Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More
Parliament

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | Video | Questions Of the Day | Search

 

Chinese rail workers must be paid minimum wage

Chinese rail workers must be paid minimum wage


KiwiRail must immediately stop further Chinese engineers from working here until they can guarantee they are being paid the New Zealand minimum wage, Labour’s MP for Hutt South Trevor Mallard says.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment today released the findings of its investigation into Labour’s concerns the engineers at Hutt Railway workshops – hired to repair asbestos-riddled DL locomotives – are being exploited.

“The locomotives being fixed should have originally been made at the Hutt workshops and their wagons built at Hillside in Dunedin. Instead National outsourced the work to as part of the Government’s short-sighted ‘cheapest at best’ procurement policy.

“The Labour Inspectorate at the Ministry was unable to determine whether they are being paid the minimum wage or receiving annual leave or bereavement leave. They are being paid in China, in Chinese currency.

“These findings stink of a cover up. Both KiwiRail and the workers’ employer – China CNR Corporation – have refused to give the ministry their wage records. If they had nothing to hide, these records would be made available immediately.

“I believe the engineers are not being paid the minimum wage and this report seems to confirm that. If wage records don’t exist, that is evidence of a breach of our labour laws.

“New Zealand wage laws apply to everyone working in New Zealand.

“China CNR Corporation should not be allowed to bring any further workers into New Zealand until it makes its wage records public,” Trevor Mallard says.

ends

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.