Meat and poultry workers

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You can help protect your workmates

You can help protect your workmates.

If you work for a contractor at a meat or poultry processing facility, you’re probably a labour hire worker, and your rights are protected under Victorian law.

Your work may involve activities such as killing, dressing, ​boning, slicing, ​preparing, packing or processing meat or poultry​.

If you are a labour hire worker, and you have concerns about you or your workmates being treated unfairly, let us know at the Labour Hire Authority (LHA).

Make a report

You can make a confidential report if you are worried that you or your workmates:

  • are being paid unfairly
  • have health and safety risks at work
  • are not provided appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE)
  • have your VISA status put at risk by your employer
  • are living in unsafe or unhealthy accommodation provided by your employer
  • are employed by a company that does not have a labour hire licence.

So that we can help you, please include details like business names, people’s names, addresses, dates and times.

Also include evidence – like pay slips, timesheets, messages or emails – and a way for us to contact you if possible.

>Report a problem now

You can also make a report using a translation service by contact Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450 – tell them what language and ask them to call LHA on 1300 545 200.

If you have questions for us, or if would prefer to make a report by phone, you can call LHA directly on 1300 545 200.

What will happen when I report a problem?

It is against the law for you to be fired or penalised for raising an issue about your workplace rights, and you can ask for help from us directly or through a worker support organisation.

Your report will be taken seriously. It will remain confidential and not shared with any person, except as required or authorised by law.

Depending on what the problem is, we may also suggest that you make a report to the Fair Work Ombudsman or WorkSafe.

Check your employer’s licence status

If you are a labour hire worker in Victoria, your employer must hold a labour hire licence. You can check if your employer is licensed using the tools on the Check a provider’s licence status page.

If your employer is not licensed, you are at higher risk of unfair treatment, so you should let us know.

Information for stakeholders and worker support organisations

If you engage with or support labour hire workers in the meat or poultry processing industries, the following materials may assist. You may also wish to post materials in your offices, provide them to workers directly, or distribute them to your networks.

There are different versions of the poster and handout for workers available in a range of relevant languages:

If you wish to access printed copies of these materials, e-mail communications@labourhireauthority.vic.gov.au to discuss your requirements.

Labour hire workers in other industries

For information for labour hire workers in the horticulture industry, visit the Horticulture Workers page.

For information for labour hire workers in other industries, visit the Worker page.