|
Taiwanese on Australia working holiday claims employer exploiting herCNA December 29, 2012, 12:05 am TWN    The graduate student Chou Yu-hsuan said from Australia in a video conference organized in Taipei that she got her first job in Australia as a convenience store cashier through the agency. Her hourly wage was supposed to be AU$21.56 (US$22.4), but she only received an average of AU$19.79 per hour and was not paid for working overtime, Chou claimed. Chou said that based on her calculations she received AU$500 less than she was owed for her four weeks of work and was laid off by her employer after asking the agency to make up the shortfall. The young woman said she knew many fellow Taiwanese workers in Australia who were only making AU$9-AU$10 per hour, less than the country's minimum wage of AU$15.96. Most of them do not know who to turn to for help after running into such problems as being underpaid, not being allowed to take legally mandated days off, or being laid off without severance, said Chou, who has been in Australia for three months. MOFA official Lee Hsiao-en said at the conference that Taiwanese workers can file complaints to Fair Work Australia, the country's national workplace relations tribunal, or seek assistance at the ministry's Australian office. Lee also reminded those interested in work holidays to look for jobs on a job database run by the Australian government or through legal private agencies. More than 17,000 Taiwanese are currently on working holidays in Australia, the most popular working holiday destination for Taiwanese among seven countries that have signed agreements on the holidays with Taiwan, according to Lee. The nonprofit Youth Labor Union 95, which held the press conference, later staged a rally and clashed with police outside the Australian Office in Taipei, Australia's de facto embassy in Taiwan in the absence of diplomatic ties. The office later sent two representatives to accept a petition drawn up by the group that asked the Australian government to improve working conditions for temporary workers, said union spokeswoman Chen Hsiao-wen. The representatives declined, however, to respond to the petition or pledge further action, Chen said. Although the activists are not optimistic that the Australian government will respond to their appeal, “we will continue to monitor the situation,” Chen said.
3 Comments December 29, 2012 carlos.segovia33@ How does it feel to be exploited over there considering the many Southeast Asian foreign workers exploited here by Taiwanese...? January 4, 2013 milkalex@ Ridiculous! She's been there like 3 months! Nobody forces them to work like that, many Taiwanese will take illegal job offers because they a) don't speak any English or b) don't have any other skills or c) don't understand the laws because lack of English. However there are dozens of books about WHV in Australia in Chinese available. Sure work is becoming rare in Australia if the Taiwanese would stick to lawful jobs it would be much better for everyone. Now the other backpackers can't find job because there are too many Taiwanese working for less there. Once more, nobody forces you to work 10$ an hour! |
  | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Blogger
Google+
Live Journal
Plurk
Stumble Upon
Submit Your CommentSitemap | Top Stories | Taiwan | China | Business | Asia | World | Sports | Life | Arts & Leisure | Health | Editorial | Commentary
Travel | Movies | TV Listings | Classifieds | Bookstore | Getting Around | Weather | Guide Post | Student Post | English Courses | Terms of Use | Sitemap
Do u ever work when you are studying at the local and foreign university? Ahhhhh, You, DPP youth chief Chen Wei-ting and Mainland Goddess of Democracy Wang Dan are all rotten bananas. Never half study and never half work as a working student.
As for me. Because of strict family background. I work as a casual gasoline boy from 7pm-11pm near my catholic university dorm enough as my daily allowance. Sure of course my bro and sis shared theirs salary with me. Otherwise how can I enjoy with my barkada (friends) sabado (Saturday) night?
Happy New SNAKE Year to u and your family in advance.