NZ workers alerted over 'slave' rates

An Australian trade union is warning New Zealand and Pacific Island workers to be aware of their rights after a horror case in which a Cook Island teenager was allegedly bashed by his employer with a claw hammer.

Police have charged Manuel Purauto, another Cook Islander who was the boss of Samuel Kautai - the teenager - in Sydney, with two counts of malicious assault.

Purauto allegedly bashed Mr Kautai, 19, with a claw hammer, kicked him in the head and then made him wipe up his own blood. Mr Kautai suffered blindness in one eye, a broken jaw and nose and is partially deaf as a result of the attacks.

He arrived in Sydney from the Cook Islands two years ago to do guttering work for Purauto.

He lived in Purauto's house as part of his work contract.

The Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union said Mr Kautai and three other Cook Islanders worked more than 10 hours a day, six days a week, yet were paid on average A$50 ($56) a month.

This amounted to slavery, said union secretary Andrew Ferguson.

"This is the worst case I have identified and I have been at the union 25 years," he said. "But there appears to be growing exploitation of immigrant workers, people from a non-English speaking backgrounds, but also workers who come from poor countries.

"We are certainly aware of other cases of Cook Islanders being ripped off by unscrupulous employers," he said.

"The mistreatment suffered by these workers [employed by Purauto] is the tip of the iceberg, and many young workers from New Zealand and the Pacific Islands are lured to Australia with the promise of a better life, but are instead mistreated terribly."

He said he feared the new workplace laws being put in place by the Australian Government would lead to more exploitation and abuse of workers.

Mr Ferguson said the union was involved in compensation claims for the Cook Islanders.

"Samuel is owed A$90,000 and because he was bashed at work we are taking up a workers compensation claim for him.

"We have agreement for medical expenses arising from the alleged assault."

Purauto will appear in a Sydney court next month.

- NZPA