Meatworks whistleblower Amy Chang sacked from Teys Cargill abattoir after helping injured worker

Extract from ABC News

7.30

By Matt Peacock

Posted 15 minutes ago

Video: Whistleblower on exploitation of working holiday visa workers gets stood down. (ABC 7.30)

Related Story: Asian workers encouraged to lodge bogus visa applications

Map: Wagga Wagga 2650

A Taiwanese meatworker who went public with exploitation claims on the ABC's 7.30 program two weeks ago has been stood down from her job at Wagga Wagga's Teys Cargill abattoir.

Amy Chang, who is employed by labour hire firm AWX, said she was told to leave after a friend who suffered a bad cut to his finger asked her to translate for him when he visited the meatworks clinic.
"The doctor told Tommy 'you need to care about your finger because it can't get wet and you need to keep it dry'," Ms Chang told 7.30.
But she said the company had ordered the worker, Tommy Yu-Tang Hu, back to his normal job, where his finger was exposed to blood and became more painful.
Ms Chang said Teys Cargill would not give him his medical certificate when she asked for it on his behalf.

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"The clinic manager suddenly got very angry and said, 'Amy, we want you to leave now, leave now and just get out'," she said.
"And Tommy he looked very scared. [He said] 'my God, what can I do? I can stay here, but nobody help me'."
A short time later Ms Chang was escorted off the premises without explanation.
AWX later stated it was investigating claims she had attempted to bully a nurse into "improperly releasing private patient details".
It also accused Ms Chang of taking her mobile phone into a sterile food preparation zone, a claim she denied.
The meatworkers union's Grant Courtney claimed Ms Chang had been targeted because she spoke out publicly in defence of her fellow workers.

"If this company had an ounce of public decency this worker would be returning to work as soon as possible," he said.