Media releases
Vineyard cleanups make way for new seasonal labour scheme
13 february 2007
Nine unlawful workers were located on two Marlborough vineyards this morning, signalling the Department’s continued commitment to ensuring industry players operate within the law, Department of Labour Deputy Secretary for Workforce Mary Anne Thompson said.
“The visits uncovered four Czech people whose temporary permits had expired. These people are in Police custody in Blenheim, pending their removal from New Zealand.
“A further five people, of Brazilian and Tongan origin, were found to be working while holding visitors’ permits – thus breaching the conditions of their permits.
“Their permits will be cancelled and they will be required to leave the country.
“The visits, carried out by Department of Labour immigration, health and safety and labour inspectors, also uncovered breaches to health and safety and employment law,” she said.
These visits come as the Department prepares to roll out the Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme in April this year, to provide an ongoing labour supply from the Pacific to fill seasonal shortages in the horticulture and viticulture industry.
“With less than three months to go before the RSE scheme goes live, we’re in the final stages of working with industry, unions, Pacific governments and other stakeholders to ensure everything is on track.
“However, for this scheme to succeed, we need to know that employers support it – that they’re committed to using legal labour and complying with employment and health and safety law.
“While the vast majority of the industry has demonstrated they are behind the scheme, there are still some industry players flouting the law. Not only does this undermine employers who play by the rules, it also breaches the rights of New Zealanders and overseas workers.
“Under this scheme we want to encourage Pacific people to return year after year, and build up their skills and productivity. This will only work if industry employers look at what their responsibilities are, and work to meet them,” she said.
Background on the Recognised Seasonal Employer scheme:
“The RSE scheme is an immigration policy to facilitate the temporary entry of seasonal workers into New Zealand to plant, maintain, harvest and pack crops in New Zealand’s horticulture and viticulture industries. These industries produce over 2.1 billion exports and employ about 50,000 people each year.
“The overriding principle of this scheme, which guides all immigration policy, is that temporary migrant workers are only admitted when no New Zealanders are available.
“Once it can be determined that no New Zealanders are available to work, labour can be sourced from Pacific countries – unless employers have robust reasons why they should recruit from elsewhere.
“The RSE scheme creates an opportunity for up to 5,000 workers from Pacific Forum countries to work in New Zealand for up to seven months in the horticulture/viticulture sector, with the opportunity to return the following year.
“This is a win-win initiative – it helps New Zealand employers, and benefits Pacific countries, while protecting New Zealanders.
“On April 30, the RSE scheme’s transitional phase will begin. During this time the scheme will work alongside existing temporary work policies available to the industries. By the end of September, the scheme will be fully embedded and existing temporary work policies for the industry will end,” she said.
ENDS
