<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/21/victorian-recycling-company-found-to-have-systematically-underpaid-refugees-and-asylum-seekers>
"Refugees and asylum seekers employed to sort rubbish were systematically
exploited and underpaid by one of the biggest recycling organisations in
Victoria.
A recycling company formerly known as Polytrade, a linked subsidiary, and its
owners, were fined more than $375,000 in the federal court this month, over
what a judge described as “obnoxious conduct” and a “cavalier disregard” for
the law, grossly underpaying migrant workers who spoke little English and were
vulnerable to exploitation.
The five workers were in Australia on protection visas and bridging visas,
pending the approval of protection visa applications. They had arrived in
Australia as asylum seekers from south Asia.
The workers were paid a flat rate of $22 an hour, regardless of whether they
worked at night, on weekends or public holidays. Some of the workers told the
court they worked 12-hour days, six and seven days a week.
The workers have since been backpaid in full.
But the company was also found liable for far wider underpayment, of workers
who were not part of the court action. In total, Polytrade was found to have
underpaid workers $2.2m since 2012."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
