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Issue No. 160 | 08 November 2002 |
A Dry Argument
Interview: Life After Keating Industrial: That Friday Feeling Bad Boss: Begging to Work Organising: Project Pilbara Unions: Off the Rails International: Brazil Turns Left Environment: Brown Wash History Special: Learning from the Past Corporate: Will the Bullying Backfire? Technology: Danger Lurks For The Passive History: In Labour�s Image Politics: Without Power Or Glory History Special: A 'Cosy Relationship' Culture: Blood Stains the Wattle Satire: Iraq Pre-empts Pre-emptive Strike Poetry: The Executive Pay Cut Review: Time Out
African Immigration Scam Widens Unions in New Economy Breakthrough Water Workers Told to Stay Home Rural Campaign Against Rail Carve-Up Seven's Deadly Sin: Email Access Denied Vic Election: It�s Bracks �v- Jeff junior Aboriginal Health Workers Denied Minimum Wage Zookeepers Settle But Pay Stink Continues Nurses Gear Up for Aged Care Action Stoppage Over Rubbish Protection Nurses Care For Themselves Too New Roster Undermines WA Prison Security ICFTU: Japan No Workers� Paradise STOP PRESS: Libs Plan $70m Arts Heist
Month In Review The Soapbox The Locker Room Indigenous Postcard Bosswatch
More Power To The Workers Us V Them In Name Only Marital Status
Labor Council of NSW |
News African Immigration Scam Widens
Solicitor Lachlan Riches was hoping to interview Oagiles Malothane in South Africa today as the CFMEU sought to mount wage and immigration cases on his behalf. Malothane, at the centre of a diplomatic stand-off between Australia and South Africa, is under police protection in the Republic because of fears for his safety. He came to union and South African Government notice after being injured in the October 23 Lake Cargelligo water tower collapse which claimed two lives. Soon after being interviewed by South African diplomats in hospital, he was whisked away by people associated with the company that had brought him to Australia under a temporary immigration visa, designed for business people looking at establishing operations in this country. Malothane told diplomats he had received two $50 payments during three and a half months as an Australian building worker. His wife and four children at home, meanwhile, were getting $100 a month. South African Embassy staff fear Malothane is the tip of an iceberg of virtual slaves being employed around the globe through companies associated with expats who fled the fall of apartheid. High Commission first secretary, Rasheeda Adam, told the Australian media Malothane's story tied in with that of another countryman, Abian Grumeider, who committed suicide at Villawood Detention Centre last year. Her concerns were rejected by hardline Australian Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock who argued the South Africans had "no evidence" of a "fraudulent visa racket". More Action in the Deep North But evidence from North Queensland suggests Ruddock's Government has been sitting on claims of an organised immigration scam for months. A respected figure in the remote St George community told Workers Online, on condition of anonymity, of a racket that has been supplying Cubbie Station, near Dirranbandi, with cheap labour for years. It involved a Perth-based recruitment company sending upwards of 30 young South Africans a year to work at Cubbie Station. Predominatly white, and recruited through "Christian" contacts, their fates on the gigantic cotton spread aroused concerns amongst locals. The Government knew all about it because a St George-based group raised concerns with local National Party MP Bruce Scott. Specific allegations included: - the withholding of documents and other legal papers from individuals - rorting of immigration visas - gross underpayments and denial of entitlements - failure to upgrade documents, as promised, resulting in arrests and deportations Most of the above abuses have been documented in statutory declarations made by former Cubbie Station employees now back in South Africa. Our contact alleged that the same WA-based recruitment company had supplied South African labour for rural industries based around Dubbo in western NSW. He claimed that two workers he knew of received only accommodation, and vouchers for fuel and food at the local store, by way of remuneration for their time at Cubbie. Cargellico Rip-Offs The CFMEU, meanwhile, has discovered that the company at the centre of the Lake Cargellico tragedy was ripping off more than the immigration system. Organiser Tony Papa told Labor Council that when South Australian-based BGA Propriety Ltd won the contract they had no workers compensation cover. Subsequently, they had underestimated employees, their wage bill and even claimed to be operating in another industry to dodge full liability. "This happens all the time in the building industry. Just recently, we uncovered an operator in Sydney who had 12 employees but only paid workers comp on the basis of having one worker," Papa said. "We told Workcover and nothing was done about it." Papa called on Government to bring recalcitrant employers to book. "If Government's don't start enforcing their own laws we won't have a Workcover system left. You can't expect honest employers to keep meeting mounting premiums when dozens of competitors are beating them to contracts by blatantly ripping the system off."
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