Thursday, July 09, 2015

AMWU: Australian workers could miss out under new China FTA deal

Manufacturing Workers Union warns Australian workers could miss out under new China FTA deal

Australian workers could be excluded from jobs as the free trade agreement with China allows a flood of foreign workers into the country, the Manufacturing Workers Union has warned.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott described the deal as "history making" during the signing in Canberra last month.

Lower tariffs and greater access for Australian exports to China characterise the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), but it also allows the importation of workers for some major projects without the need for labour market testing.

The Australian Workers and Manufacturing Union has begun a media campaign to highlight their concerns about the deal, and New South Wales secretary Tim Ayres said the agreement could mean apprentices could miss out.

"This deal will mean that on very ordinary construction projects in our cities and our suburbs, that an investment of just 15 per cent will allow the company to import Chinese workers at lower wages and conditions, denying young construction workers and young apprentices the opportunity for work," Mr Ayres said.

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