Any fruit and vegetable growers who are involved in illegal employment arrangements should pay attention to this advice from the VFF. Red Alert for fruit & vegetable growers in wake of government crackdown THE Victorian Farmers Federation has called on all fruit and vegetable growers to check all worker and labour-contractor agreements, as government agencies extend their crack down on illegal and underpaid workers. The Department of Immigration and Border Protection is checking properties across Victoria for illegal workers, while the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) is investigating employers who fail to put their workers on properly calculated and written piece-work agreements. “The VFF has been working with farmers for months to check and ensure they must have proper labour-hire contractor and piece-work agreements in place,” VFF Senior Workplace Relations Advisor Rob Martin said. “And we’re finding the vast majority are doing the right thing. But like any industry there’s always a few individuals who aren’t complying.” “If you’re employing someone make sure you’ve got the right agreements in place, otherwise you may face hefty back pay claims and thousands in fines.” Under recent amendments to migration law, a grower can face fines of up to $15,300 for each illegal worker found on their property, regardless of whether they are employing them directly or through a contractor.” “The messages are clear: • if you’re using overseas workers, then for heaven’s sake make sure they have the right to work here. • If you’re using a labour-hire contractor, then make sure you’ve got a cast-iron agreement with them that guarantees they’ve checked they have the right to work here. • And if you’re paying workers on a piece rate, make sure you have a written agreement in place that details exactly how that rate was derived and is signed by the employer and worker. “And if you’re not sure ask.” The VFF has been running seminars, educating growers on their obligations in regard to illegal workers, piece rates and other workplace laws, for the past 12 months.
Posted on: Fri, 28 Mar 2014 03:44:04 +0000
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