By Staff Writer
The right of choice for an individual job holder to quit and join the seasonal workers scheme is likely to be a hot issue when the popular employment opportunity is reviewed.
The Prime Minister Fiame Naomi Mataafa has announced plans to re-examine the scheme to include among other issues the drain of qualified, skilled workers from local businesses and the public service.
PM Fiame in a press conference during the week referred to complaints of job losses for trained staff that warrants a Government scheme review.
The trouble spot in the review will be the rights of a trained staff member to resign willingly for a physical labour intensive job like picking fruits in a New Zealand or Australian farm.
While the seasonal workers scheme is basically designed for the unemployed without any service skills, the question is why that should not apply to a resigned skilled worker out of a job?
“ The question is why are white collar staff leaving the comforts of their office jobs to become seasonal worker out in the farms,” HRPP opposition MP Lupematasila Tologata Tile asked in a party press conference.
The standard response from those already in the scheme is better earnings in a short period time, enough to buy the family a new house and a car.
MP Lupematasila believed it is only fair for office workers to be offered competitive pay package whether in the public or private sector to stay with their jobs.
Former Cabinet Minister in charge of the scheme, Lautafi Selafi Purcell, agreed that the scheme was tailored for the unskilled and unemployed but understanding of the attraction to office workers.
“ When you earn in 9 months what takes you 9 years in your office job of course you’ll want to leave,” Lautafi sympathised.
He agreed with the need to review the whole scheme and undertaking that was already in the pipeline the previous Government had already lined up if they returned.
“We knew the scheme was due for a review after the mishap at the EFKS Youth Hall at Sogi, when 4 thousand people rushed to register that left many injured and damages to the building.”
The scheme has been exposed recently to poor publicity with claims by Samoan workers of being under paid and exploited by farm owners in Australia.
Workers union in Australia are also recruiting scheme workers as members adding more frictions to relationships with farm owners and increasing the risks on job opportunities in the future.
“Samoa has benefitted much from this RSE scheme that all started when the HRPP Government was forced to look for employment opportunities to take over from Yazaki when it closed,” HRPP secretary Lealailepule Rimoni Aiafi reflected.
Three thousand jobs were lost when the Japanese vehicle harness manufacturer closed down its Vaitele factory operations.
“This RSE scheme provides direct benefits to the local community with workers remittances sent directly to families at home,” MP Lealailepule added.
The Faleata MP is grateful for the RSE scheme as a source of income that Samoa is able to tap to these trying time of COVID affect national economy.
“The pandemic turned off our $500m tala revenue pipeline from Tourism and it’s fortunate for us that the RSE scheme has flowed in for our economy to tap on for the loss of income from tourists.”
Lealailepule agreed that any loss of skilled workers must be resolved with better pay.
Another option he is in support of as the solution to the brain drain is for more skilled workers to be trained and encouraged to step up and filled the jobs lefts by those who opted for seasonal work.