Article from the Geelong Advertiser, By Rebecca Tucker

A union has labelled a Geelong store owner “one of the worst in the country”. Moorabool St 7-Eleven is being investigated by the Workplace Ombudsman following claims it under-pays staff.

Victoria’s fast food and retail workers union, UNITE, yesterday launched a new attack on the store’s franchisee, Eddie Chan, claiming he told workers “that if they want to have security guards present on Saturday nights they will have to pay for it out of their own wages”.

Union secretary Anthony Main said Mr Chan had been forced to increase staff wages to an award rate of $15.50 but was still not paying workers penalty rates on night duties.

“This store owner would have to be one of the worst in the country,” he said.

Mr Chan refused to answer Geelong Advertiser questions when contacted yesterday.

“I cannot give you any answer now,” he said. “You need to speak to my lawyer.”

He refused to give his lawyer’s details, saying only that his name was Andrew.

“You ask too many questions,” Mr Chan said.

Further attempts to contact Mr Chan were unsuccessful.

Workplace Ombudsman spokesman Ryan Pedler said several 7-Eleven stores were under investigation, including the Moorabool St shop.

“The audits involve workplace inspectors checking that the correct rates of pay are being provided, including penalty rates for weekends and late nights, and that employers are keeping appropriate records and issuing pay slips in accordance with workplace relations laws,” he said.

7-Eleven national franchising manager Geraldine Dzielakowski said the Geelong store installed a state-of-the-art security system about three years ago.

“As a result, the franchisee has not employed security guards at the store for approximately three years,” she said.

“The store usually has one staff member on duty on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights, or two if it is likely to be busy.

“7-Eleven’s priority is the health and well-being of its customers, staff and franchisees.

“We are investigating other claims being made by UNITE and we hope to resolve this matter with the franchisee and staff concerned.”

A former staff member, Mohamed Rashid Ullat Thodi, said he was employed as a customer service attendant but would regularly perform duties expected of a security guard at weekends.

Mr Ullat Thodi said he worked at the store for about a year until last April, often standing in the doorway to “basically doing everything a security guard should do”.

He said he left the job because his request to be paid above $10 an hour was rejected.

The union’s Mr Main said staff had recently been awarded a pay rise, taking their hourly rate to $15.50 an hour, but that staff were still not paid penalties.

Read the article at the Geelong Advertiser here http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/03/12/56315_news.html

See also this article at The Australian online http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,25171941-12377,00.html




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