Evidence of widespread wages theft in the fruit-picking sector could force the workplace umpire to close an industrial loophole that allows farms to pay foreign workers as little as $3 an hour, or $60 a day.
Key points:
- The Australian Workers Union wants farm workers to receive at least $24.80 an hour
- The union says fruit and vegetable farms are "the epicentre for exploitation"
- However, the National Farmers Federation defends the "piece rate" payment structure
The Australian Workers Union will today apply to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) to amend the current horticulture award to ensure farm workers receive the minimum casual wage of $24.80 an hour.
Under the current agreement, employers can avoid paying the minimum hourly rate by using the "piece rate" where workers are paid according to the amount of fruit or vegetables they are able to pick.
The FWC is Australia's independent workplace relations tribunal charged with, among other functions, setting minimum wages in awards.
The ABC revealed a fortnight ago that some foreign backpacker workers employed to pick blueberries on the New South Wales north coast around Coffs Harbour were paid as little as $3 an hour through the "piece rate" arrangement.
AWU national secretary Daniel Walton told the ABC that growing evidence of systemic underpayments through the use of shady labour-hire firms showed minimum conditions for workers needed to be nailed down in law.
"This industry has become the epicentre for exploitation around the country. People know in every corner of Australia that the fruit and vegetable industry by and large has some of the worst exploitation that's going on," Mr Walton said.
"We want this industry to offer people decent jobs. But until we start cleaning up and getting proper enforcement in this industry, unfortunately stories of people getting $3 an hour will continue."
Reputation of sector at risk, Minister says
Industrial Relations Minister Christian Porter is proposing tougher criminal and civil penalties for worker underpayments as part of the Federal Government's review of the industrial relations framework.
Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has previously described the alleged underpayments as "disgraceful" and, if true, had the potential to damage the reputation of the agriculture sector.
The National Farmers Federation, which represents agricultural employers, defended the current "piece rate" payments.
However, a spokesperson said they would "reserve comment" until there was more detail of the AWU's application to amend the horticulture award.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiZGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTEyLTE2L2F3dS1mYWlyLXdvcmstY29tbWlzc2lvbi11bmRlcnBhaWQtYmx1ZWJlcnJ5LXBpY2tlcnMvMTI5ODgyNDLSASdodHRwczovL2FtcC5hYmMubmV0LmF1L2FydGljbGUvMTI5ODgyNDI?oc=5
2020-12-16 00:29:00Z
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