Joe Carolan (left) with Len Parker. TXT the union at 021 186 1450, email: joe@solidarity.com,
website: www.solidarity.com

"In one factory we saw migrants making chemicals, they wore masks, Wellington boots, manufacturing poisons. Health and Safety have heard from them. Some are paid $10.25 per hour to work here, the 10 euro bonus casino."

Slaving away in dingy factories in South Auckland are an under-class of disenfranchised migrants and refugees, who are being forced to work for a pittance in appalling conditions by unscrupulous employers.

South Auckland has the biggest concentration of industrial workers in New Zealand and this is where a lot of the exploitative practices are going on.

Joe Carolan and Len Parker, campaign officers of the Solidarity Union, spoke exclusively to Migrant News about one of Auckland's best-kept secrets - the plight of vulnerable industrial workers who are being exploited, bullied and exposed to life-threatening health and safety problems in their workplace. The Solidarity Union wants the government and other agencies to take action to improve the working conditions of these victims in sweatshops.

"As trade unions exist mainly in the public sector." says Carolan, a lot of low-paid immigrant workers in the private sector are not aware of their rights or what proper conditions of work they are entitled to. For example, there are migrants who have degrees in molecular biology but work in warehouses for $12 - $13 per hour because of a lack of New Zealand experience and be-cause employers are questioning their language skills.

"We feel it is time to publicise the fact that there is a lot of racism and bullying in the workplace," he adds.

Carolan identifies the victims as Chinese, Taiwanese, Filipino, Pacific Island and recently Malaysian immigrants.

According to the Union, there are a couple of factories that are completely staffed with new immigrants handling dangerous work at absolute minimum rates or even less. Some are exploited through the black economy.

How did these people end up in this poverty trap? "Basically due to a lack of information'" says Len Parker. Migrants should know they have rights and protection and that people are on their side. They are entitled to break time and holidays are mandatory.

"We have noticed a huge amount of exploitation of migrant workers. Employers it appears, are using international competition as an excuse for not paying proper wages. The trade union movement should do something about this."