Victorian Trades Hall Council has welcomed the Morrison Government’s arrival at a party the rest of us have been at for years, while noting that it’s well past time for them to leave.
The Federal Liberal Government today announced “in principle” support for the recommendations of the Migrant Worker Taskforce, including:
- Making wage theft a crime
- Extending protections of the Fair Entitlements Guarantee to migrant workers
- Improving Fair Work Commission processes
Many of the recommendations are long overdue, and will facilitate improved access to wage justice for local and migrant workers. However Trades Hall criticised the cynical timing of the government’s support for these measures, less than three months from a Federal Election and too late to introduce legislation.
Quotes attributable, Luke Hilakari, Secretary of Victorian Trades Hall Council:
“The writing is on the wall for this government. The Liberals know that Australian workers are sick and tired of a Federal Liberal Government standing by in quiet complicity while their wages are stolen, while their job security is undermined by labour-hire, and while greedy businesses make bumper profits from rank exploitation of migrant workers.”
“The Liberals have done nothing about wage theft or labour hire abuses for years, and now, with less than 100 days until an election, we are supposed to believe they will hold dodgy businesses accountable for their crimes? It is a joke. A cynical attempt to stifle justified criticism of this government for their failure to protect Australian and migrant workers.”
“If the Liberals want to get serious on wage theft and labour hire, they should publicly endorse Daniel Andrews’ policies.”
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