PMA calls for authorities to crack down on rogue hire firms.

Following ABC’s Four Corners expose on widespread exploitation of migrant workers, CEO of PMA, Michael Worthington calls on the authorities to make a concerted crack-down on rogue labour hire firms.

“The vast majority of fresh produce companies do the right thing with their employment practices and they are frustrated by companies in the supply chain that blatantly break the law and take advantage of migrant workers”, Mr Worthington said. “These rogue labour hire companies need to be driven out of the industry as soon as possible.

The fresh produce industry depends on backpackers and migrant labour and there will always be a place for labour hire firms but only ones that abide by the law and do not take advantage of young workers, many of whom do not have a good grasp of English or the laws of this country.

The industry produces some of the best quality fresh produce in the world for consumers here and overseas and it is not fair to blame retailers and producers for the wrongdoings of a minority of businesses.

The retailers and producers are not the ones benefitting from under-payment of workers, it is the shonky labour hire firms who are skimming the wages,” he added.

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