Union alleges ‘slave labour’

Press, 13 June 1977, Page 2

Union alleges ‘slave labour’

New Zealand was involved in a slave-labour situation regarding its use of migrant workers, said the South Island secretary of the Labourers’ Union (Mr B. Brown). “This is not aid to the Pacific Islands but aid to the New Zealand economy, and particularly to its major export industries such as farming,” he said, in a recorded message at a meeting of the Citizens’ Association for Racial Equality on Friday evening. Pacific Islands’ labour was being exploited and New Zealand was gaining from this.

“It is argued that workers take New Zealand-earned money home to benefit the

community but this is not what happens in practice,” said Mr Brown. “This money has done nothing substantial to benefit these people’s economies. “These people take home New Zealand habits such as drinking, and they often try to build Kiwi-style houses but find they cannot pay for them,” said Mr Brown. “This is not just a small group of workers we are talking about.” The New Zealand Government should help Pacific countries build their economies in their own way, said Mr Brown. “New Zealand must end its patronising attitude towards these countries, and this form of discrimination must be overcome,” he said.