After being promised a Sydney beach lifestyle, a group of Kiwi bus drivers were left living in sub-standard housing and unable to return home unless they stumped up thousands of dollars.
The New South Wales transport union (RTBU) said bus company Keolis advertised jobs for New Zealand drivers promising flights, a live-by-the-beach lifestyle, and attractive pay.
But a $10,000 bonding payment, holding them to the job, was sprung on workers shortly before their contracts started.
With many already having resigned from their jobs in New Zealand and sold their belongings, it was hard to turn back.
The union's secretary Toby Warnes told Nine to Noon they are aware of at least three drivers who have indicated they want to go home.
"We understand there's about 17 of them at the moment and the whole scheme allows for about 30 to be brought over."
He said the union currently had a court proceeding against Keolis, alleging the company had "duped a bunch of people to get on planes to come and work for them with this bonding arrangement in place".
Warnes indicated this arrangement could, under the Australian criminal code, amount to human trafficking and are hoping to prove the bond is not legally binding.
"Under our law over here, if you are induced to get on a plane to leave the country and come into Australia on the promise of something and that something isn't delivered, then that can carry really serious consequences."
The bus company Keolis has rejected the claims, saying the company was upfront with all contractual terms before people signed up.
Warnes said bus contracts in Sydney were funded by the taxpayer and run by private companies like Keolis.
"We, in particular, do not want to see taxpayers' money going into the pockets of private companies that are using these sort of, potentially modern slavery-like conditions on drivers that have been brought from overseas."
Warnes said bus contracts in Sydney were funded by the taxpayer. 123rf
He said the union had spoken to the transport minister about the issue, and it appeared that Keolis had not run the arrangement by the transport department.
"Which is concerning in and of itself that we could have a sort of wildcat cowboy company imposing these sorts of arrangements using taxpayer money."
Warnes said the company has also been promising an "idyllic, relaxed, laid-back lifestyle on the beach in Sydney ".
It was a lifestyle that was not reality due to the long hours, "bumper-to-bumper traffic" and the general low pay for Sydney bus drivers.
"That's why Keolis feels like it needs to try and bond these drivers to the job because they know that it's not what was promised and they know that if they don't have this kind of arrangement, these drivers are just going to get up and leave."
While the bond does scale down the longer that a driver has worked with the company, Warnes said most drivers know they want to leave within the first two weeks.
Warnes said some had brought their families with them and had been cramped into one-bedroom apartments.
Drivers were only given accommodation for their first six weeks and then had to find their own home.
"The Northern beaches of Sydney is one of the most expensive areas... on a bus driver's wage, you just simply cannot afford to live there."
Warnes said he understood the company was currently continuing with the scheme but is hoping it will come to an end with the court proceedings with the potential for government intervention.
"We think that this is the most grave of breaches of public trust... the very least the government could do is shut down this particular practice and then look at how the company responds to that and make decisions accordingly."
In a statement to Nine to Noon Keolis said employees who get relocation assistance sign an agreement detailing the support available and any repayment obligations that may apply.
"These terms are provided and agreed to before employment and relocation begin.
"Where an employee leaves before completing the agreed service period, final pay and accrued leave may be applied towards relocation costs in accordance with their employment agreement and applicable workplace laws."
-RNZ