The Government has launched an investigation into claims migrant workers are being paid less than the minimum wage.
Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment acting general manager, labour inspectorate, George Mason told The Press the problem was most prevalent among Chinese-operated hospitality businesses.
"The ministry has placed information in a wide range of Chinese media, including the largest Chinese migrant job site [Skykiwi.com], and is working with Chinese business organisations to ensure employers are aware of their responsibilities," he said.
"The ministry has also been working with Immigration New Zealand compliance officers in visiting businesses to determine whether there are non-compliance issues."
One migrant, who did not want to be named, said he had once worked in a Christchurch restaurant where he had been paid $45 a night working five to six-hour shifts up to four nights a week.
"It didn't matter how long you worked or how busy it was, you got $45 a night," he said.
He did not report the restaurant as the job was "just a side job" and he did not think it mattered.
The owner of the restaurant said he had paid his employees minimum wage, while fulltime staff got $15 an hour.
"We pay them in cash and take out the tax."
Another man said he had tried applying for jobs with Chinese construction companies when he first came to New Zealand.
He said the companies kept asking him to work for a day free so they could see whether he was suitable for the job, and then told him they did not need him because a lot more people had applied for the job. He suspected they were using this method to get people to work for nothing.
People posting comments on New Zealand Chinese website Skykiwi.com claimed they worked jobs that paid only $6 an hour.
One Canterbury person claimed to have worked three part-time jobs, none of which paid minimum wages.
The first time was for a fast food outlet at a mall which paid $8 an hour. At a motel, they claimed to be paid by the number of rooms they cleaned. They ended up being paid $17 for three hours of work.
The last job the poster listed was a noodle restaurant which paid them $9 an hour while they were on probation, and then $10 an hour when they were officially hired.
Mason said piece rates - when a worker was paid according to their output - could not be less than the minimum wage. Employers that failed to pay minimum wage could be fined or jailed if there were other immigration issues involved.
He urged employees receiving less than the minimum wage to contact the ministry.
報館請她, 是她有做記者的資格, 有寫文章的頭腦
送你一枚钻戒 发表于 2012-12-19 15:51
那么请你帮忙执笔写一个有头有道的,不想交给谁,只想通过你们主流媒体传播一下我们华人对这个国家的一点 ...
Telcontarrulz 发表于 2012-12-19 16:05
情恕我不能帮你们写信。作为记者,我不能有偏见。我写不是事实就是别人的看法。除非有一位得力通报接受采 ...
ksblkgu 发表于 2012-12-19 16:52
记者不写。LS的写。俺们支持你。
作为记者,我不能有偏见。我写不是事实就是别人的看法。除非有一位得力通报接受采访,发出这样的看法。如果我帮你写这封信就说明我同意信里的内容。
笑道 发表于 2012-12-19 22:38
一堆臭SB老板还好意思上来辩论呢,辩个JB,你不给最低工资,你们还有理了?我了个CNMLGB的,这天怎么就不开 ...
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