The Guardian - 5 April 2022

Morrison government’s trade deal with India leaves workers at risk of exploitation, unions say
By Daniel Hurst

Agreement to remove tariffs on some exports also includes 1,000 working holiday places and post-study work rights for Indian graduates

Australian unions have raised fears the Morrison government’s trade deal with India will fuel the growth of temporary, employer-sponsored migration – a trend they say leaves workers “highly vulnerable to exploitation”.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions also slammed the failure to include a labour rights chapter in the pre-election agreement, arguing this “could contribute further to a race to the bottom on workers’ rights, wages and conditions”.

The Australian government signed an interim trade agreement with India on Saturday, with most of the initial focus on immediate tariff cuts for Australian exports of lamb, wool and rock lobster. The government said the deal “opens a big door into the world’s fastest-growing major economy”.

But Australia has also offered to provide new access for young people from India to participate in working holidays in Australia, with places set at 1,000 a year.

Australia confirmed post-study work rights for Indian graduates in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and information and communications technology (ICT) sectors.

Indian students with a bachelor’s degree with first-class honours will be allowed to stay in Australia for three years after graduation, rather than the current two years.

The president of the ACTU, Michele O’Neil, responded to the deal by saying unions supported permanent migration. She said the visa system “should support workers with skills that we need moving to Australia long term”.

“Instead it has increasingly become a pool of exploitable labour for big business, which lobbies the government to remove protections,” O’Neil said.

“The Morrison government continues to sign us up to trade agreements that facilitate the growth of temporary, employer-sponsored migration. These workers are highly vulnerable to exploitation because in many cases their ability to stay in this country is in the hands of their employer.”

O’Neil also said the lack of a labour rights chapter was “a missed opportunity to use trade policy to raise living standards and help combat issues such as child labour”.