Almost half a million students from all over the world come to study in Australia, and some of them are shocked by their working conditions.
“After six hours of cutting chicken and frying chips on trial, the boss’s wife gave me 60 dollars ‘cash in hand’ and asked: ‘Is this OK?’,” Marita Tillerås said.
She left Norway to study in Australia three years ago, and got a part time job in a chicken shop in Mill Park, Victoria.
“The boss was very prejudiced, and assumed I was a spoiled brat funded by my parents.”
“He never called me by my name. He referred to me as ‘blondie’,” Marita said.
Employers not aware
According to JobWatch, being bullied is not uncommon. Executive director at JobWatch, Zana Bytheway, thinks many employers are not aware of the repercussions of failing their obligations.
“Unfortunately some employers take advantage of their vulnerability, the power imbalance and the serious repercussions of deportation of the worker, and exploit them,” Ms Bytheway said.
She is afraid that young people are reluctant to complain, and that they don’t know where to go or who to turn to.
“When young people from overseas come to Australia to work they have expectations of being protected by our workplace legislation and they have every right to have that expectation,” Ms Bytheway said.
Taken off the roster
With years of experience from hospitality and a recent position as bar manager in Norway, Siri Hardangen was surprised when she got downgraded to stacking groceries, cleaning toilets and carrying beer kegs in the basement.
After three months she was still not allowed behind the bar. One day she was simply taken off the roster – with no warning.
The day after she was told there wasn’t enough work, and she could come back when it got busier.
“At the same time they hired someone new, they were purely playing favourites,” Siri said.
Affecting the reputation of Australia
The Council of International Students Australia (CISA) is executing a survey to source out the number of students working in an effort to identify exploitation, in collaboration with the Fair Work Ombudsman.
According to CISA president Thomson Ch’ng there is a lot of misconception among international students that they are not entitled to minimum wages.
“The government needs to be more proactive to educate employers, but it’s also necessary that the students’ rights are well communicated to them,” Mr Ch’ng said.
He thinks this is an issue the educational industry is very afraid of.
“It is going to affect the reputation of Australia.”
