Pay up sharks: protesters target Rockpool over ‘wage theft’ claims

   October 29, 2019
    The Australian

About three dozen people are protesting outside Rockpool restaurant at Melbourne’s Crown complex singing “Rockpool sharks, pay up sharks”.

Several protesters are dressed as sharks and others are waving signs calling for Rockpool to be prosecuted for wage theft.

Banners of the hospitality union Hospo Voice, are also prominent at the protest.


Labor Senator Jess Walsh spoke to the crowd and said they were sending a message that wage theft must stop.

“It is time to pay your workers,” she said.

“We have a wage theft epidemic in this industry.”

She said the industry watchdog had no bite and was issuing slaps on the wrist.

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High-end Rockpool restaurant chain founded by Neil Perry is accused of cheating workers out of at least $10 million through tampering with time sheets, according to a complaint to the Fair Work Ombudsman.

Hospitality union Hospo Voice this month instructed Maurice Blackburn Lawyers to lodge the complaint after receiving complaints from current and former staff at Rockpool of an alleged campaign to deny employees up to $10 million.

The alleged wage theft exceeds the $7.8 million repaid by George Calombaris’s Made Establishment Group.

Key allegations made include tampering with pay and time sheet software by Rockpool Dining Group so time sheets didn’t show more than 38 hours per week.

It is alleged staff worked up to 100 hours a week, with much of these hours were unpaid, and annualised salary arrangements were abused to pay chefs below the legal minimum.

Maurice Blackburn claims vulnerable migrant workers were exploited with workers fearing they would lose sponsorship if they spoke out and many workers have not been compensated or only received a part payment.

Rockpool is owned by the multi-billion dollar Quadrant Private Equity group.

RDG has 2500 staff working across 80 venues, including Spice Temple, Rosetta, Sake and Rockpool Bar & Grill and turns over $400 million per year. Last year it reported a profit of $40 million.