E tū court action targets labour hire at LSG SkyChefs

E tū court action targets labour hire at LSG SkyChefs

E tū will be in the Employment Court in Auckland on Monday to argue its case on behalf of labour hire workers at global airline catering company, LSG SkyChefs.

The union is acting on behalf of workers Kamlesh Prasad and Liutofaga Tulai, and will argue that they and other labour hire workers should be entitled to the same employment conditions as directly-employed staff.

The company, which is owned by Lufthansa, operates kitchens in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch, and Queenstown.

E tū Assistant National Secretary, John Ryall says the use of labour hire has been growing in New Zealand as employers seek to cut their costs.

But he says labour hire work is precarious.

“Using labour hire staff means employers have no responsibilities to these workers and can get rid of them at any time without going through the normal consultation processes,” says John.

“Labour hire can also be used to suppress wage demands because directly-employed workers fear being replaced by labour hire workers themselves,” he says.

John says many labour hire workers are migrants, who accept minimum wage, casualised jobs with labour hire companies because they have few other options.

ENDS

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