Australia-More Police investigations into meat plants.

AUSTRALIA-POLICE RAIDS ON MEAT PLANTS.

Unions say an investigation into the illegal use of foreign meatworkers in three states should also examine the conduct of the abattoirs who hired them.

Federal Police raided homes and businesses in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria yesterday as part of an investigation into identity fraud.

They are also investigating a labour hire company bringing in foreign workers.

It is alleged up to 100 Chinese nationals have been working illegally at meatworks in those states and authorities say the figure is likely to grow.

Russell Carr from the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union says the Federal Immigration Minister has prematurely thanked meat working companies who helped investigators.

"I think all the meat companies involved ought to be looked at by the Department of Immigration and thoroughly checked as to how they originally got involved with such a disreputable source of labour," Mr Carr said.

Mr Carr says his members have lost jobs to the workers.

"The truth is now coming to light and the fact that the Australian workers were removed from their area of employment, they were victimised and it was all done because the company had sourced cheap labour," he said.

"The Chinese were not being paid the right rate, they weren’t being paid superannuation and they weren’t correctly covered by superannuation."