Filipino workers feel exploited in NZ jobs
Unfair pay, uncertain working hours and inadequate living conditions are among some of the issues migrant Filipino construction workers are facing, according to a new report.
The report, compiled by trade union E tu¯ , examined the experiences of Filipinos in the construction sector in Christchurch and Auckland throughout 2017 and 2018.
Filipino Roseldo Honrada, an electrician, said that since moving to Christchurch in 2015, he has been paying a recruitment agency for getting him work.
Honrada receives $18 an hour despite eight years’ experience as an electrician in the Philippines.
This is about $11 less than the average hourly rate in the construction industry in New Zealand, according to the E tu¯ report.
‘‘I feel I am unfairly paid for my skills ... I’m only being paid slightly above minimum wage,’’ Honrada said.
‘‘A lot of my Kiwi work colleagues told me the pay was very low and unfair but I was telling them I have no choice, it’s the only way I was able to get here.’’
The E tu¯ report found many of the Filipino workers arrived with large debts because they paid companies to arrange jobs for them in New Zealand.
They also had numerous deductions taken from their pay, some of which appeared to be illegal, the report said.
‘‘The agencies are definitely exploiting us,’’ Honrada said.
Because Honrada was making so little and without any benefits of overtime, time and a half or food allowances, he was working 10 hours each day for about six days a week.
He works as much as possible to make enough money to support himself and his family in the Philippines.
E tu¯ engineering and infrastructure co-ordinator Ron Angel said it was ‘‘heart wrenching’’ hearing of Filipino workers being ‘‘exploited and disrespected’’ throughout the construction industry in New Zealand.
He said the industry was taking advantage of vulnerable workers, who were isolated and a long way from home.
Angel said the E tu¯ research showed migrant workers who were Filipino were being underpaid purely because they were Filipino and for no other reason.
About 82 workers were questioned over the phone and a small number were interviewed in person from focus groups in Christchurch and Auckland.
About 23 construction industry employers were interviewed in Wellington and four written questionnaires were completed by employers in 2018.
The main findings were that Filipino migrant construction workers were significantly underpaid for their experience and were paid less than Kiwi workers.
It also found many Filipino workers were living in inadequate housing with one example of a group of 10 workers renting a five-bedroom house and paying $150 each a week in rent.
Angel said the report had been sent to Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa and he hoped the discriminatory practices for migrants in the construction sector would be addressed.