Global energy giant facing more claims of misuse of guest workers

The Australian Workers Union has called on the Federal Government to urgently stop a global energy industry corporation moving a barge from Australia to Indonesia, while investigations into their misuse of foreign labour are completed.

" We believe that a US-based global energy giant is misusing our nation's employment laws by flying into Australia about 90 Asian workers - from Thailand, Indonesia and the Phillippines - to 'demob' a barge ( the DB 30) now in Dampier, doing the work of Australians - at significantly discounted pay rates," Paul Howes, AWU National Secretary, said.

" This is the second time we have had to raise issues about this company, McDermott International, a Texas-based resource industry giant, and their barge ( the DB 30) because of the way they misuse foreign guest workers.

" Our understanding is that a new group of workers have been flown in for a few days work - and may be flown out within the next 24 hours - and paid around $8 an hour.

The normal Australian crew working to "demob" a barge would be paid at the minimum of $40 an hour, plus entitlements.

• Standing up for resource industry workers; their jobs and their safety - join the AWU today

" On what basis was McDermotts able to convince government authorities they could bring in these workers to replace the existing Australian workforce, and pay these workers at lower rates of pay?

" In January this year we raised the alarm about the mistreatment of Filipino guest workers employed on the barge operated by McDermott at the Angel Project - off Western Australia.

" We gave information to the Government and the Workplace Ombudsman at that time explaining how the workforce was being paid less than what an Australian 16 year old working at a McDonalds outlet could expect.

" The Workplace Ombudsman issued an immediate media statement promising that their investigation would take place " as a matter of urgency" .

" More than five months later the Workplace Ombudsman has not released a result. Today they have informed some of our people they expect a result about our initial complaint to be made available in two weeks time.

" By then McDermott and its foreign labour will be well and truly gone from our shores. The ability to deliver effective justice for these workers living in isolated centres across Asia will now be extremely hard.

" The Government must step in and stop the barge moving until justice is delivered for these foreign workers.

" The AWU believes that if our information is correct then McDermott's should never ever again be given permission to operate in Australia with the use of guest workers," Paul Howes said.