Better pay and more support for migrant builders

Sunday, 5 May 2019

Filipino builder Andrew Doromal came to New Zealand on the advice of a colleague.

With 15 years experience in construction, he regularly worked overseas to earn enough money to support his family back in the Philippines.

But when Doromal arrived in Auckland he was forced to live in cramped conditions and the majority of his pay went to 'pastoral care'.

'When I arrived here in New Zealand, I spent three months in pastoral care and almost all of our pay was taken for it,' Doromal said.

A construction boom has lead to increased demand for migrant workers but they have few protections against exploitation (File photo).

* Legal loopholes allow for 'disgraceful' labour-hire worker exploitation

* Filipino rebuild workers reluctant to speak about exploitation**

'We didn't have enough money to send back home to the Phillipines.'

Andrew Doromal, a builder from the Philippines, is one of 800 builders who will benefit from the new Fair Labour Migrant Agreement.

Doromal said conditions in New Zealand were tough and migrant workers faced exploitation because of their status.

However, a new agreement signed between labour-hire company Extrastaff, First Union and Union Network of Migrants means Doromal and 800 Filipino builders like him, will be covered by ethical labour-hire standards.

A lot of Filipino workers arrive in New Zealand burdened with large debts as a result of them paying companies to arrange for their employment here, on top of that it is reported they are significantly under paid for their skills and experience.

These standards included the Living Wage as the new bottom rate from September and the assurance that pastoral care services such as provided accommodation are not abused.

The agreement also included training opportunities and access to extended sick leave and special leave entitlements.

'This is a godsend for us, not only as employees of the company but also for the company itself because it means we can stay longer,' he said.

He hoped the agreement would be an example for other companies and recruitment agencies.

The plight of migrant workers in the construction industry has come under the spotlight after 40 Chinese builders were caught up in 'bonded labour' by a recruitment agency

First Union general secretary Dennis Maga says there is growing interest in the agreement which guaranteed the ethical employment of migrants.

In January, Immigration Minister Iain Lees-Galloway told Stuff the exploitation of migrants was a key area of focus for the government.

Tom Tschudin, managing director of labour-hire company Extrastaff, said it was the goal of the company to protect the workers in the best way that they were able, and to take all practicable steps to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of staff at work and at home.

Signing the agreement with First Union and Union Network of Migrants allowed them to guarantee those protections, he said.

'New Zealand is undoubtedly providing opportunities to many migrant families to be able to call it home, but equally this migrant workforce has also provided New Zealand with the opportunity for growth and development,' Tschudin said.

'This agreement has been a joint initiative between Extrastaff and First Union over the past months in light of the negative exposure attracted by construction and labour-hire industries in relation to migrant workers.'

First Union general secretary Dennis Maga said the agreement provided a layer of protection for migrant workers while allowing businesses to make an ethical and legally binding commitment to workers.

'It's evident Filipino migrant workers in the construction sector face some horrific human and employment rights abuses so this is a good place to start,' Maga said.

Since the signing ceremony on May 2, other businesses had shown interest in signing similar agreements to protect migrant workers, he said.

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Philippine ambassador Jesus Domingo, who said his embassy staff had received multiple complaints from Filipino workers experiencing breaches of contracts and exploitation.

'There are so many heartbreaking stories of workers being pressured into signing blatantly illegal contracts just before or just after they arrive,' Domingo said at the ceremony.

'Fortunately we have a vigilant Filipino community and trade union movement that keeps watch of these abuses.'

The Fair Labour Migrant Agreement was a win-win for both employers and workers, Domingo said.