A trade union organiser says Australians are losing out to foreign workers on a number of construction projects across the country.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) says some employers are hiring foreign workers and paying them less than Australian citizens.  

CFMEU spokesman Bud Neiland is urging the federal and state governments to ensure Australian workers are not disadvantaged.

Mr Neiland says the issue prompted a walkout at the Soul development in Surfers Paradise this week and there are similar problems on the Airport Link project in Brisbane.

He says hundreds of workers walked off the Soul construction site on Monday, after 11 Australian tilers were laid off, while Korean workers were retained.

Mr Neiland says workers at the Gold Coast construction site remain concerned the company, Saba Brothers Tiling, has hired Korean workers rather than Australian citizens and is paying the Korean workers less.  

"It's the biggest infrastructure civil project ever done in this country - chockers full of just backpackers," he said.  

"Blokes cannot get jobs - south-east Queensland, Australian residents can't get jobs and it is just full of backpackers all over that job.  

"Cheaper labour - sub-contractors who employ the Australian worker cannot compete with that."

A Department of Immigration spokesman has confirmed officers are investigating allegations about workers at the Soul building site on the Gold Coast.

However, the department spokesman says claims that 457 visa workers are being exploited on the site have not been substantiated.

'No discrimination'

Saba Brothers Tiling says there has been no discrimination and all employees are paid in accordance with Australian laws.

The company says is considering legal action against the CFMEU.

In a statement, Saba Brothers Tiling says its decision to terminate the contracts was not based on race or cost, but skill and performance.

However, Mr Neiland says backpackers and foreign nationals are given preference at a number of sites across Australia.

"There's plenty of blokes specifically in the building and construction and industry throughout this country out of work and they are still going down the line of bringing imported labour in," he said.    

"There was a job in Perth where blokes walked off the job where there was a plasterboard company using Chinese labour.  

"There's a tiling company using Chinese labour and Australian workers can't get a job."  

What a load of rubbish you talk.

I am happy to say, you don't deserve a response.   

whatsforme wrote on Feb 17^th, 2011 at 6:38am:


and what work do you ?? how much do you get paid for polishing turds these days ?? LOL