‘Modern-Day Slavery’: Migrant Workers Exploited in Australia’s Food Processing Supply Chains, with Millions in Underpaid Wages
- Two migrant workers, Susilo and Tommy, have come forward to reveal the shocking truth about underpayment and exploitation in Australia’s food processing supply chains.
- The workers were allegedly underpaid millions of dollars by their labour hire company, with some earning as little as $3.95 an hour.
- Experts warn that the exploitation of migrant workers is rife across Australia, with some of the worst cases found in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley.
- The federal government is under pressure to strengthen laws and protections for migrant workers, including the introduction of national labour-hire licensing and streamlined wage recovery mechanisms.
The stories of Susilo and Tommy are just the tip of the iceberg in a broader pattern of exploitation and underpayment of migrant workers in Australia’s food processing supply chains. The two workers, who were employed by a labour hire company, claim they were underpaid millions of dollars for their work on farms in Victoria. Susilo, who was questioned in detail about his experiences, revealed that he was paid as little as $3.95 an hour, despite being entitled to the minimum wage of $19.84 an hour.
The alleged exploitation of Susilo and Tommy is not an isolated incident. According to a recent survey by the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO), non-compliance with labour laws is rife across Australia, with 83 per cent of farms and labour hire companies in the Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley found to be in breach of the law. Experts warn that the exploitation of migrant workers is a form of “modern-day slavery”, with workers often fearful of being detected by authorities and sent home.
Dr Laurie Berg, an associate professor of law at the University of Technology Sydney, says that the experiences of Susilo and Tommy highlight the need for stronger accessorial liability laws, national labour-hire licensing, and streamlined wage recovery mechanisms. “We need stronger laws to protect workers and hold employers to account,” she said. “The current system is failing workers, and it’s up to the federal government to take action.”
Analysis: What This Means for Australia
The exploitation of migrant workers in Australia’s food processing supply chains has significant implications for national security, law enforcement, and community safety. The fact that some of the worst cases of exploitation are found in Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley raises concerns about the effectiveness of labour laws and regulations in these regions. The federal government’s response to this issue will be critical in determining the future of Australia’s food processing industry and the protection of migrant workers’ rights.
According to Caterina Cinanni, executive director of farms at the United Workers Union (UWU), the Workplace Justice Visa scheme needs to be expanded to cover workers on bridging visas and undocumented workers. “We need to ensure that all workers, regardless of their visa status, are afforded equal protections by our industrial and visa system,” she said.