Ang consul-general ng Iraq sa Sydney ay inutusang magbayad ng $20,000 sa isang Pinay na domestic worker na "kahiya-hiyang" inabuso ng isang diplomat.
Inilarawan ng Fair Work Commission ang pagtrato ni Anwar Alesi sa kanyang private nanny na "morally repugnant" matapos mapagalaman na hindi sineswelduhan ng tama ang domestic worker, hindi siya binigyan ng sarili niyang kwarto, hindi siya nabigyan ng worker's compensation o medical insurance at pinagtatrabaho siya ng anim na beses isang linggo.
Nang magreklamo ang domestic worker na si Juliet Buenaobra, tinanggal siya sa trabaho ni Ms Alesi, kung kaya't nakasuhan ang diplomat ng unfair dismissal.
Kinwestyon ni Fair Work Commissioner Donna McKenna ang karapatan ng mga diplomatiko na gamitin ang 403 visa para mag-import ng domestic worker na ayon sa kanya ay "cheap domestic labour in their private residences."
“It seems to be a self-evident proposition that if diplomatic personnel want to have employees undertake domestic work in their private residences … they could … recruit locally or use local agencies which supply such domestic services – rather than recruiting economically and industrially-vulnerable persons from countries such as the Philippines,” sabi niya.
“It was a relationship, in effect of subservience; a master/servant relationship and in the old-fashioned sense or understanding of such relationships,” sinabi sa desisyon.
Source: AAP
Si Ms Buenaobra ay tinanggal sa trabaho ni Ms Alesi noong Nobyembre 2017, matapos niyang harapin ang kanyang employer at nag-demand na sundin ang kanyang contractual at employment rights.
Ang Iraqi diplomat ay nabigong makakuha ng diplomatic immunity sa kaso ng unfair dismissal, at pagkatapos ay hinangad pa nitong ilihim ang kaso sa pangambang masira ang ugnayan ng Iraqi at Australian governments.
Ang desisyon ay tinatanggap ng CEO of Legal Ais NSW na si Brendan Thomas.
“This decision by the Fair Work Commission highlights the vulnerability of foreign workers who obtain visas to work for the diplomatic community, including consular officials,” sabi ni Mr Thomas.
“Even if workers come from overseas, this judgement makes it plain that they too are covered by Australian employment laws.
“All workers in Australia have the same rights, whether they are Australian citizens they are a visa holder.
“We welcome the maximum compensation awarded in this case – which is 26 weeks pay – and hope that this will serve as a warning to all employers who engage foreign workers on a visa, or domestic labour, that they must obey the law or pay penalty.
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