Labour has promised to crack down harder on foreign workers in a bid to win the election to placate trade unions angry at the party`s support for a controversial trade deal.
Although rebellious lawmakers and rival unions have urged Labour to oppose the Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement (TPP), opposition party is prepared to support Senate approval of the legislation this week.
The Herald Sun learned that Labour`s primary goal was to crack down on abuse of student visas and working vacation visas, as well as to support a new, tougher labour market test system.
Labour leader Shawton (Bill Shorten) met with senior unionists last week, including ACTU president O`Neal (Michele O`Neil),. Sheldon (Tony Sheldon), secretary of the Transport Workers` Union, and Kennedy (Tim Kennedy), secretary of the Australian trade union (National Union of Workers), allayed some of their concerns.
The state trade union and some powerful unions have vowed to lobby senators to withdraw support for the plan from the Labour caucus.
The opposition party has been engaged in intense internal debate over regional free trade agreements, fearing that labour standards could be eroded by allowing workers from TPP countries, including Canada, Peru, Mexico, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.
The Greens and centrist coalition (Centre Alliance) is trying to capitalize on the conflict between Labour`s free-market advocates and unionists.
All Australia`s Youth Labour left-wing (National Young Labor Left) wrote to Labour senators over the weekend, claiming that the party`s pro-worker platform "could have gone nowhere because of the TPP."
"to reverse the trend of wealth inequality, restore full employment, crack down on wage theft and temporary transformation, abolish the ABCC, to restore health insurance and benefits, prevent transnational tax evasion, protect pensions, and relieve pressure on villages and towns. A fair transition to renewable energy: all of this could be fatal before Labour comes to power if Australia joins the TPP,. " The letter says.
"the gay of the federal caucus have made a brave effort to reopen the debate on the TPP and bring its position back to our party policy. We now ask you to honour their efforts. "
