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Australia's Largest Council Wage Theft Allegations (Read 1547 times)
whiteknight
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Australia's Largest Council Wage Theft Allegations
Aug 25th, 2018 at 7:34am
 
Council seeks urgent meeting with IT provider amid wage theft allegations   Sad

23 August 2018
Brisbane Times


Brisbane City Council is seeking an urgent meeting with Indian technology company HCL, which provides IT services to the council, amid allegations of wage theft.

The Services Union secretary Neil Henderson said the council outsourced its IT functions to HCL in 2013, a move that cost 55 jobs within the council, but that saw savings of about $8 million over five years.


The Services Union has alleged Indian workers brought to Australia by HCL, who handles the council's IT services, have been underpaid.   


Mr Henderson said it had now emerged the Indian workers brought to Australia by HCL had been working extraordinary hours, including no weekend or public holidays rates or overtime, equating to thousands of unpaid hours.   Sad

“Every aspect of HCL’s operations for the BCC has been based on the exploitation of these employees, who have been held over a barrel due to their reliance on special visas,” Mr Henderson said.

“From our investigations, these employees have been threatened to be deported and replaced by other Indian workers keen enough to get to Australia to accept the low pay and long hours.”


Mr Henderson said work in particular areas that had previously been done by 14 employees had been taken over by five HCL employees.

“We say that BCC knew that corners were being cut when the contract commenced in 2013 and this was the reason for the savings,” he said.

“In local government, we have never witnessed such blatant wage theft, exploitation and discrimination in a workforce, including breaches of the National Employment Standards and Award.

“It is disgraceful that it is Australia’s largest council that seems to be complicit in this.” 

A spokesman for the lord mayor said he would seek an urgent meeting with HCL following the “alarming” concerns raised by the Services Union.


“The Lord Mayor has also called on the Services Union to provide evidence to support the allegations they have made,” the spokesman said.

“HCL is required under its contract with council to meet all lawful requirements in its operations, which includes all industrial laws.”

Opposition leader Peter Cumming described the allegations as “very disturbing”.

“This is Graham Quirk’s 7-Eleven. He sold it as a big win for ratepayers but it appears to be council-funded exploitation,” Cr Cumming said.

“Brisbane residents will be angry at allegations workers have been mistreated on their behalf.

“No wonder local workers couldn’t compete with this business model, which seems to be based on wage theft.”   Sad

Cr Cumming called on Cr Quirk to launch an immediate investigation.

Mr Henderson said the Services Union was seeking meetings with HCL and the council, and had not ruled out taking action in relation to all of these issues
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Bam
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Re: Australia's Largest Council Wage Theft Allegations
Reply #1 - Aug 25th, 2018 at 9:10am
 
Quote:
Brisbane City Council is seeking an urgent meeting with Indian technology company HCL, which provides IT services to the council, amid allegations of wage theft.

The Services Union secretary Neil Henderson said the council outsourced its IT functions to HCL in 2013, a move that cost 55 jobs within the council, but that saw savings of about $8 million over five years.

The Services Union has alleged Indian workers brought to Australia by HCL, who handles the council's IT services, have been underpaid.


Why the FSCK has this company been allowed to bring in foreign workers without recruiting in Australia first? This is clear evidence that foreign work visas are being openly rorted. They're not even trying to hide the rorts now.

AUSTRALIAN JOBS FOR AUSTRALIANS FIRST.


NO EXCEPTIONS.

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Re: Australia's Largest Council Wage Theft Allegations
Reply #2 - Aug 25th, 2018 at 9:22am
 
This is such b.s - council and govt should employ Australians.

Having seen this done a lot, they bring in people who have neither the skills or experience to run infrastructure and they completely stuff it.

A good example was the qld health payroll debacle.
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Re: Australia's Largest Council Wage Theft Allegations
Reply #3 - Aug 25th, 2018 at 9:38am
 
Another disaster Bill will have to repair
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Re: Australia's Largest Council Wage Theft Allegations
Reply #4 - Aug 25th, 2018 at 11:03am
 
Its time wrote on Aug 25th, 2018 at 9:38am:
Another disaster Bill will have to repair

Yes, they're supposed to be checking them but the current government has gone very soft on foreign work visas.
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Re: Australia's Largest Council Wage Theft Allegations
Reply #5 - Aug 26th, 2018 at 11:32am
 
"a move that cost 55 jobs within the council, but that saw savings of about $8 million over five years."

How much are they paying the Indos?  How good is the service?  How do those 55 lost jobs help the local economy?

I suppose the Indos get 'em in under 457s - not local talent available......  Roll Eyes  Roll Eyes  Roll Eyes ... no.. NO.. none at all.... once you've sacked 'em and they're forced to move to Brissie to get another far ken job.  No-one qualified available in THIS neighbourhood.... na.. na... NAH.
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