The Senate heard today that a shocking 164 workers were found to be underpaid by 48 Canberra restaurants in recent investigations. These investigations and results only occurred as a result of Labor raising complaints about underpaid skilled migrant cooks and chefs in Parliament – these complaints were ignored by the Government for months.
The extent of underpayment in the ACT demonstrates the importance of Industry Awards in establishing minimum rates and conditions that apply to hospitality workers.
In an extraordinary ‘own goal’, a question from a Liberal colleague prompted Senator Vanstone to launch a tirade attacking me personally and the union movement. This was a pathetic attempt to distract attention from the massive embarrassment the Howard Government is obviously experiencing having been forced to investigate even more under-payment in 48 local restaurants.
Senator Vanstone ought to be thanking Labor and the LHMU for bringing the issue of exploitation of skilled migrant workers to the Senate’s attention. She ought to be telling John Howard we need Awards to stay!
The workers and their union, the LHMU, came to Labor out of frustration that their complaints to Office of Workplace Services (OWS) were NOT being acted upon. If the issue had not been raised in Parliament back in February, there is no way the OWS or the Minister would have stopped the exploitation, regardless of Senator Vanstone’s attempt today to rewrite history to suit herself.
The fact is that the poor management of the skilled migrant workers scheme (457 visa) and the Minister’s neglect and disinterest in this aspect of her portfolio has been embarrassingly exposed.
It also disgusting hypocrisy that the Minister challenged the union to enforce the industry Award when it is the Howard Government’s extreme IR changes that have not only prevented unions from entering work places unannounced to inspect conditions, but have made it possible for employers to pay workers less than the Award through AWA’s!
Contact: Taryn Langdon 0417 148 059 or 02 6277 3334
