News Release

FOREIGN WORKERS FEARS

9 February 2006

SA Unions is concerned that the federal government's worker visas are resulting in the exploitation of both foreign and local workers.

SA Unions Secretary, Janet Giles says it appears the visas are being used to bring in cheap foreign labour at the expense of local jobs.

"This is a concern whichever way you look at it," Ms Giles says.

"We don't want local workers denied the chance to work because labour has been brought in from overseas."

"We also don't want to see foreign workers brought in and not treated fairly.  What rights do these workers have to challenge their pay and working conditions?  If they fear losing their job and being sent from this country, then that leaves them in a very poor position", she says.

SA Unions has written to the Premier, Mike Rann outlining our concerns.  We have also written to the Immigration Minister, Amanda Vanstone and the Department of Immigration expressing our concern that these visas are being used to exploit foreign workers at the expense of local workers."

"The news that labour is being brought in from Europe to work on the Holden plant must be a kick in the guts to local workers bearing the brunt of high unemployment."

"But this problem isn't confined to Holden.  We also have evidence of foreign workers being used in the meat industry, with the T & R Abattoir at Murray Bridge exploiting Chinese workers at a time when local unemployment has risen by another 160 following the closure of the Clipsal plant."

"We regard this shonky use of worker visas as guest workers by stealth.  It is not fair to the foreign labour, and it certainly isn't fair for locals.  The federal government should be investing in greater training opportunities and employment assistance for locals instead of allowing foreign workers to be exploited at locals' expense," Ms Giles says.