Australia – Investigation finds most foreign workers underpaid in jobs “black market”

By memberservices@staffingindustry.com (Danny Romero)

Vulnerable foreign workers are being paid far below national standards in a jobs “black market”, according to an investigation from Unions NSW (New South Wales).

A two-year audit found four out of five Chinese, Korean and Spanish jobs illegally advertised below minimum pay rates. The findings from the audit were published in a report, ‘Lighting up the black market: Enforcing minimum wages’. For the 200 jobs audited, the report found a total annual underpayment of AUD 1.62 million (USD 1.26 million), equating to AUD 8,000 (USD 6,247) per business per year or $31,100 (USD 24,292) per week.

“This is wage theft on a massive scale. And it’s being perpetrated against people ill-equipped to fight back,” Mark Morey, Unions NSW Secretary, said. “Migrants often know they are being ripped off but lack the language skills, confidence and support to stand up for their rights. Often migrant workers are threatened, or must consider how a complaint will affect their visa or residency status.”

“We intend to keep shining a bright light on this problem while taking action against wage theft employers,” Morey said. “Our research finds that some employers believe they can offer a ‘Korean’ ‘Chinese’ or ‘Spanish’ rate of pay. Your pay rate is not determined by passport or ethnicity. We are all entitled to Australian standards.”

“Allowing unions better access to dodgy workplaces would empower workers to stand up for their rights as would criminal sanctions against wage thieves,” Morey said. “These are both measures that should be adopted by Commonwealth and NSW governments.”

Morey added that Unions NSW will begin the process of pushing for expanded right of entry powers at the NSW Labor conference in the coming weeks.

Source:: Australia – Investigation finds most foreign workers underpaid in jobs “black market”