I know a lot of construction contractor tradies and the concern I hear that a lot of them have is that they're being undercut on prices.

This isn't my opinion I'm just relaying stories I've heard from a few sources. Please read it all before commenting.

A company comes along with a majority imported workforce they tender a far lower price because they get paid less than a waitress and don't pay super or insurance. By imported workforce I don't mean Australian citizens who have Asian heritage, they hold a working Visa from China etc.

I've heard stories of shared or fake names/visas, horrific injuries occurring then the bloke getting driven to the hospital without ambulance to cover up, overloaded vans on the fwy commuting multiple people to work at 3am, 20+ people share houses and below legal pay with no super or insurance.

Call it racist by the tradies but imagine your 30 years in the job, highly skilled, you've pulled the hard yards to get qualified and working 6 day weeks in a physical job. 20 blokes literally fresh off the plane turn up on Monday to your work on a construction site, they can't speak a word of English then smash out your mates would be job in half the time and have the qualified bloke check the integrity of the work done before they go to the next site. Meanwhile your mate is at home with his family looking for work and your company is struggling to find the next work site to send you to.

These tradies are contractors they don't have a salary or wage if they don't turn up or have no work they don't get paid. They're not these half cut cashed up bogans you'd usually imagine. Most have families and after the taxes and business expenses they struggle hard to make ends meet.

Regardless of your opinion on a fair go for all regardless of your race or sex which I support, there are a lot of skilled Aussies struggling.

It's the nature of the game. Cheaper work done quicker but at what price?