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Police help clean up vineyard employment
practices
Blenheim police have joined a task force to stop illegal employment
practices at local vineyards, following a people-smuggling ring bust earlier
this year.
Senior Sergeant Steve May, Blenheim, says the task force formed as a
result of prevalent offending in the Marlborough area. In May three Malaysians
living in Blenheim received lengthy prison sentences for people smuggling,
thanks to a joint operation with police and the NZ Immigration Service.
Steve says people smuggling, withholding of passports and below standard
working conditions for immigrants (including under payment) are key issues.
As police representative on the task force, he is joining WINZ, NZ Immigration
Services, OSH, the Department of Labour and groups such as the Marlborough
contractors’ federation, council, workers’ union and winegrowers’ organisation.
The task force was formed after community meetings where concern was
expressed over contractors taking advantage of workers, especially immigrants. “It’s
giving the industry a bad name,” says Steve. He acknowledges that many
wine growers are playing by the rules and doesn’t want to tar them with
the same brush. “The group applauds good contractors, but will come
down on the bad ones.”
Marlborough vineyards employ an estimated 3000 workers, with around
900 of them foreign nationals. “This is a growing industry and it is
one of those sizeable issues where one agency could not tackle it on its own.
We need an interagency approach,” he says.
There are less than 200 registered unemployed people in the Marlborough
area and an additional 3000 workers are required to work in the vineyards
next year. “Obviously that amount of influx of people to an area allows
an opportunity for exploitation,” says Steve. “A recent police
check revealed 18 people living in a house with one toilet and shower. The
health risks and strain on infrastructure are evident.”
Steve says the group will work towards formalising a transparent infrastructure
for the industry, so workers are assured of, and know, their rights.
“This is a huge opportunity to target those that aren’t complying
and making
it squeaky clean. It will have a positive effect in lots of ways – especially
tackling the fear of crime in the community.
A recent prosecution by IRD resulted in imprisonment for a contractor who owed
hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid taxes.
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