Autumn issue 2103 - cfmeu

TEMPORARY WORKERS DEBATE
with Graham Pallot
4 in 5 Australians say mining companies should open
An overwhelming majority of
Australians believe mining
companies should be required to
prove they have thoroughly
explored options to employ
Australians before being permitted
to import temporary foreign
workers, independent national
polling commissioned by the
Construction, Forestry, Mining and
Energy Union shows.
AMONG THE FINDINGS
• 80% agree that mining
companies should have to prove
that they have thoroughly
searched for Australian workers
before being permitted to import
temporary foreign workers
(against 6% who disagree)
• 56% of Australians disapprove of
the EMA that allows the Roy Hill
iron ore project to import 1,715
temporary foreign workers
(against 14% who approve)
• 70% of Australians agree that a
tripartite committee – consisting
of regulators, employers and
unions – should oversee all EMAs
(against 8% who disagree)
CFMEU Construction and General
National Secretary, Dave Noonan
said the results demonstrate the
depth of the public feeling on the
issue.
“Four in five Australians want
employers to prove they have
looked for local workers before
being granted permission to bring
over guest labour,” Mr Noonan said.
“These numbers show us that a
significant majority are opposed to
the deal granted to Gina Rinehart’s
Roy Hill and want much stronger
controls and regulation on the use of
imported labour.
“Ms Rinehart may dream of a ‘Wild
North’ in which mining magnates
can fly in exploitable temporary
foreign workers at will, but the
overwhelming majority of
Australians are simply not buying it.
They want strict controls on EMAs
and independent oversight.
“70 per cent of Australians want to
see a tripartite committee –
consisting of regulators, employers
and unions – to oversee EMAs. The
Government must take heed.
Despite some aggressive spruiking
from the powerful few who want to
further weaken restrictions on guest
workers, the overwhelming majority
of Australians want them tightened.
“There are still astounding profits
being generated by the Australian
mining and mine construction
sector. Those who are profiting from
the nation’s natural resources have
a responsibility to assist in training
and employing Australians. These
results only add to the impetus of
our ‘Let’s spread it around’
campaign. We are determined to
see ordinary Australians share in the
benefits of the mining boom.
The poll was conducted by
independent research firm Your
Source, and used a
demographically controlled sample
of 1,021 Australians.
Gina
Rinehart’s
Roy Hill
rejected
as model
Page 4 Construction Worker – Autumn 2013