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If the walls of Dan Waltonâs Mantachie home could talk, they would tell the tales of roughly 100 Christmasâs.
Every holiday season, the retired florist fills his historic home to the brim with decorations from nearly every era. Strolling down the enclosed dogtrot hallway, one sees redbirds nesting in seasonal holly and pine, vintage-style red pickup trucks sitting on antique side tables, and occasional chairs scattered about beneath a mauve ceiling.
âIt takes quite a bit of time to get it all decorated,â Walton said as he walked from room to room.
Every room has itâs own uniquely decorated Christmas tree from Victorian to vintage, each fitting its own particular theme, style, and color. The four fireplace mantles scattered about the home, with their reindeer, nativityâs, and ribbons and bows, run a close second to the beauty of each stately tree.
AWU national secretary Dan Walton said worker exploitation and abuse was rife on Australian farms. There is no reason we have to accept this shameful reality, he said on Wednesday. Australia was founded on the principle that if you do a fair day s work you should be guaranteed a fair day s pay.
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Agriculture Minister David Littleproud said the devil would be in the detail of the union s proposal, but argued it would be disingenuous to assume all farmers did not pay their workers enough. They are generalising the fact that there is a minority that have cut corners and have done the wrong thing, Mr Littleproud told Sky News.
Union applies to change pay rules for fruit pickers to ensure minimum wage
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Union applies to change pay rules for fruit pickers to ensure minimum wage
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Fruit and vegetable pickers will no longer be legally allowed to be paid below award wages if a claim by the Australian Workers Union to put a floor under piecework rates is approved.
Many workers in the horticulture industry are paid by the amount of fruit or vegetables they pick, which can result in some legally earning less than the national minimum wage if they pick slowly or rates are set too low.