Labour Pains: Overview : SBS Insight

Overview

In a time of prosperity, are Australians willing to get their hands dirty? Or are foreign workers the answer to the current labour shortage?

Add Your Comments

Currently 152 comments

The Rudd government has increased permanent migration levels, but employers are asking for the expansion of temporary working visas - including the controversial Class 457 visa. However, unions argue that workers holding 457 visas are ripe for exploitation.

Australia is also considering bringing in guest workers from the Pacific to work on farms. In spite of this, many job ads are going unanswered. Unions say it's because many advertised positions are difficult and menial, only paying a minimum wage that does not reflect market rates.

Employers, job seekers, union representatives and economists thrash out what foreign labour will mean for the workers themselves, and what it will mean for Australians.

Meet the Guests

Michael Collins

Michael Collins runs the Western Australian-based Hospitality Inn, a group that owns hotels and cinemas in Port Headland, Kalgoorlie, Esperance, Carnarvan and Geraldton. Michael says his struggles to find enough staff for his business so has just employed 5 chefs from Bali on the 457 temporary migrant work visas.

James Pearson

James Pearson is chief executive of the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. His organisation predicts the state will be short of 150,000 workers by 2017.

John Sutton

John Sutton is the secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union. The growing use of temporary work visas to bring in overseas workers, particularly in his industries, has concerned the CFMEU.

Bob Kinnaird

Bob Kinnaird is a Sydney-based immigration analyst who has done extensive studies into Australia's skilled migration programs. His paper on the disparities in pay between imported and Australian workers will be published in the journal People and Place in mid-June.