
Issue No 89		23 March 2001

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

News

Tourist Guides Bussed In

Tourist guides have emerged as the latest victims of the Howard Government's failure to police working visas, with claims that breaches of the visas are rife.

The Transport Workers Union says that over the last five years almost 40 per cent of work in the Australian tourist coach industry have been lost to companies brining guides into Australia on working holiday, business and student visas.

TWU state secretary Tony Sheldon says a significant number of these companies are engaging workers in breach of their visas.

"More often than not these drivers are also paid well below award wages or on sub-standard Australian Workplace Agreements," Sheldon says.

"They are regularly working with total disregard to Australian traffic laws, basic road safety and driver up to 18 hours continuously," he says.

Sheldon says that despite repeated representations to the Federal Department of Immigration, there has been a general reluctance to investigate the abuse of visas in the topurist industry,

He's called on the Federal Government to immediately investigate the operation of its visa programs in the tourist industry and establish an enforceable code of practise for all inbound tourist coach companies.

Temple Workers Standing Firm

Meanwhile, the eight Indian temple workers who walked off the site of a Helensburg temple last month are standing firm in their fight for back pay.

The workers were being employed just $45 per month, with $100 per week sent home to their families in southern India. They received one day off each fortnight and were forced to live on the building site.

The workers have not returned to the site since joining the CFMEU are walking out and are now living in a rented house in Auburn.

The workers were on hand this week to support the Grenadier Coatings workers by challenging them to a friendly game of picket cricket.

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Issue 89 contents

Interview: Paddy Takes the Helm
Irish, internationalist, republican, socialist & seafarer - Paddy Crumlin intends taking the old traditions of the labour left into the 21st century, the community and cyberspace.

Unions: Breaking the Mould
Mark Hearn looks at how women union delegates are helping to change the culture in the traditionally male bastion of glassworking.

Legal: Washing Their Hands
Mark Morey outlines how Liberal neglect of the working visa system has led to exploitation of guest workers.

International: Violence Betrays Shangri-La
Shangri-La hotel union members carrying a coffin marked Robert Kuok have been assaulted and beaten by police in Jakarta.

Economics: Corporations: Different Than You and Me
Corporations are fundamentally different than you and me. That's a simple truth that Big Business leaders desperately hope the public will not perceive.

History: The Steel Octopus
Be prepared for a flood of Nostalgia from the media about the ï¿½Big Australianï¿½, as it prepares to flee our shores and finally internationalise its digging operations. Workers wonï¿½t forget BHPï¿½s less than worker friendly past and present (and no doubt itï¿½s future).

Review: Mean Nation
John Allen charts the fall and fall of philanthropy in Australian society.

Satire: Ryan 'A Big Wake-Up Call For Me': Beazley
The narrow victory to Labor in the Ryan by-election has delivered a big slap in the face to Leader of the Opposition Kim Beazley.

» Abbott and ï¿½Drinking Buddyï¿½ Under Microscope

» Working Visas: Ruddock Sells Dump to Abbott

» Tourist Guides Bussed In

» Fair Wear Holds Breath as Carr Celebrates

» Labor to Restore Public Sectorï¿½s Dignity

» Its Time for Carr to Act on Safey on Building Sites

» Bread Maker Slices Workforce

» Workers Show Grace Under Pressure

» Engineers Win BHP Redundancy Case

» Transport Drug Pushers Not Charged

» Training Body Needs $150 Million to Cope with Growth

» HIH Urged To Safeguard Employee Entitlements

» Carr Proposal For Public Schools Flawed

» Human Smirk Returns to Spiritual Home

» McGauchie Appointment Draws MUA Fire

» Bove Loses McDonald's Raid Appeal

» James Hardie Called to Account

» Australasian Union Organising Conference

» Activist Notebook