Morrison government’s trade deal with India leaves workers at risk of exploitation, unions say

Failure to include labour rights chapter in Coalition’s trade deal with India ‘could contribute further to a race to the bottom on workers’ rights, wages and conditions’, ACTU says. Photograph: Idrees Mohammed/EPA

Australian unions have raised fears the Morrison government’s trade deal with India will fuel the growth of temporary, employer-sponsored migration – a trend they say leaves workers “highly vulnerable to exploitation”.

The Australian Council of Trade Unions also slammed the failure to include a labour rights chapter in the pre-election agreement, arguing this “could contribute further to a race to the bottom on workers’ rights, wages and conditions”.