UNITE is launching the 'Respect Workers Rights' campaign, focusing on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. Many workers in the fast food, retail and hospitality industries do not receive their full legal entitlements at work. Recently, UNITE has recieved an increase in complaints on such basic issues as pay rates, workplace health and safety and bullying and discrimination.
In response, UNITE is launching the 'Respect Workers Rights' campaign to force employers to provide their workers with at least their minimum entitlements.
UNITE wants to involve as many people as possible in this important new campaign. If you want to volunteer to help in the campaign then please come along to this volunteer introduction meeting.
We will be
- Explaining the campaign
- Explaining what you can do to help
- Singing up volunteers
- Providing volunteer training
- Answering any questions
For more infomation email info@unite.org.au or ring our office on 03 9328 1555
More info on the campaign in article below
Dodgy Brunswick Street employers to be exposed
Exploitative employers on Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, could be named and shamed in a union campaign to clean up the street’s reputation for underpaying staff.
Yarra councillor and UNITE retail workers union secretary Anthony Main said audits would be carried out this month to find out if employers were providing award wages, casual loading, overtime, payslips and health and safety standards.
“It’s nothing above what they are supposed to be doing by law, but very quickly we’ll find out who’s doing the right thing,” Cr Main said.
Employers who pass the questionnaire will receive stickers to put in their shop windows, and those who fail the test or refuse to co-operate risk being singled out in the campaign.
“It’s all about putting pressure on those with dodgy practices,” Cr Main said.
A similar campaign back in 2003 found widespread underpaying of staff in the Fitzroy shopping and entertainment precinct.
“It’s been a problem here for a long, long time,” Cr Main said. “I’ve known of employers paying staff $10 or $12 an hour cash-in-hand when the minimum wage is $15 hour and another one paying staff in ecstasy tablets instead of wages.”
In December the Cape Cafe on Brunswick Street was fined $120,000 by the Fair Work Ombudsman for underpaying two kitchen hands.
http://www.unite.org.au/2011/02/07/dodgy-brunswick-street-employers-to-b...