Australia: NT mango farmer accused of underpaying workers
Northern Territory mango grower Vinai Chaipom has been accused by the Fair Work Commission of underpaying backpacker workers to the tune of AUD$36,000 (US$27,489), The Guardian reported.Â
The commission alleges workers from Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Taiwan, as well as a New Zealand permanent resident, were underpaid over a two-month period.
The Guardian reported three of the backpackers and the New Zealand national allegedly weren't paid at all, while others were allegedly paid between AUD$2.68-4.76 (US$2.053.63) per hour; far below award rates of AUD$19.45-$21.61 (US$14.85-16.50).
The story reported the case, relating to Chaipom's company Mango Shop and farms in Livingstone, Noomanah and Humpty Do, will now go to the federal court.