to take massive strike action if farmers did not agree to discuss another enterprise bargaining agreement and would take further industrial action if the pay increase was not taken seriously.

“We’re in a prime position. It’s in the farmers interest to listen. The industry hasn’t been able to attract shed hands, there just aren’t enough young shearers out there,” Mr Phillips said.

The pastoral log of claims included issues such as a 38-hour week, long service leave, the elimination of junior rates and improving various allowances.

“Our members working in the pastoral industry have given us a mandate to aggressively pursue the claim,” AWU Victorian secretary Bill Shorten said.

The AWU represents 25,000 rural workers in Victoria, New South wales, Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania.

Queensland shearers worked under a state award but would be closely watching the AWU claims, Mr Shorten said.

“AWU members in other industries have enjoyed many of these conditions for years and it’s our intention to drag farmers and farming contractors, kicking and screaming if necessary into the real world,” he said.

While some pastoral workers were itinerant and more likely to operate off individual agreements with farmers and contractors, the shearing industry traditionally was highly unionised. The union has asked farming groups including the National Farmers Federation to respond to the claims as a matter of urgency.