ACRATH Member Visits Seasonal Workers

ACRATH Member, Fr Peter O’Neill ssc, has been working tirelessly to ensure Seasonal Workers in Australia are aware of their rights. Part of his work has involved advocating on behalf of 22 men from Vanuatu who were exploited while working on Australia farms some years ago. He recently wrote and article that was published in the Columban e-Newsletter. The opening paragraph of the article states:

“When I asked my boss for payment of my wages, he got angry and said he would call the police to take me to jail and then I would be sent home to Vanuatu.” “For a number of days I had no food other than a piece of bread and water to drink.” “Working for my boss was like slavery times.” These heart-wrenching words were spoken by three seasonal workers from Vanuatu in front of Judge Jarrett in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia in Brisbane on 10 June 2016. Read more…

It is now over three years since an Australian court awarded the men their unpaid salaries. You are invited to support ACRATH’s campaign to obtain justice for these men. For more information about the campaign click here.