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CANBERRA, Australia (PNA/Xinhua) -- The Australian Workers Union on Wednesday said underpaid Filipino workers at gas fields off Western Australia could be entitled to tens of thousands of dollars in back pay.
The Department of Immigration on Wednesday launched an investigation into union claims that the workers were being paid rates less than three U.S. dollars an hour on the North West Shelf's gas fields off Western Australia.
In contrast, other Shelf's full-time Australian workers are earning average annual salaries of 134,389 U.S. dollars.
The two workers were employed by Danish multinational Maersk Line through Hong Kong-based contractor Pocomwell Ltd., a company specializing in finding skilled oil field workers in the Philippines.
According to Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes, following the expose of their "slave labor pay," the two workers will get Australian pay rates back.
"We have told the government that we cannot stand by and allow what is essentially the trafficking of cheap labor from Asia into the remote northwest of Western Australia, and no one takes notice or seems to care," Howes told Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday.
Department of Immigration representatives were expected to meet the workers in Perth on Thursday, while Howes said it was important the department was able to spend time interviewing the workers.
"Once that happens it is hard, often impossible, for police, the Immigration Department, and others, to gather the evidence of misuse of guest workers," he said.
The two workers, who were filling painting and maintenance roles, were brought to Australia under the 456 visa program, which is designed to fill highly specialized and short-term jobs.
Howes said it was clear in Asia that gang bosses wander around small villages offering work opportunities in Australia "which sound like a dream, but in reality often turn into hell."
The details of the potential visa misuse are also subject to an ongoing departmental investigation.
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The Department of Immigration on Wednesday launched an investigation into union claims that the workers were being paid rates less than three U.S. dollars an hour on the North West Shelf's gas fields off Western Australia.
In contrast, other Shelf's full-time Australian workers are earning average annual salaries of 134,389 U.S. dollars.
The two workers were employed by Danish multinational Maersk Line through Hong Kong-based contractor Pocomwell Ltd., a company specializing in finding skilled oil field workers in the Philippines.
According to Australian Workers Union national secretary Paul Howes, following the expose of their "slave labor pay," the two workers will get Australian pay rates back.
"We have told the government that we cannot stand by and allow what is essentially the trafficking of cheap labor from Asia into the remote northwest of Western Australia, and no one takes notice or seems to care," Howes told Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday.
Department of Immigration representatives were expected to meet the workers in Perth on Thursday, while Howes said it was important the department was able to spend time interviewing the workers.
"Once that happens it is hard, often impossible, for police, the Immigration Department, and others, to gather the evidence of misuse of guest workers," he said.
The two workers, who were filling painting and maintenance roles, were brought to Australia under the 456 visa program, which is designed to fill highly specialized and short-term jobs.
Howes said it was clear in Asia that gang bosses wander around small villages offering work opportunities in Australia "which sound like a dream, but in reality often turn into hell."
The details of the potential visa misuse are also subject to an ongoing departmental investigation.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]