Media Statement
JOINT STATEMENT - 29th May 2006
The Howard Government has undermined the job security of 260 Australian meat workers in South Australia.
Local workers at the Teys Brothers meatworks in Naracoorte have had their employment reduced to 4 days a week, with a reduction in pay, because of a shortage of stock while the overseas workers employed at the same plant are still working a full week.
The Howard Government should explain to these 260 workers why their work, job security and wages have been cut while the 25 overseas workers employed at the same plant on temporary 457 visas are still getting a full week’s work.
The Howard Government’s visa conditions force employers to give more hours to temporary overseas workers than local employees. Under John Howard’s visa rules temporary overseas workers have their full time work guaranteed. Yet local workers employment conditions allow employers to stand them down without pay when there is a shortage of stock.
The Howard Government is fixated on bringing in more and more workers from overseas, while Labor’s priority is to train Australians first and train them now.
The Howard Government has increased the skilled migration program by an extra 270,000 permanent skilled migrants since 1997. Yet since 1998 the Howard Government has turned 300,000Australians away from TAFE around Australia.