Forum

 
  Back to OzPolitic.com   Welcome, Guest. Please Login or Register
  Forum Home Album HelpSearch Recent Rules LoginRegister  
 

Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print
Facing Court Over Underpaying Student Staff (Read 707 times)
whiteknight
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 7593
melbourne
Gender: male
Facing Court Over Underpaying Student Staff
Oct 4th, 2018 at 5:37pm
 
Crust franchisee faces court over underpaying student staff   Sad

4 October 2018
The Age
 

A Crust Pizza franchisee is facing court over allegedly underpaying staff on student visas including one employee who claims he is owed $30,000.

The Fair Work Ombudsman alleges a Melbourne franchisee of embattled Retail Food Group paid one employee between $13 and $18 an hour and just one dollar for every pizza he delivered using his own car.


Crust pizza chain is owned by Retail Food Group, which has been accused of underpaying staff at various franchises.


It alleges the employee is owed more than $30,400 for work he completed between October 2013 and May 2016.   Sad

The claim also extends to six other Crust workers who it is alleged were underpaid between $20 and $2,400 in 2017.

Three of the staff members, including the employee underpaid by $30,400, are said to have been on student visas at the time.


The litigation in the Federal Circuit Court relates to the company that operated the franchise store, Desire Food, and its company director and part-owner.

The ombudsman also alleges the Crust store failed to abide by meal break rules, did not issue pay slips and did not pay people on time.   Sad

Other claims include one worker completing shifts of five hours or more on 94 occasions without being given a required, unpaid meal break.

In a statement to Fairfax, a spokesperson for Retail Food Group said the franchisee left the store in March and the fracnhise is under new management.

"Ensuring franchisee staff are paid the correct wage for the work they do is one of RFG’s top priorities, because no worker should ever be underpaid," the spokesperson said.

The company highlighted it had increased its focus on payments compliance this year.

"In FY18, RFG made a $1.2 million investment in enhancing its wage compliance audit and training activities," a spokesperson said.

"A key focus for RFG is education and preventative action and we have implemented a number of initiatives over the past few years, including regular audits and the establishment and resourcing of a wage compliance team."

As of June 30 2018, Retail Food Group had 238 outlets in its "Quick Service Retail" segment, which includes stores branded as Crust Pizza and Pizza Capers.

It has owned the Crust brand since 2012.

Fifty three stores closed between June 2017 and June 2018, with the brand outlining in March it planned to shutter 200 stores across its network.

A Fairfax Media investigation in 2017 into Retail Food Group brands, including Crust, uncovered claims of widespread wage underpayments and deliberate underpayment of penalty rates.

A spokesperson for the Fair Work Ombudsman confirmed at the time the regulator had received requests for assistance from staff at Brumby's, Gloria Jeans, Donut King and Crust outlets "in recent years"   Sad
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
whiteknight
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 7593
melbourne
Gender: male
Re: Facing Court Over Underpaying Student Staff
Reply #1 - Oct 5th, 2018 at 8:03am
 
Yet again another example of workers being underpaid.   Sad
Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
greggerypeccary
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 130891
Gender: male
Re: Facing Court Over Underpaying Student Staff
Reply #2 - Oct 5th, 2018 at 8:21am
 

From the first day they opened up a shop near me, I knew they were going to end up in court.

Too many crooked employers out there - time to increase the penalties.

Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Grappler Truth Teller Feller
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 79545
Proud pre-1850's NO Voter
Gender: male
Re: Facing Court Over Underpaying Student Staff
Reply #3 - Oct 5th, 2018 at 10:42am
 
Bring a rope........
Back to top
 

“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
― John Adams
 
IP Logged
 
greggerypeccary
Gold Member
*****
Offline


Australian Politics

Posts: 130891
Gender: male
Re: Facing Court Over Underpaying Student Staff
Reply #4 - Oct 5th, 2018 at 11:02am
 

I expect some of those big car wash companies to be targeted soon.


Back to top
 
 
IP Logged
 
Page Index Toggle Pages: 1
Send Topic Print