Migrant workers to receive $50,000 from Agri-Labour for incorrect pay

A LABOUR-HIRE company has been ordered to pay more than $50,000 to migrant tomato pickers at a farm near Shepparton after it failed to correctly pay them.

Fair Work investigation: Nineteen Vanuatu nationals, employed under the Seasonal Worker Program between December 2017 and April last year, will receive a total of $50,823.

A LABOUR-HIRE company has been ordered to pay more than $50,000 to migrant tomato pickers at a farm near Shepparton after it failed to correctly pay them.

Agri-Labour Australia, which is based in Brisbane, was found to be paying some workers a group piecework rate based on the amount a team picked, despite agreements stating workers must be paid based on individual productivity.

The company also admitted no records were kept of actual hours worked and that it incorrectly deducted money from wages for wet weather gear.

Nineteen Vanuatu nationals, employed under the Seasonal Worker Program between December 2017 and April last year, will receive a total of $50,823.

One worker alone will receive more than $4500.

Fair Work said it will continue to scrutinise Agri-Labour’s work practices for two years and that the company must meet “extensive measures” to ensure workplace compliance.

“Improving compliance across the horticulture industry is a priority for the Fair Work Ombudsman after our Harvest Trail Inquiry found widespread breaches of the Fair Work Act,” Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said.

“All horticultural businesses must be aware of how to lawfully pay their workers and, if using piece rates, ensure workers are paid in accordance with piecework agreements.

“We also advise that employers should keep accurate records of hours worked.”

Fair Work’s Harvest Trail Inquiry, which began in August 2013, looked into workplace arrangements at horticulture and viticulture farms across Australia.

The report released last year said inspectors completed more than 800 investigations and recovered $1,022,698 for 2503 employees.

Agri-Labour will also make a $15,000 contrition payment to the Commonwealth Government Consolidated Revenue Fund.