【五一跨國行動】拒絕仲介剝削 我要平等工作權！

「T-WHY台灣打工度假青年」五一勞動遊行聲明

海外打工度假（working holiday）協議在台灣十年有餘，迄今已有14個國家與台灣簽訂協議，光是澳洲就累積高達13萬台灣青年，可見這股青年流動的熱潮。然而，政府不斷強調打工度假協議之目的在於「促進跨文化交流、提升國際視野」，申請打工度假簽證是要以「度假為主，打工為輔，打工是為了延長旅程之所需」，在此文化包裝下政府帶頭刻意忽略台灣青年海外勞動身份，長期漠視、消極處理台灣青年在海外打工度假期間所遭受的勞動剝削等問題。

在台灣甚至有不肖的旅遊代辦、仲介公司看中海外打工度假這塊大餅，媒合不法工作（低於法定薪資、超時工作等），抽取高額服務費用牟取暴利，就連學生海外實習的「學海築夢」計劃也被踢爆與違法仲介公司聯手。因此，「T-WHY台灣打工度假青年」向台灣政府提出嚴正呼籲，請以具體行動促進台灣青年海外勞動權益，做好國內代辦、仲介業者的把關，並和台灣的青年站在一起，與澳洲、韓國、香港的打工度假青年共同要求澳州政府─

一、        仲介管理制度立法

現行的仲介只要一個 ABN 號碼、一個隨時可變換的姓名，以及一組臨時的手機號碼即可宣稱合法仲介工作，並以各種名目抽取高額的仲介費。我們認為這個狀況必須改變，並已在維多利亞州、昆士蘭州和南澳洲推動立法管制仲介，讓打工度假族能不再受到無良仲介剝削。

二、        維持 18,200 澳幣的免稅額

加重打工度假族的所得稅，是一項錯誤政策。我們不僅平時就和澳洲本地勞工一樣，需要繳交 GST 商品及服務稅，卻未能享有同等的權益；現在還要負擔更重的稅金，根本是權利義務的不對等。此外，加重的稅制，將迫使原本收入就不高的背包客轉向黑工市場，讓勞動剝削問題更加嚴重。

最後，我們也誠摯邀請從海外打工度假回國的台灣青年們一起在5/1勞動節這天一起上街頭支持以上訴求。無論當初你是為了增加閱歷提升未來就業競爭力、邊打工賺錢平衡旅費、回台灣繳清學貸或累積創業基金，面對持續向下沈淪的台灣勞動環境，除了考慮是否要繼續往下個國家出走，我們也可以為台灣，甚至為澳洲這片曾讓我們有機會逐夢的土地做些什麼。從加入台灣勞工運動開始－爭勞權、要保障，透過集體的力量向政府施壓，讓台灣和澳洲的就業環境與條件更好。勞工所面對的剝削是沒有國界的，讓打工度假這個共有的跨國經驗團結我們！

 May Day Statement

We, backpackers from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and South Korea, are united under the name United WHY on May Day. We stand up because we care about backpackers’ rights in Australia. Backpackers come to Australia with expectations of cultural exchange, contribute to the Australian labour force by serving flexible labour needs, and consume in the Australian economy.

Despite their contributions, backpackers are not treated fairly. The news on the exploitation of backpackers overflows on media outlets, and underpayment, cash-in-hand jobs and poor accommodation conditions have become a common knowledge in many industries where backpackers work. Yet the government does not serve its responsibility to monitor labour standards to be met in all workplaces. The current workplace inspection and enforcement mechanisms are weak and ineffective, and they do not address the needs of backpackers.

Furthermore, as of July 2016, it has been proposed that the Australian government will remove the tax-free threshold of $18,200 from backpackers, by categorising them as non-residents for tax purposes. Backpackers will have to pay 32.5 cents from the first dollar earned, and there are serious concerns that the measure will lead to further exploitation at work.

We stand united to demand the following:

1) Establish a licencing mechanism.

Backpackers are often targeted by unscrupulous labour hire companies, who often collaborate with overseas recruitment agencies. While the government condones backpackers to fulfil its flexible labour needs they do not take responsibility to ensure backpackers work under conditions as stipulated by the Fair Work Act.

Thus, we ask the government to establish a licencing mechanism for labour hire companies and other intermediaries to ensure that employers who hire backpackers abide by their legal obligations. Both employers and workers should be able to check if the labour hire companies that partake in the recruitment and employment processes are licenced, and the government should monitor the operation of labour hire companies so that to ensure the protection of fair work conditions and pay.

2) Retain the residency test for backpackers:

If the new tax rules—so-called ‘backpacker tax’ -- are implemented, backpackers will be taxed at a significantly higher rate than every other permanent and temporary resident working in Australia. Backpackers are already charged the same tax rate as other permanent resident and citizen workers of Australia while being excluded from most social and welfare services. Furthermore, we have serious concerns that increasing tax rate will provide an incentive for backpackers to seek cash-in-hand jobs, which will increase informal work. A higher income tax rate will reduce backpackers’ incentive to work legally and increase their vulnerability to exploitation.

We urge the government to pay attention to the protection of migrants’ basic civil and political rights, which are enshrined in international human rights documents that Australia is party to. We urge the government to pay attention to the vulnerabilities of backpackers. We demand the government to establish a licencing system for the labour hire companies and set up provisions to regulate intermediaries. We also demand the government to retain the current residency test for tax purposes and the tax-free threshold. Only by protecting the rights and ensuring fair conditions for backpackers can the government secure the long-term integrity and sustainability of the Working Holiday Maker visa programs.

各地行動資訊如下─

【台灣】
5/1(日) 12 點半於善導寺捷運站六號出口集合，到場後請尋找 TWHY 與 NUW 的海報，更多訊息會公布在以下活動頁
https://www.facebook.com/events/785933071541516/

【香港】
5/1(日) 下午兩點於維多利亞公園足球場，到場請尋找 HKWHY 旗幟，聯絡人為王宇來。~ 更多訊息請見以下活動頁
https://www.facebook.com/events/106416115698890

【澳洲雪梨】
5/1(日) 早上 11 點於Belmore Park 集合，到場請尋找KOWHY 和 Unions of NSW 的旗幟，聯絡人是 James (0422-607-637) 和一位略懂中文的韓國留學生 Sohoon，直接找她就可以囉~ 更多訊息請見以下活動頁
https://www.facebook.com/events/518543844995204/

【澳洲墨爾本】
5/1(日) 下午一點於 Victoria Trades Hall (Victoria & Rusell Streets 交叉口) 集合，到場後請尋找 NUW 旗幟，聯絡人為 Sherry Huang 與李東東。

【澳洲布里斯本】
5/2(一) 早上八點將於 QIEU, 346 Turbot Street, Spring Hill 提供早餐，用完餐後將從 Turbot & Wharf Streets 交叉口出發。 到場後請找 NUW 旗幟，聯絡人為 George~ 更多訊息請見以下活動頁
http://www.accupass.com/go/QLD

【澳洲-達爾文】
5/2 (一) 下午三點半， 38 Woods Street, Darwin 接著下午五點在 Bicentennial Park 有LIVE 音樂會及野餐，到場後找聯絡人 Renton
https://www.facebook.com/events/197794597278405/

【澳洲-伯斯】
5/1 (日) 10am - 2pm 於 Fremantle Esplanade，到場後請找 NUW 旗幟，更多訊息請見以下網頁
http://www.unionswa.com.au/may_day_2016