The Lynch group was exposed to exploitation of foreign workers. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
Former employees of Lynch Group (Lynch Group), the largest supplier of flowers in the southern hemisphere, said they had been bullied, harassed and abused in the sweatshop for years while working at the company`s Australian warehouse, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported.
Linch has hundreds of employees in warehouses across Australia and is the main flower supplier in Woolworths,Coles,Aldi `s three supermarket chains. A former employee told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that between 2013 and 2017 they had seen many foreign workers working in a warehouse in Sydney, Melbourne, being abused.
Senior officials often racist employees. Many humiliated foreign workers come from Asia, and they are afraid to complain because they are worried about losing their jobs.
Former employees interviewed said several warehouses in Melbourne and Sydney had developed a culture of harassment and intimidation that kept them from being bullied.
Bullying occurs at the busiest times of the year, such as Valentine`s Day and Easter. The employees will work longer at this time.
Other former employees also claimed that Linch did not make safety a top priority and that new employees did not receive proper mechanical training.
A Sydney warehouse at the Lynch Group. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
Melanie (Melanie), who worked for four months at the (Derrimut) warehouse in Melbourne`s west (Derrimut) district last year, said working conditions were extremely poor. "to be honest, it`s a sweatshop. It`s like walking into a completely different world. You don`t want to be here. There are plenty of flowers to be sent out, and they need people to do the work at any cost. Once you don`t do it, they immediately find someone to do the job. "
"most factory workers are temporary workers who are worried that complaints of harassment and abuse will cause them to lose their jobs." She said she had not received any proper job training, but was often asked to operate moving machines such as conveyor belts.
Another former Hong Kong employee, Sarah, came to Australia on a working holiday visa and worked in a warehouse in West Sydney in 2013. Sarah said that at least the average colleague is a foreigner.
"if girls don`t understand what they`re saying, the supervisor gets angry and calls them `Chinese idiots`, `Taiwan fools` and so on." "it`s very stressful to work here because you need to be vigilant and try to make sure they don`t send you home," she said.
A spokesman for the Lynch Group said in a written statement that no such complaint had been lodged with the company before by employees or trade unions.
"the Lynch Group adopts a zero-tolerance policy with regard to any form of bullying and discrimination, and attaches great importance to allegations of this nature. As employers, we have a good record. We are very proud of this and we are working to create a safe, fair and positive corporate culture. " The spokesman said.
Lynch is the main flower supplier of Coles supermarket chain. (Australian Broadcasting Corporation Photo)
