500 signatures reached
To: Challenge NZ
End work place exploitation in Tokoroa now
We want all the citizens of Tokoroa and all those who support them to sign this petition to help get justice for the three workers who were exploited by the franchisee of Challenge Tokoroa and his son.
The Tokoroa community demands that Challenge NZ will:
★ Have zero tolerance of exploitation by any Challenge NZ franchisee.
★ Arrange an urgent meeting with their franchisee and his son, the workers, and OneUnion.
★ Carry out an urgent investigation of the allegations and terminate any contract they have with these two men.
★ Support the MBIE Labour Inspectorate, IRD and Immigration NZ in investigating the franchisee and his son.
★ Support that the franchisee and his son must apologise to these workers and put things right. If not, they should leave town.
★ Agree that if these two men do not reimburse these workers, Challenge NZ must compensate the three workers for the time they worked in the Challenge NZ outlets.
Why is this important?
We want all the citizens of Tokoroa and all who support them to sign this petition to help end exploitation in Tokoroa and set an example for the rest of NZ.
Three workers were employed at the two Challenge NZ stations in Tokoroa. They were deliberately exploited and abused over three years by the franchisee and his son.
They had to pay money to keep their jobs. They also had to work 15-20 extra hours a week for no pay.
OneUnion is a union protecting workers in small workplaces. The union accuses the father and son of extorting $130,000 from these workers. The three workers were at the mercy of these two men because they relied on them for their visas.
OneUnion has filed claims against the franchisee and his son in the Employment Relations Authority. The father ‘sold’ the business to his son to avoid the legal consequences. We must not let them get away with it.
Their criminal behaviour was extremely cruel. One of the workers was not allowed to leave work when his wife was in labour. A young mother was forced to send her baby to India so she could work longer hours (for free) for the employer. Both were told that if they caused trouble they would be deported.
These two men are greedy and ruthless. We as a community must send a strong message that criminal exploitation and lack of human decency will not be tolerated in Tokoroa.
This behaviour is not the kiwi way and has no place in Tokoroa.
Please read the attached two articles published by the OneUnion that detail the full story.
https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2020/09/21/exploiter-extorts-and-blackmails-workers/
OneUnion and Migrant Workers Association are working together to get justice for these workers. We advised Challenge NZ of the franchisee’s criminality. We have provided our case file to Challenge NZ and demanded they investigate.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Tokoroa has a proud history of fighting for workers’ rights. We have no doubt the good people of Tokoroa will show the rest of the nation how to win justice for workers who are exploited. Challenge NZ needs to support the franchisee and his son in making this right.
A worker would already be in prison if they did a fraction of what these two men did.
Blatant exploitation is becoming a normal state. New Zealanders have to step up.
Communities have to come together and force exploiters to apologize and make amends.
Please sign our petition and get your family and friends to sign it too.
*UPDATE* - Tokoroa Rally Against Exploitation
Kia Ora All,
Unfortunately, the rally for this Sunday (16 November at 1pm) has had to be postponed.
But we still want you to come to a meeting the following Sunday at the same time. Since you signed our petition, we have received more cases of exploitation in Tokoroa by unscrupulous employers.
It seems workplace exploitation and abuse in Tokoroa is wider than we thought. Most of the victims are having to work long hours for no wages and then threatened or dismissed if they complain.
It’s difficult to solve this level of abuse from Auckland. We need your help,
We would like to meet with you and other locals. Please come and share with us your advice on what we can do about it. Hopefully we can form a local group to work with us so we can organise a campaign to end exploitation in Tokoroa.
End Workplace Exploitation in Tokoroa
New Sunday Meeting
1pm, 23 November 2020
Tokoroa Cosmopolitan Club
275 Balmoral Road
TOKOROA
If you can attend the new meeting or offer any support please email us at,
[email protected]
Nga Mihi
Matt McCarten