All those lazy Australians who do not want the fruit picking jobs

[*kazumi*]

People being lured on promise of $3800 per week and then forced to sign that they understand they may earn less than minimum wage. 

https://thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2020/11/15/farm-work-australia-wages/

[chameleon54]

Undoubtedly there are a few bad apples in the horticultural industry, ( pun intended ) the same as every other industry, but to suggest this represents the majority of farmers is insulting to the vast majority of businesses who do the right thing.

It is well known that exploitation of foreign workers occurs in many industries. There are a regular media reports of cafes and restaurants including some very well known ones who will only employ backpackers and illegal workers in their kitchens. The problem is endemic in the industry and almost certainly a larger problem than exploitation of workers on farms. Even some of our largest corporations including the big brand supermarkets have been caught out underpaying workers.

The exploitation of foreign workers and underpayment of employees in general is a valid discussion to have, but to single out one industry that is currently struggling due to COVID is probably not really very helpful.

[myoclon1cjerk]

Underpayment and exploitation of workers is rife in this country, not just on farms and hospitality and backpackers aren't exclusively the victims. That's what happens when there's a huge drop off in union membership.

[myoclon1cjerk]

Most industries are struggling under covid, not just farming.

[chameleon54]

---

@myoclon1cjerk wrote:
Most industries are struggling under covid, not just farming.

---

That's true, but few other industries have the lag time that farmers have. A cafe or restaurant have lag times of a couple of weeks with food orders and staffing rosters. A new cafe can be set up in a month or two. Farmers have lag times of 6 - 9 months from ordering inputs and sowing a crop until harvest and it can take 5 - 10 years to establish a horticultural business or tree crop.

It costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to put in a crop and most farmers just work from one crop to the next with little extra finance if things go wrong. That money has already been committed and cant just be turned off and on again like a cafe or hair dresser. On top of that there is no rent relief for farmers and huge commercial loans that still have to be paid.

If a cafe goes under, the public can still eat something else. If the food producers go bust, their orchards and horticultural properties become infested with disease that can take several years to eradicate and that's assuming an orchard even survives the hot summer with no water.

If our farming businesses go under due to COVID, it places all of Australia at greater risk of food security issues. Its a big picture thing.

[the_great_she_elephant]

Rather off topic, but here's a vaguely fruit picking related story that might amuse you all and lighten the discussion a bit. 

When I was a teenager growing up in East Anglia I used to go fruit picking in the Summer holidays to earn a bit of pocket money.  Many local women used to do it too - it was a nice little income.

On one occasion I was picking down one side of a row of blackcurrant bushes and a friendly older woman - a total stranger - was working  down the other. We chatted a bit about this and that and then suddenly, out of the blue, she asked me in her broad East Anglian accent "Do yar hens stay in?"

I was a bit taken aback as I hadn't even told her we kept hens, but being a polite child, I smiled and said "Pretty much - as long as no-one leaves the gate open."

There was a silence. She looked at me as if I was a bit peculiar and then, without further comment went back to her work.

It wasn't until ages afterwards that I realised what she had actually asked me was "Do your hands stain" (from the fruit )

[rogespeed]

---

@icyfroth wrote:
Why would anyone bother when the government pays them to stay home?

---

The dole plus fruit picking for most is barely the minimum wage - ok if you are a visitor , no local family responsibilities incl the additional cost of living, but not much of a life if local - increase picking  rate$ might result in more local participation 

[rogespeed]

---

@myoclon1cjerk wrote:
Underpayment and exploitation of workers is rife in this country, not just on farms and hospitality and backpackers aren't exclusively the victims. That's what happens when there's a huge drop off in union membership.

---

One industry that does not but should have effective representation 

[myoclon1cjerk]

Possibly the most unionised sector in Australia is the public sector. They have the perks that are the envy of most other industries i.e a five day week with weekends off to spend with family etc. Banks etc also have those desirable conditions.

[not_for_sale2025]

---

@myoclon1cjerk wrote:
Possibly the most unionised sector in Australia is the public sector. They have the perks that are the envy of most other industries i.e a five day week with weekends off to spend with family etc. Banks etc also have those desirable conditions.

---

They are not perks, they are conditions that were hard fought for and some required heavy trade offs. And many members of the public sector do not work a five day week with weekends off. Nurses, doctors and the police work shifts, irregular days and infrequently get the weekend off. They take the front line when the community is endangered and get assaulted, spat on and criticized for their efforts. It's a good thing they are well unionised. I shudder to think how the services would fall apart if they were not.

[rogespeed]

---

@myoclon1cjerk wrote:
Possibly the most unionised sector in Australia is the public sector. They have the perks that are the envy of most other industries i.e a five day week with weekends off to spend with family etc. Banks etc also have those desirable conditions.

---

40 hour week mandated In Australia since 1948  ..... , and in more modern times 38 hour week since late 1980's , with one extra day off per month - where are you located ?