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Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue (Read 700 times)
whiteknight
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Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Oct 12th, 2021 at 11:26am
 
Woolworths slammed for ‘refusing’ to admit workers deserve liveable wage
Woolworths has come under fire after the supermarket giant claimed it had no responsibility to ensure delivery drivers were paid a liveable wage.

News.com.au
October 11, 2021

Woolworths have been lashed in a parliamentary inquiry for “refusing” to acknowledge that workers deserve a minimum wage and “not telling the truth” about the work conditions faced by delivery drivers.

Grilling the supermarket giant on Monday, Senator Tony Sheldon said Woolworths had shirked its responsible sourcing standards by being complicit with the exploitation of UberEats workers.

“Numerous academic reports of UberEats work has been paid significantly below the minimum wage on average about, $10.42 an hour in some cases, as low as $6.67 An hour and others,” Senator Sheldon said.

“They don't show their workers receive a living wage.

“Aren't you perpetuating a starvation wages strategy if you don’t have a proper oversight and require these companies to be paying workers comp and paying minimum wages?”   Sad

Third-party delivery services such as UberEats and Deliveroo have come under fire recently after it was revealed that delivery drivers were often being underpaid and many were dying while on the job.

But Woolworths defended their use of the delivery services, insisting it was not their responsibility to make sure that companies outside of their supply chain upheld their workers’ rights.

UberEats and Deliveroo have come under fire recently after it was revealed that delivery drivers were often being underpaid and many were dying while on the job.

“The follow-up and active verification of our (responsible sourcing) standards has not yet extended to what we would call our non-trade supply chain, which is where the Uber partnership falls,” Woolworths representative Laura McManus said.

“This work is determined to be independent contracting. That is what the Fair Work Commission has determined it to be. We‘re operating well within that.”





Woolworths said Senator Sheldon’s statistics on the underpayment of UberEats employees did not apply to them, insisting there was no evidence of workers earning such low wages while delivering their products.

“We don‘t have any evidence of someone earning $6.67 Whilst delivering for Woolworths on any of our platforms and we don’t believe that’s the case” Woolworths representative Tom Windeyer said.

“If there was evidence of particular participants really earning $6.67 while delivering for us, I would want to investigate.”

Woolworths said it was not responsible for making sure companies outside of its recognised supply chain upheld their workers’ rights.

Senator Tony Sheldon said Woolworths was ‘perpetuating a starvation wages strategy’ by refusing to do anything to make sure delivery drivers were paid a minimum wage.   Sad

But Senator Sheldon said Woolworths had already failed the delivery drivers by refusing show any regard or responsibility for their human rights.

“What is quite clear is that you're refusing to say that minimum wage should be paid,” he said.   Sad

“You're paying delivery companies, not wanting to know what they’re actually paying, and you raise that whatever somebody accepts as a payment is then appropriate.

“I don't think anyone can realistically say because (UberEats) is a new technology that people should have a right to be ripped off and paid less than minimum wage.”
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Lisa Jones
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #1 - Oct 19th, 2021 at 8:28pm
 
I'm with Woolworths on this.

Woolworths is not responsible for the pay rates and/or for paying third party delivery drivers.

"Woolworths defended their use of the delivery services, insisting it was not their responsibility to make sure that companies outside of their supply chain upheld THEIR workers’ rights."

Yep. Not their workers! Wrong company is being exposed!

And the same would apply to Coles and IGA etc.
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Grappler Truth Teller Feller
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #2 - Oct 19th, 2021 at 10:30pm
 
A delivery operator needs, to stay in business, sufficient remuneration in his package to cover all insurances, vehicle, a fair return on maintenance, payment for loss of opportunity in placing that funding in something else, fair operating costs, and a host of other things.

Then the operator should rightly, though not by law, be guaranteed a genuine hourly rate of pay, including appropriate penalty rates for excess hours etc, to ensure that working as a sub-contractor or contractor does not punish him by reducing his actual income.

What other contractor do YOU know who does not charge you for all those costs as part of his start-up fee?  Plumber?  Electrician?  Carpenter?  Which one of those does not require a start-up cost to cover just getting to the job, and then charges on the basis of all equipment and running the business etc, then actually receiving a wage at the end of it?

This has been a TWU fight for ages now, and governments still will not make it law that minimum payments for all such things should be mandatory.

