A report from RMIT on the experiences of meat processing workers in Australia under the PALM (Pacific Australian Labour Mobility) scheme shows that the $75B industry is thriving “on the backs of vulnerable workers”, predominantly from Timor-Leste and Pacific Island nations. The workers are often subjected to below-minimum wages, sham contracts and punitive deductions.
The research utilised innovative photovoice methodology to capture the lived experience of the workers, to amplify their voices and to highlight their struggles and resilience.
According to the report, many meat workers under the PALM scheme reported working "like robots" and being "overwhelmed by the expectation to perform physically demanding jobs that should have been distributed among more workers".
"The time pressure faced by meat workers is well-documented in occupational health and safety literature, often linked to high production quotas," the report says.
In summary, the report finds that PALM scheme workers experienced:
- Restricted freedoms –limitations on their personal freedoms
- Long working hours –extended working hours with significant unpaid work
- High rent and limited accommodation use – workers paid high rent but had restricted access to their residences
- Lower pay rates – PALM scheme workers received lower pay than others in the same workplace
- Unpaid overtime – overtime work often unpaid
- Deductions from wages – deductions, including for rent, left workers with minimal take-home pay
- Deception – workers misled by promises that did not match the reality of their work conditions and pay
The seven recommendations from the report include strengthening and nationalising labour hire laws and strengthening penalties for non-compliance with the Fair Work Act.
Read more: Meat the reality: Unpacking the exploitation of PALM scheme workers in Aust meat industry | RMIT