The Guardian 17 May, 2006
Maxi-rort
A company boasting record profits has tossed 35 regional Victorians out of work to retain 25 welders imported under John Howard’s cut-price labour scheme.
Ballarat-based manufacturer, Maxi-TRANS, laid off 13 locals a fortnight ago, and another 22 last week. Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union State Secretary, Dave Oliver, said Federal Government policy was directly responsible for the job losses.
"The Federal Government is fuelling the skills crisis and costing our young people opportunities, so it can drive down wages", Oliver said.
"These local people had been employed as casuals, for years, but not offered the training they needed to become skilled welders. Instead, MaxiTRANS has used the Government’s scandalous policy to import and keep Chinese welders who only have to be paid the minimum wage."
MaxiTRANS, which builds semi-trailers, announced a $14 million profit, last year, under the headline: "MaxiTRANS Delivers Another Record Profit".
The figure is nearly double that it recorded for the 2004 financial year.
During that period, it has been mired in controversy over its use of cheap overseas labour at the expense of Victorian youngsters.
Its strategy was unmasked, last year, when it brushed nine locals who had been promised starts through a group training company in favour of imported tradesmen it could put on individual agreements that undercut negotiated rates.
One youngster, Chris Walters, confirmed his promised steel fabrication apprenticeship had been shelved.
He called the MaxiTRANS about-face a "kick in the guts".