Is it that truck drivers are sweaty, blue singleted labourers, like construction workers, and thus of some kind of lower species?

How much do YOU imagine it costs to get a vehicle on the road, refrigerated as required by Woolies (etc), pay all the insurances, run the business, carry out maintenance as mandated by law for commercial vehicles, operate the vehicle, and then actually earn an income equivalent to the hourly rate for the work?

Do you know how much a 2 tonne refrigerated vehicle on the road, registered commercially and fully insured against all possibilities, and everything else required by law costs ... while the law does not mandate that you receive a fair hourly remuneration for all of those things plus your labour?

You there yet, people?

I suppose to some of you think Unions are communists.... Jesus Christ - what nation were YOU born in, those who think that?

P.S.  Yep - just re-read it - Tony Sheldon - I know Tony Sheldon - he was the Secretary when I was a delegate, and it seems he has still not lost the zeal for right to be done.
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Lisa Jones
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #3 - Oct 19th, 2021 at 11:18pm
 
Grappler Truth Teller Feller wrote on Oct 19th, 2021 at 10:30pm:
A delivery operator needs, to stay in business, sufficient remuneration in his package to cover all insurances, vehicle, a fair return on maintenance, payment for loss of opportunity in placing that funding in something else, fair operating costs, and a host of other things.

Then the operator should rightly, though not by law, be guaranteed a genuine hourly rate of pay, including appropriate penalty rates for excess hours etc, to ensure that working as a sub-contractor or contractor does not punish him by reducing his actual income.

What other contractor do YOU know who does not charge you for all those costs as part of his start-up fee?  Plumber?  Electrician?  Carpenter?  Which one of those does not require a start-up cost to cover just getting to the job, and then charges on the basis of all equipment and running the business etc, then actually receiving a wage at the end of it?

This has been a TWU fight for ages now, and governments still will not make it law that minimum payments for all such things should be mandatory.

Is it that truck drivers are sweaty, blue singleted labourers, like construction workers, and thus of some kind of lower species?

How much do YOU imagine it costs to get a vehicle on the road, refrigerated as required by Woolies (etc), pay all the insurances, run the business, carry out maintenance as mandated by law for commercial vehicles, operate the vehicle, and then actually earn an income equivalent to the hourly rate for the work?

Do you know how much a 2 tonne refrigerated vehicle on the road, registered commercially and fully insured against all possibilities, and everything else required by law costs ... while the law does not mandate that you receive a fair hourly remuneration for all of those things plus your labour?

You there yet, people?

I suppose to some of you think Unions are communists.... Jesus Christ - what nation were YOU born in, those who think that?

P.S.  Yep - just re-read it - Tony Sheldon - I know Tony Sheldon - he was the Secretary when I was a delegate, and it seems he has still not lost the zeal for right to be done.


I agree with what you're saying.

I'm siding with Woolworths in this particular matter because they are merely a third party here.
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If I let myself be bought then I am no longer free.

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Grappler Truth Teller Feller
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #4 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 12:34am
 
Lisa Jones wrote on Oct 19th, 2021 at 11:18pm:
Grappler Truth Teller Feller wrote on Oct 19th, 2021 at 10:30pm:
A delivery operator needs, to stay in business, sufficient remuneration in his package to cover all insurances, vehicle, a fair return on maintenance, payment for loss of opportunity in placing that funding in something else, fair operating costs, and a host of other things.

Then the operator should rightly, though not by law, be guaranteed a genuine hourly rate of pay, including appropriate penalty rates for excess hours etc, to ensure that working as a sub-contractor or contractor does not punish him by reducing his actual income.

What other contractor do YOU know who does not charge you for all those costs as part of his start-up fee?  Plumber?  Electrician?  Carpenter?  Which one of those does not require a start-up cost to cover just getting to the job, and then charges on the basis of all equipment and running the business etc, then actually receiving a wage at the end of it?

This has been a TWU fight for ages now, and governments still will not make it law that minimum payments for all such things should be mandatory.

Is it that truck drivers are sweaty, blue singleted labourers, like construction workers, and thus of some kind of lower species?

How much do YOU imagine it costs to get a vehicle on the road, refrigerated as required by Woolies (etc), pay all the insurances, run the business, carry out maintenance as mandated by law for commercial vehicles, operate the vehicle, and then actually earn an income equivalent to the hourly rate for the work?

