SIXTEEN Filipino workers who three months ago were working 11-hour days, seven days a week and living in a doss house, are now very happy living and working in Australia, and they thank the South Coast Register for playing a big part in the change.
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Percy Mapano said the Register and the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union had helped turn things around for them.
“There are only five of us living in this house now,” said Mr Mapano. “And we are only working eight hours a day, five days a week.”
“Our weekends belong to us,” said co-worker, Alvin Gallo. “We go shopping, and go to the beach, and have time to ourselves.”
Not only have day-to-day conditions improved, but the 16 workers have also received all their back pay.
Nelson Villarama said the others had four months left in their contract. “But I came later and have another eight months to go.”
He said the 13 Chinese workers who were also sharing the house with them at the start of the year have all returned home.
The Register asked them if they knew if they would get more work in Australia.
“No one is telling us what happens next,” Mr Mapano said.
“Some of the workers here are looking forward to going home and seeing their families again, but some would also like to stay in Australia and make their home here, and bring their families over to join them.”
Mr Villarama said they had made many friends in Australia who had helped make them welcome in this country.
Norman Telino said there were Filipinos already living here who had also gone out of their way to help them.
“They brought us things like clothes,” he said.
Of the original 16 workers, four are now working on a site in Narrabri, and the remainder continue to work at Manildra Group’s Bomaderry site.
A spokesperson for the Fair Work Ombudsman said an investigation into Chia Tung Development Corp Ltd – which contracted the overseas workers – identified contraventions of the Fair Work Act and the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2010.
“We are currently working with the company to ensure all entitlements relating to Chinese and Filipino workers at three projects sites (Bomaderry, Narrabri and Manildra) are met,” the spokesperson said.
“The company has been co-operative with the investigation and the Fair Work Ombudsman is working to secure an enforcement outcome in this matter that will ensure future compliance with federal workplace laws.”
