Issues Around Researching OHS of Samoan Migrant Workers

Authors

  • F Lamm Auckland University of Technology
  • R Lamare University of Manchester
  • T M Laurenson Oceania University of Medicine
  • M McDonnell Auckland University of Technology
  • P Schweder Auckland University of Technology
  • B Shulruf University of Auckland
  • D Walters Cardiff University

Abstract

Workers from Pacific nations constitute a substantial proportion of the labour force in NZ, particularly in Auckland, which has one of the largest concentrations of Pacific Island workers in the world. Samoans constitute the largest Pacific ethnic group in NZ, comprising 131,103 or 49% of the resident Pacific population (265,974) (Statistics NZ, 2010). However, Pacific Island workers in NZ are typically employed in low paid, precarious, hazardous work that often has little chance of advancement. There is also some evidence that Pacific Island workers are over­represented in NZ’s work­related injury and illness statistics (Allen & Clarke, 2006).

While occupational health and safety (OHS) of Pacific Island migrant workers highlights a number of issues, studies often provide inadequate explanations of what exactly is occurring or fully capture the working experiences of Pacific Island migrant workers. This paper reports on the initial work undertaken as part of an international collaborative study located in Samoa and NZ, aimed at investigating the OHS experiences of Samoan migrant workers. In particular, the paper presents a multi­layered framework and a set of research principles that can be used to illuminate often inaccessible populations located in changing working and living environments. Finally, this study exemplifies the complex issues surrounding the migrant workers’ health and safety, workers’ compensation and rehabilitation.

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Published

2010-11-06