The latest revised text of the Trans-Pacific Partnership has been revealed, and it’s a nightmare for working Australians.
Under the new agreement, which was negotiated in secret without public consultation, it will be even easier for big business to replace local Australians with exploited visa workers.
Companies who want to bring in workers from Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan, Canada, Mexico and Chile will be able to do so – without ever advertising the jobs locally first.
This is a green light to exploitation and modern slavery of the worst kind.
The AMIEU has been involved in breaking up some of the worst examples of visa worker exploitation in Australia, from $5 an hour work in Baiada poultry factories to vermin-infested illegal sharehouses in Tamworth.
We can tell you from experience that massive corporations already bend or break the law to exploit overseas workers whenever possible. Making it even easier for them to enslave these vulnerable people will harm everyone.
Malcolm Turnbull has been making a big noise lately about wanting to clamp down on 457 visas in order to put local jobs first – and big business is already trying to get around that.
But now Turnbull is throwing all of that out the window and rushing to sign this TPP which will destroy local jobs.
It is in the interests of all Australians to make sure that local jobs are protected and that all workers receive a fair wage.
The Turnbull Government is preparing to sign the Trans-Pacific Partnership next month.
Not only will the TPP make it easier to exploit visa workers and undermine Australian jobs, but it will also make it possible for big business to sue the Government in special “corporate courts”.
These secret courts are not accountable to the public and exist only to allow corporations to make money by suing Governments when things don’t go their way.
Tobacco giant Phillip Morris has already used these special corporate courts to try to sue the Australian Government over plain packaging laws.
The TPP exists for one reason and one reason only – to make the rich richer. There must be a full Senate Inquiry before it is signed and a full democratic consultation with the Australian people whose jobs are on the line.
Make sure you join the AMIEU so that together, we can use our collective strength to hold bosses and politicians accountable to the working people of Australia.