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Article

30 Jul 2018

Author:
Ben Schneiders, Sydney Morning Herald

Australia: Migrant farm workers launch landmark [AUD]$10m federal court action; tests new legislation protecting vulnerable workers

"Migrant farm workers launch landmark $10m legal claim", 29 July 2018

Migrant farm workers from Vanuatu have launched a landmark [AUD]$10 million legal claim against their former Australian labour hire employer for gross underpayment and mistreatment.

The Federal Court action against Agri Labour will use — thought to be for the first time — laws...to protect vulnerable workers from exploitation.

...50 workers from Vanuatu had worked in shocking conditions on a farm near Shepparton, and had earned as little as [AUD]$8 an hour.

Some workers reported bleeding from the nose and ears after chemical exposure while picking tomatoes...

The workers were brought to Australia by...labour hire firm Agri Labour...strongly denied the allegations levelled against it as "false"...the federal government suspended Agri Labour from bringing new workers to Australia under its Seasonal Worker Program.

The Fair Work Ombudsman has also launched an investigation...

In the legal claim, Ms Roqara alleges she was underpaid as much as [AUD]$11,000 for four months work through both underpayment and unlawful deductions from her pay by Agri Labour.

After deductions for rent, food, airfares, transport and visas, the claim alleges, she was paid as little as [AUD]$3.17 an hour. The five workers making the claim say they were underpaid up to $20,000 each for just four months work..

The workers are being backed by the National Union of Workers, which is running a campaign to improve working conditions in the almost entirely non-union farm sector...

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