STRONGER TOGETHER - SINCE 1886
PALM WORKERS
PROTECTING VULNERABLE WORKERS Imagine getting your pay at the end of the week, but seeing most of it denied through dodgy deductions for accommodation and transport. For thousands of PALM Scheme workers, this is reality. And it’s not fair. Our PALM members in WA see plenty of dodgy deductions such as excessive charges for transport and ‘furnishing’ accommodation which is charged to every worker to ever reside in the property - whether the furniture is new or many years old. That’s why the AWU is calling for a cap on employer deductions under the PALM Scheme - 30% of a worker’s gross wage each week. It’s time to stop excessive deductions and make sure PALM workers receive a fair day’s pay for a hard day’s work in our farms, abattoirs and care facilities. We are also calling for the creation of clearer accommodation standards including maximum ratios ratios of bedrooms, bathrooms and total living space per worker and a ban on employers charging workers for travel and visa procurement. PALM Organiser, Suliman has witnessed firsthand facilities with 24+ rooms housing 6 workers per room with 1 bathroom per 6 workers and 1 kitchen per 36 workers. No Australian worker would accept living in these conditions, so why should a PALM worker?
Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator