Horticulture crack-down welcomed

Date: 28 August 2009

The Australian Workers Union today welcomed the establishment of a compliance program for the horticultural industry, aimed at ensuring a level playing field for the industries employers and compliance with the law in terms of pay and conditions for workers.

Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the compliance program last night, which involves the Federal Government, the AWU and employer organisations.

AWU National Secretary Paul Howes said that the union had longstanding concerns about the level of compliance with legal standards in the industry.

"A combined effort by partner organisations within the industry will benefit both workers and employers who comply with the law, who are placed at a competitive disadvantage by the many rogue players who refused to comply with legal standards by wide spread use of illegal labour and by refusing to pay workers the minimum award conditions."

"As we move towards the Horticulture Award 2010 and the National Employment Standards (NES), it is critically important that all industry stakeholders work together to ensure universal legal compliance across the industry."

"For too long a number of farmers and horticultural enterprises have been allowed to get away with undercutting decent employers and this compliance program should go a long way towards driving these rogues out of the industry."

"We look forward to working with the government and industry organisations to reach the shared and worthy goal of universal compliance with the law."

Mr. Howes also expressed disappointment that the Deputy Prime Minister had referred the new Horticulture Award back to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission for review.

"We have always believed that the decisions of the independent umpire should be respected without Government interference but whilst the Government's actions are a disappointment, our members in the industry can be assured that the AWU will do all it can to ensure rouge employers in the Horticultural industry don't use this process to leave Australian workers worse off."

For further information

Contact:	Paul Howes
Union:	The Australian Workers' Union
Phone:	02 8005 3333
Fax:	02 8005 3300
WWW:	http://www.awu.net.au

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