Do you know how much a 2 tonne refrigerated vehicle on the road, registered commercially and fully insured against all possibilities, and everything else required by law costs ... while the law does not mandate that you receive a fair hourly remuneration for all of those things plus your labour?

You there yet, people?

I suppose to some of you think Unions are communists.... Jesus Christ - what nation were YOU born in, those who think that?

P.S.  Yep - just re-read it - Tony Sheldon - I know Tony Sheldon - he was the Secretary when I was a delegate, and it seems he has still not lost the zeal for right to be done.


I agree with what you're saying.

I'm siding with Woolworths in this particular matter because they are merely a third party here.


Yes, but there is an issue of Depraved Indifference - in other words - when you sub-contract your work required to some second party - do you not have a responsibility to ensure that this second party is operating in good faith and according to the rules as laid down in law?

At what point did the Bolsheviks in the business class gain the right to simply ignore responsibility to ensure that the companies they are dealing with are fair and above board?

That's like signing an agreement with the Mafia or a known criminal organisation, that you KNOW will violate the rules as laid down by law...

Depraved Indifference... KNOWING that what you do will result in actual harm ....

This is, interestingly, part of the reason St Gladys is being interrogated sweetly in ICAC - but ICAC obviously lack the balls to actually go after her - same as St Julia of the Gillard.  She was clearly knowingly indifferent to the shenanigans of her boyfriend, and by proxy, everyone else in the same situation... in other words, she did not give one damn if those shenanigans were wrong or illegal or caused harm, as long as she was not told directly about it.

THAT is what the fools, US, pay half a million dollars a year plus endless perks for life to do ...

THAT is the true quality of our Great Leaders!!

You there yet?

(welcome to Grappler Free University....)

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« Last Edit: Oct 20th, 2021 at 12:40am by Grappler Truth Teller Feller »  

“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.”
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Lisa Jones
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #5 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 6:41am
 
Indifference?

Is that now an offence?

If so then most of the world's population should expect to be grilled.


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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #6 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 7:29am
 
Lisa Moans posted:

Quote:
I'm siding with Woolworths in this particular matter because they are merely a third party here.


“Merely a third party” crap! They wanted a cheap delivery service, and looked around for a company that gave them that—rates that clearly are not sustainable. UberEats gave them that.
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #7 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 7:33am
 
Who's moaning? Oh that's right....you are. Again!

Free market.

Competition.

Australia.

Don't like it?

Try North Korea.

Or China.

~The End~
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If I let myself be bought then I am no longer free.

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Jovial Monk
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #8 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 7:46am
 
So suddenly “just a third party” doesn’t fly anymore?
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Lisa Jones
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #9 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 7:59am
 
Still moaning and whinging I see.
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Jovial Monk
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #10 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 8:00am
 
No answer I see.
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Lisa Jones
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #11 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 8:42am
 
Dear God! You're STILL moaning and groaning 😳
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If I let myself be bought then I am no longer free.

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Gnads
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #12 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 10:12am
 
Lisa Jones wrote on Oct 19th, 2021 at 8:28pm:
I'm with Woolworths on this.

Woolworths is not responsible for the pay rates and/or for paying third party delivery drivers.

"Woolworths defended their use of the delivery services, insisting it was not their responsibility to make sure that companies outside of their supply chain upheld THEIR workers’ rights."

Yep. Not their workers! Wrong company is being exposed!

And the same would apply to Coles and IGA etc.

 
If they knowingly use companies that under pay staff ... so in effect they pay less for the services used ....

then yes they are directly responsible for the perpetuation of wage theft.
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #13 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 11:10am
 
"many were dying while on the job"

Give me a break. Woolies has been a good and fair employer for decades and these Uber drivers are not employed by Woolies.
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Re: Woolworths Grilled About Pay Issue
Reply #14 - Oct 20th, 2021 at 11:15am
 
Johnnie wrote on Oct 20th, 2021 at 11:10am:
"many were dying while on the job"

Give me a break. Woolies has been a good and fair employer for decades and these Uber drivers are not employed by Woolies.


What?

Woolworths is a terrible employer, and Coles are just as bad.

This is just one example, from a list of many:

Woolworths sued by Fair Work for underpaying its salaried managers

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