2 Jul 2014

Filipino workers lose rebuild jobs

9:02 pm on 2 July 2014

There are calls for Immigration New Zealand to look into the 90-day trial period in cases of migrant workers in the Christchurch rebuild.

Five Filipino men have been made redundant by large building company Buildtech within the trial period, while two have taken voluntary redundancy.

The men had three-year contracts were employed to work in the earthquake-hit city and have been in the country between six and 18 months.

Mely Feria, organiser of advocacy group Migrante Aotearoa, said they are devastated because they paid recruitment companies between $5000 and $10,000 to move from the Philippines.

An Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union organiser, Paul Johnston, said on Wednesday it is unfair for the workers to be made redundant.

Mr Johnston said Immigration New Zealand needs to look into the problem and make sure companies keep the workers for however long the contract states.

If companies can't keep the workers, it should help them find other employment, he said.