ALIEN LABOR – AUSTRALIA

Job seekers gaming system: employer

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 9-Feb-21

Khan’s Supermarkets CEO Rashid Khan claims some people who are applying for jobs with his New South Wales company are only doing so to fulfil Centrelink obligations. Like other employers, he would like to see foreign workers be able to roll over their visas, while he claims he had to sell his supermarket in Nowra because he could not find a manager for it, despite being willing to pay $100,000 for one. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash says more job seekers need to be willing to move to areas where there are labour shortages; just 197 people took up JobSeeker assistance to relocate for work in 2020; the lowest figure in six years.

CORPORATES
KHAN’S SUPERMARKETS

Work Aussies won’t do: market mismatches

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Original article by Matthew Cranston
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 8-Feb-21

The federal government has convened an inquiry into Australia’s skilled migrant program, to be headed by the Liberal Party’s Julian Leeser. One aspect of the program it will look at is whether any adjustments are needed in the light of the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and the future of work. The inquiry comes as employers say they are struggling to find Australians who are willing to do certain jobs; it has been suggested that visas for overseas workers should be rolled over so that they do not have to return to their own country when their visa expires. Welfare programs such as JobKeeper and JobSeeker are also seen as a constraint on employment by some employers.

CORPORATES
LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Migrant workers robbed of $1bn

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Original article by Nicola Berkovic
The Australian – Page: 3 : 29-Oct-18

Backpackers and international students are owed more than $1 billion in unpaid wages, according to a study to be released on 29 October. However, only nine per cent of them make an effort to recover their wages. Just three per cent took their case to the Fair Work Commission, but 58 per cent of that group did not recovery any money. The report makes a number of recommendations, including setting up a specific team to assist with migrant workers’ questions and making changes to the Fair Work Ombudsman’s processes

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, SYDNEY

Coffee Club franchisee accused of 457 visa rorts

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Original article by David Marin-Guzman
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 4-May-17

The Fair Work Ombudsman is prosecuting a cafe franchisee for exploiting a foreign employee who was recruited on a 457 visa. Saandeep Chokhani, a Brisbane-based Coffee Club franchisee, has been accused of underpaying the 457 visa holder. It has also been alleged that Chokhani told the employee that his visa would be cancelled if he did not repay some $A18,000 of his wages. A cafe was fined more than $A530,000 earlier in 2017 for exploiting 457 visa holders via a cashback arrangement.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, THE COFFEE CLUB PTY LTD, FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT OF AUSTRALIA

Beef up workers’ rights to halt exploitation

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Original article by Mark Zirnsak, Heather Moore
The Age – Page: 18 : 11-Jan-16

There is growing evidence that Australian employers are underpaying staff in a wide range of sectors, particular people who are on temporary work visas or student visas. Temporary workers supplied by labour hire firms are also being exploited, with low wages and long working hours. The Productivity Commission has made a number of welcome recommendations to address the issue, including increased funding for the Fair Work Ombudsman and ensuring that people on temporary work visas are fully informed of their rights.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, PIZZA HUT AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE CRICKET GROUND, BAIADA POULTRY PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, JL POULTRY PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, UNITING CHURCH IN AUSTRALIA, BAPTIST CHURCH OF AUSTRALIA

Exploited 7-Eleven workers will not lose their visas

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Original article by Max Mason
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 21-Dec-15

The Australian Government has advised that foreign workers who were underpaid by 7-Eleven will not have their visas cancelled if they assist with investigations into the scandal. Giri Sivaraman of law firm Maurice Blackburn says this is likely to encourage more exploited workers to come forward. The Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees’ Association claims that wage exploitation is still occurring.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF IMMIGRATION AND BORDER PROTECTION, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD, SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

New partnership with China

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 6 : 18-Nov-14

Australia and China have signed a free trade agreement. Chinese President Xi Jinping told the Australian Parliament on 17 November 2014 that China is a peace-loving nation. He hopes the trade deal will strengthen Australia’s ties with China. Opposition Leader Bill Shorten said the Australian Labor Party will scrutinise provisions for bringing Chinese workers to Australia for infrastructure projects valued at more than $A150 million

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND TRADE

Energy report urges job reform

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Original article by Amos Aikman
The Australian – Page: 18 : 18-Aug-14

A new study, "Heading North: The Importance of Labour Mobility in Developing Northern Australia", has been commissioned by the Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association special interest group. It will argue before the federal parliament’s Joint Select Committee on Northern Australia on 18 August 2014 that state and federal governments must do more to support flexible staffing solutions. These include "fly in, fly out" rosters, more skilled immigration and the use of "457" visas. Such measures could unlock a potential $A180bn in capital investments

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN PETROLEUM PRODUCTION AND EXPLORATION ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. JOINT SELECT COMMITTEE ON NORTHERN AUSTRALIA