Martial arts fitness centre operators fined by Fair Work Ombudsman after trainee staff were paid 73 cents an hour

    Andy Burns
    From: Herald Sun
    March 04, 2013



FORMER operators of a martial arts fitness centre have been dealt a serious blow by the Fair Work Ombudsman, fined almost $46,000 after some staff were paid as little as 73 cents an hour.    


Revolution Martial Arts, operated by Melbourne man David Auty, was fined in the Federal Court after  complaints lodged by employees that alleged he underpaid them a total of $67,320 between July 2009 and April 2012.    

More than $64,000 of the underpayments were related to 12 trainees aged between 15-21 at the time who were completing training certificates.

Fair Work says Auty made unauthorised deductions from the trainees' wages for club membership and administration fees, which resulted in them being paid as little at 73 cents an hour.

They were entitled to between $8 and $16 an hour.

Federal magistrate Frank Turner labelled the breach a serious one, on young and vulnerable employees.

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