REPORT CONFIRMS WORKPLACE EXPLOITATION
August 13, 2007

A new national survey has confirmed that reports of workplace exploitation in the Central West are being repeated all around Australia.

Bob Debus, the Federal Labor candidate for Macquarie, said the Women and WorkChoices report described "an increased climate of fear" in many low-paid areas such as hospitality, cleaning, aged and child care.

The report found that some women’s pay had been slashed by up to $100 a week.

“This report confirms the stories that I have been hearing in Bathurst,” said Mr Debus.

“Vulnerable employees are being exploited under John Howard’s WorkChoices laws.

“Some Bathurst employees are losing pay and conditions but they are too frightened to speak in public because they need the job.

“And if they leave that job, they worry about finding another job in a region where other employers know they have spoken out.

“Supporters of Mr Howard’s workplace laws have challenged me to bring these people forward to tell their stories – but they are too frightened.

“This report confirms that the workplace exploitation we are hearing about in Bathurst is happening right around the country.”

Mr Debus said the vast majority of Central West employers treated their staff with respect and dignity.

“But Mr Howard’s WorkChoices laws allows a few rogue employers to exploit their most vulnerable employees,” he said.

“This report found low-paid women suffered cuts to their wages, penalty rates, loadings and allowances.

“Some women who complained were sacked without reason.”

The report, originally commissioned by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission, studied 120 women who earned less than $20 an hour; 85 per cent were in workplaces with fewer than 100 employees.

“Mr Howard cannot dismiss this study because it was originally commissioned by his own Government,” said Mr Debus.

Mr Debus said a Rudd Labor Government would replace WorkChoices with an IR system based on balance, flexibility and fairness.