One in two migrant women on temporary visas experience workplace sexual harassment

Today Abigail gave notice of a motion highlighting concerning new research from Unions NSW that found a shocking one in two migrant women on temporary visas experience workplace sexual harassment.

The motion reads:

I give notice that on the next sitting day I will move:

(1) That this House notes with concern that according to new research by Unions NSW in the report entitled Disrespected, disregarded and discarded: Workplace exploitation, sexual harassment and the experience of migrant women living in Australia on temporary visas published in November 2024:

one in two migrant women on temporary visas experience sexual harassment at work,
many of these women are working in industries with high levels of precarious employment where channels for reporting are in many instances non-existent or do not reflect the needs of migrant women,
sexual harassment is even more common for those working in construction, hospitality, horticultural, retail and cleaning industries. The highest rates are in the construction industry, with four in five migrant women on temporary visas experiencing sexual harassment at work,
three in four of those who experienced workplace sexual harassment did not report the incident, with over half indicating they were concerned that reporting could result in losing their job, and many being fearful of uncertainty regarding their immigration status and facing racial and gender workplace discrimination,
migrant women on temporary visas believe their employers are not doing enough to protect them from sexual harassment, with a significant number quitting their job because they felt in danger. Those who did report misconduct experienced repercussions such as a reduction in shifts, being underpaid, bullying and being fired, and
to effectively ensure temporary migrant women are safe at work, sexual harassment cannot be addressed in isolation and other issues should be addressed in conjunction.

(2) That this House further notes the following recommendations by Unions NSW in the report which are directed at state and/or federal governments:

that migrant worker centres be established in each state,
that culturally appropriate education and training on sexual harassment prevention be developed in each state in collaboration with unions, migrant worker centres, migrant worker community groups and leaders,
that a legal framework be implemented at a national level to effectively protect migrant women from sexual harassment,
that employers, government agencies, regulators, community legal centres, and other support services implement multilingual sexual harassment reporting channels,
that initiative such as bridging programs and streamline skills recognition be developed to assist migrant women in aligning their qualifications with local standards to improve access to employment opportunities,
that temporary migrant women be provided with visa protections to ensure they can report sexual harassment without fear of visa cancellation or other negative impacts to their immigration status, and
that government agencies introduce reforms to ensure that migrant workers have access to existing legal avenues for addressing sexual harassment.

(3) That this House affirms that all people deserve to be safe and free from harassment at their place of work.

(4) That this House calls on the NSW Government to take targeted action to address the concerningly high rates of workplace sexual harassment experienced by migrant women on temporary visas, by working with Unions NSW, migrant women and other levels of government.

A UNIVERSAL WELLBEING PAYMENT FOR NSW

No matter who you are or what you do, everyone has the right to share in the wellbeing of our country.

But at the moment the essentials so many of us need – a place to call home, food on the table, and everyday essentials like electricity, internet, medicine and water – are simply out of reach.

Instead of supporting us, our government is choosing to prop up huge corporations with massive subsidies, and to give away our collective wealth through record tax cuts for the wealthy. Meanwhile, the rest of us are left to live paycheck to paycheck or trapped in the dehumanising bureaucracy of our existing welfare system.

Now, in the midst of a pandemic, and following quickly on the heels of the bushfire crisis, more of us than ever before are experiencing what it’s like to lose our jobs, be without a home, or worry about where the food for our next meal will come from.

It’s time for us to choose to prioritise the wellbeing of everyone.

And that’s exactly what the Universal Wellbeing Payment will do.

It’s a regular payment made to each of us to ensure our minimum standard of wellbeing. No means testing, no bureaucracy, no strings attached.

It’s the amount you’re owed simply for being a participant in our society.

It means you are free to live your life and contribute to society as you see fit, whether you’re a carer, an artist, a student, a parent, an entrepreneur – you can get on with what you need to do, knowing that you will always be supported regardless of your income.

It means that we’re choosing to structure our economy for the benefit of all of us, not using our collective wealth to prop up the interests of big business and the wealthy few.

It means you will always have what you need to live a good life, no matter what.

The Universal Wellbeing Payment is for everyone. Help us make it happen.

For more information, head to universalwellbeingpayment.com.au

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One in two migrant women on temporary visas experience workplace sexual harassment

A UNIVERSAL WELLBEING PAYMENT FOR NSW

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