Students face racism, exploitation
Sushi Das
December 8, 2008

Source: The AGE

INTERNATIONAL students with jobs are being paid less than Australians, face discrimination when applying for rental properties and are treated “less favourably” by teachers, an inquiry has been told.

Reports of racial discrimination, students being made to work for no pay for a month before being given paid employment and severe overcrowding in rental properties are included in two submissions to a State Government taskforce examining the problems within the international education industry.

The submissions, by the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission and the Tenants Union of Victoria, call for urgent action to tackle the problems.

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Barney Zwartz
December 7, 2008

Source: The AGE

The crucifix bought in New York and traced to a Chinese sweatshop.

“JESUS have mercy on me, I’m dying of exhaustion.” That plaintive cry came from a Chinese teenager who had just finished yet another 19-hour shift producing crucifixes for sale in churches.

Christians in Australia have strongly supported the FairWear campaign for clothing outworkers and fair trade in coffee and tea, but might unwittingly be involved in some of the worst exploitation: workers producing devotional souvenirs, gifts and trinkets.

The Uniting Church in Australia has launched a campaign, Just Holy Hardware, to work with retailers and wholesalers to reduce exploitation and to educate Australian Christians.

Source: Unite – call them on 03 9328 1555

New laws that expose bosses to big fines if they pay workers’ wages ‘in-kind’ or make unauthorised deductions from their pay packets have taken effect in Victoria this week.

The Victorian Workers’ Wages Protection Act requires employees’ wages to be paid in money. This bans all in-kind payments such as paying retail employees with discounted clothes or free DVD hire!

Employers must obtain the written authorisation of the employee, or their parent or guardian if they are under 18, before making any deduction. Under no circumstances can the boss deduct more than the amount specified in the authorisation.

An authorisation is of no effect if it is obtained by coercion (ie bullying) or if it delivers a financial benefit to the employer. A deduction can be deemed unreasonable if it results in the employee being paid less than the minimum wage.

It can also be deemed unreasonable if it is intended to make up for the cost of replacing clothing, equipment or other property lost or destroyed by the worker.

An employer that breaches the Act can be ordered to pay a penalty of up to $10,000 and to reimburse the employee. A court can order all or part of the penalty be paid to a union or other organisation.

This new legislation comes after some petrol station operators (including 7-Eleven) had been deducting money from employees’ pay packets when customers drove off without paying for fuel. Another high profile example was the case where UNITE exposed Video Dogs for paying workers in DVD hire.

The Student Housing Action Cooperative (SHAC) has been occupying a set of formerly disused terrace houses which belong to the University of Melbourne for the last few months.

For further information

The YUN is inviting young workers to apply for their Union Summer three week internship program. This program aims to bring unions together with young workers, students and activists and give them the opportunity to get active in organising campaigns.

Union Summer runs from January 27th – February 13th. The training will cover basic organising skills and concepts, campaigning, the history of unions, the role of unions in the workplace, Industrial Relations and Occupational health and safety.

There will also be a component of training time that is used for interns to work on problem solving and development of a small group project. You get a basic stipend [around $250 a week] for your efforts and four and a half days of your time will be spent at the historic Trades Hall.

Applications close on December 15 so contact Danielle Archer as soon as possible on 96593578 or darcher@vthc.org.au

Source: The Daily Telegraph

December 04, 2008

THE giant multi-national retailer Toys R Us has been raided by federal officers over suspicions it has ripped millions of dollars off thousands of young workers.

December 4, 2008

FairWear invites you to FairWear Sweat Free Christmas Carols!

FairWear has been making its list, and checking it twice, trying to find out who’s been naughty and nice to outworkers and clothing workers this year! And have we got a big bag of coal for “Rich” and “Mesop”!!

“Rich” and “Mesop” have been getting fat indeed on paying Australian workers $14 per hour (well below the award wage), to make high fashion garments that are retailing for more than $700!

So come and join us on the 19th December, the week before Christmas, to sing some carols and present a bag of coal (the traditional stocking filler for naughty children at Christmas time) to the “Rich” and “Mesop” retail outlet.

The FairWear Sweat Free Christmas Carols
Meet Santa at 12:30pm, Friday
19th December at 375
Brunswick St, Fitzroy (cnr with Rose St)

Contact FairWear:
Phone: 9251 5270 Mobile: 0421 979 694
Email: fairwear@fairwear.org.au
Web: www.fairwear.org.au

A total of 91 trade unionists were murdered for fighting for workers’ rights worldwide in 2007, according to the International Trade Union Confederation’s – Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights, released late last month.

Mates make most of learning chance
Dewi Cooke, December 1, 2008

Lawyer Simon McDonald and homeless man Ian Gwynne struck up an instant friendship through the Catalyst-Clemente education program…

More information

People of all nations, all faiths, all backgrounds, are invited to contribute…

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