Parliament to debate new Bill to improve RSE worker conditions

By Staff Reporters

APIA, SAMOA – 26 APRIL 2022: Parliamentarians have been given four more days before the debate on a new legislation to help improve the working conditions for Samoan seasonal workers in Australia and New Zealand.

The Labour and Employment Relations Amendment Bill 2022 was tabled in parliament this morning by the Minister for Commerce, Industry and Labour, Leatinu’u Wayne So’oialo.

The Bill was presented by the Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Labour, Pulotu Lyndon Chu Ling at the Members pre-sitting session on Monday.

Pulotu clarified the main issues addressed by the legislation that include two yearly reviews of the minimum wage paid to seasonal workers.

The bill also covers the relationship between workers and employers as well as the treatment and harassment of workers.

Early this year, serious issues leading to accusations of Samoa workers being treated as slaves received wide media coverage and the complaints making way into an Australia’s federal parliamentary committee investigations.

The bill is part of the government’s response to the problems arising and the need for a full review of the scheme after allegations of sub-standard working and living conditions.

The review was also called following administrative issues in the screening process in Samoa such as workers landing in Australia with serious health problems including a pregnant woman who had since given birth to a baby now cared for by relatives in Australia.

Over 5,000 Samoans are currently working in Australia and New Zealand under the scheme and have been sending millions a year in remittances for their families and propping up the national economy.

Part of the review is to look at the labour needs of the country as the scheme that originally recruited only the unemployed, but is now drawing in teachers and the economically productive sector of the village population that will impact village based development projects.