Global unions slam visa refusal by Aussie authorities to trade union leader Marcus and two others
View(s):International trade unions have slammed a decision by the Australia Government to deny visas to three Sri Lankan trade union activists for a series of meeting there in connection with a workers’ dispute at the Australian-based Ansell factory at Biyagama.
The visa applications were rejected two days before the planned arrival of Anton Marcus, Joint Secretary of the Free Trade Zones and General Services Employees Union (FTZGSEU), and two factory workers and activists from the same union, who were among those sacked by Ansell in a long-standing dispute at the factory.
The AMWU, CFMEU and TCFUA unions urged the Government to immediately overturn the decision based on “failing to have sufficient personal wealth”.
AMWU National President Andrew Dettmer said that it is clear the Abbott Government has refused entry to the Sri Lankans on political grounds. “We have a federal government denying lawful entry into Australia based on ideology and wealth”.
The decision to refuse entry to three Sri Lankan delegates highlights Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s prejudice against poor workers and unionists – not just in Australia but internationally too, the statement by the unions said.
“It’s a big leap to refuse a VISA to Sri Lankan visitors based on the need to have an arbitrary amount of money. There are no hard and fast rules around this, leaving the system open to political influence. Is it any wonder that three Sri Lankan workers, two of whom were recently sacked by Ansell, have ‘insufficient’ personal funds by Australian standards? And in some ways it is an even greater affront to suggest that FTZGSEU, organising as it does on the smell of an oily rag, should have more funds than it does,” Mr Dettmer said.
Michele O’Neil, National Secretary of the TCFUA, said that the Secretary of the FTZGSEU, Anton Marcus, is an international trade union figure and has been to Australia four times previously and it has never been a problem before now.
“This is an appalling decision by the federal government that reeks of political motivation and supporting big business.”
The union delegates planned to come to Australia to talk about the anti-worker tactics implemented in Sri Lanka by Ansell and to seek international solidarity.
“Their trip was scheduled for less than a week and included a visit to Ansell’s Australian headquarters. We will continue to protest with or without our honoured guests to expose this company’s harsh and unjust treatment of workers in Sri Lanka. We suspect that the Abbott Government is protecting Ansell – an Australian multinational business – above the interests of working people,” Ms O’Neil said.
VTHC’s Luke Hilakari called on the federal government to immediately issue the visas for the visiting unionists.
“It’s just offensive that the accusation here is that these union delegates will seek to stay in Australia permanently. There are obviously international and domestic political interests at play here. We know that Immigration Minister Scott Morrison and Prime Minister Tony Abbott are highly secretive on arrivals in Australia, and now that predilection is being extended to visa approvals and refusals. This decision cannot be appealed. If the union movement doesn’t shine a light on this event, the government can continue to get away with politically motivated visa refusals.”
In a separate statement to the Australian High Commission in Colombo, the FTZGSEU said the reason given for the refusal of the visas was “do not genuinely intend to visit Australia temporarilly”.
It said the visa applicants were invited by Australia’s well-known Textile and Clothing and Footwear Union and hence the visa refusal lacks any serious reasons that warrants refusal. “To say they don’t have enough funds in their bank accounts and in the FTZGSEU is no reason to refuse. It is obvious as workers are facing termination have little in their accounts. They were invited by the Australian union who was paying for airfares and everything else and what minimal funds they have at home is irrelevant.”
The letter said that the reason that the two female worker applicants have not travelled abroad for similar reasons before was also an illogical argument. “Workers in Sri Lanka don’t get invitations regularly to travel overseas. They have to make a trip overseas when invited for the first time. When regular travellers can prove credibility in compliance with immigration laws, asking first time travellers makes no sense,” it said.The union said that the same condition “not travelled overseas for similar reason’ slapped on Mr. Marcus to refuse the visa is sheer discrimination. He is a regular traveller, has a 5 year multiple visa to the US and last travelled to the US in July 2014.
The Australian Government has tightened entry regulations on Sri Lankan travellers due to a growing number of Sri Lankan entering the country illegally seeking political asylum, many arriving by boat.