The focus on protecting vulnerable workers rages on.
Fresh off the heels of new laws targeting franchisors and worker
exploitation (see
here), which came into effect last week, States are throwing
their hat in the ring by taking on labour hire companies through
new licensing requirements.
Although there's been a growing concern over rampant
underpayments and exploitation in the labour hire sector,
particularly when it comes to the horticulture and meat industries
and their use of foreign workers, the Federal government has been
hesitant to do anything in response. Likely because it doesn't
want to bite the hand that literally feeds it. That hasn't
stopped the States though.
One-by-one, States are considering new labour hire licensing
schemes. The aim is to stamp out dodgy labour hire practices by
handing out licences only to "fit and proper" labour hire
businesses.
