A major union has called on the Australian federal government to block a move by a Victorian fruit board to import up to 10,000 fruit pickers from China.

The Australian Workers Union (AWU) said the Sunraysia Mallee Economic Development Board had drawn up a draft treaty with the Dali International Co-Operative Company to allow thousands of Chinese workers to pick fruit in Sunraysia, northern Victoria, according to the Australian press.

AWU national secretary Bill Shorten said the Government should reject visa applications for the Chinese workers because until Australia had full employment "there was no excuse" for the move.

He added: "No growers or employers should be allowed to undermine the job opportunities of Australians and their legal wages and conditions.

"The Howard government must act to ensure Australian workers are not disadvantaged by the importation of Chinese labour," he said.

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