A union says several foreign student workers at Auckland liquor stores have come forward following a protest it held about workers being grossly underpaid.
The demonstration on Saturday outside the Papatoetoe branch of Super Liquor was organised by Unite Union over claims one of the store's employees was being paid as little as $4 an hour.
Joe Carolan of the Unite Union said that after the protest he received calls from workers at other Auckland liquor stores who told him they too were being underpaid.
He said workers deserve the full protection of the law. "They deserve minimum wage, they deserve breaks, deserve all the basics that we have here in New Zealand, that we've fought for."
Mr Carolan said the union will hold a national day of action on 18 January to draw attention to the exploitation of foreign workers.
Papatoetoe Super Liquor was contacted. Co-owner Roohi Gupta says people can say what they like and she can't stop them but she is not afraid of anything.
When asked about the pay rates, she referred Radio New Zealand to her lawyer Frank Deliu who says the protest has been part of a pattern of harrassment and he will be filing papers in the High Court to get an injunction.
He says the proper place for an employment dispute is before the courts.