Growcom does not condone illegal workplace practices concerning the employment of backpacker labour and is working hard to help members fully understand and comply with their obligations.
The news in this area continues to be bleak with the Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) last week releasing an indicting report on the experiences of all backpackers (417 working holiday visa-holders) in Australia, after a two-year national inquiry. The report includes findings of a survey of more than 4000 overseas workers, the majority of which (66 per cent) felt that employers take advantage of people on working holiday visas by underpaying them.
In the face of the increasing scrutiny of employers of backpacker labour, Growcom urges growers and farmers to ensure their business would pass a Fair Work inspection or audit by attending the free workshops for agribusinesses supported by the Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network and currently being delivered throughout Queensland.
The aim of the seminars is to help agricultural businesses achieve Fair Work compliance and better manage employment risks using a best management practice (BMP) approach.
The Workplace Essentials workshops are being delivered by workplace relations expert, Donna Mogg and funded by the Queensland Government.
These workshops will provide agricultural businesses with a solid foundation for both compliance with the laws and future workforce development.
At the end of the seminars growers leave with a clear understanding of their obligations under the Fair Work laws.
They also recognise where the gaps are in their policies and practices. Growcom’s Workplace Relations team is providing them with a set of resources to address these gaps, including links to Fair Work and industry best practice programs. The workshops are already proving to be of benefit with 100 per cent of respondents saying they will be implementing workplace management improvements.
Remaining seminars are scheduled for - Bowen: Wednesday, November 9, 2016; Charters Towers: November 11; Gympie: November 17; Glass House Mountains: November 18; Mackay: Wednesday, February 8, 2017; Yeppoon: February 14; Emerald: February 15; St George: March 1; Kingaroy: March 15.
Register online: www.growcom.com.au/wes
The Queensland Agriculture Workforce Network (QAWN) is an industry-led rural jobs and skills initiative funded by the Queensland Government. The QAWN Workplace Essentials Workshops 2016/17 are funded by the Queensland Government and sponsored by AustSafe Super.
