NZ Govt confirms revoking of Filipino work permits (sad but proof of Filipino excellence)
Source: New Zealand's Newspaper
http://www.3news.co.nz/News/PoliticalNews/Govt-confirms-revoking-of-Fili...
The Government has confirmed it is considering revoking the temporary work permits of six Filipino workers employed at a New Plymouth metal factory.
They were kept on after 28 New Zealanders were made redundant before Christmas.
The company has been accused of favouring the migrant workers ahead of the Kiwis.
Steve Bovett is back working as welder, but he is still furious at the way he and his mates were laid off last October.
MCK metals chopped Bovett and 27 other local staff, yet the bosses kept nine migrant workers from the Philippines on the payroll.
Bovett says the jobs that he and others did have been taken by the Filipinos.
Now the Government is investigating to find out if the company has broken the law.
The Filipinos were hired under the Government's skilled migrant category in October 2007 to do specialist aluminium welding and polishing work.
MCK Metals is defending the move to keep them on. When asked if they still do the skilled work that they were employed to do, the boss replied “Yes, as the demand for the products dictate, however, as the economy has taken a turn for the worst the migrant workers have had to be deployed in other areas of our operations. This is permitted under the conditions of the work visa.”
Bovett says that is proof the migrant workers have taken local jobs.
A short time ago the Immigration Minister, Jonathan Coleman, told 3 News the bosses at MCK Metals successfully changed the visa and work conditions of the Filipino workers two weeks before the locals were laid off.
It never told Immigration officials about the planned layoffs.
The Government is sensitive about this issue and it has been quick to react today.
Jonathan Coleman says he has now asked the Immigration Department to look at revoking the visa of at least six of the nine Filipinos and send them home.
He hopes some of the locals get their jobs back.
