AUSTRALIA HUNTER VALLEY VINEYARDS ARE NOW ON LABOR INSPECTOR RADAR WHO ARE LIKELY TO VISIT FOR INSPECTION THIS SUMMER AS EARLIER FOUND 68 EMPLOYEES WERE UNDER PAID BY $ 14120 AS THERE ARE 400 FOREIGN WORKERS OUT TOTAL WORK FORCE OF 500 PEOPLE The Hunter Valleys vineyards are on notice that Fair Work inspectors will be in the region this summer harvest season, after a series of breaches were found earlier in the year. The Harvest Trail program by the Fair Work Ombudsman, saw visits to eight youth hostels and random site visits to 16 vineyards and six grape-picking labour hire firms. The inspections saw contravention letters issued to three businesses, mainly due to the underpayment of fruit picking staff. They found 68 employees had been underpaid a total of $14,120. The most common issue was underpayment of penalty rates for weekend and public holiday work. There were also instances of money being unlawfully deducted from staff pay, such as the cost of pruning shears. Of the 500 strong workforce, more than 400 were overseas workers, some under the age of 25. Half of the underpaid workers were overseas visa-holders, including about a dozen under the age of 21. Fair Work Director, Craig Bildstien says there is clearly a need for greater scrutiny. We also found a number of other issues that concerned us, he said. Some employees were having money deducted from their wages unlawfully. We found business not keeping accurate employment records. We have decided to come back in January next year to reassure ourselves that everything is in order. Mr Bildstien says the horticulture industry is a persistent source of complaints and the crackdown will continue for three years. Some of the local employers did tell us that our presence in the Hunter stopped some dodgy operators from coming into the area. They said our scrutiny of the wages and conditions did keep at bay some rogue labour hire contractors that they didnt see come back.
Posted on: Sat, 29 Nov 2014 05:12:34 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015