On 31 January 2017, the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union applied on behalf of its members to the Fair Work Commission to terminate an expired Bakers Delight Agreement underpaying hundreds of staff. The Bakers Delight (Victoria) Enterprise Agreement 2011 covers approximately 400 staff across 15 or more stores in Victoria.
Analysis by the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union shows more than 80% of retail staff are losing on average almost $1 000 per annum with some being paid more than $2000 less each year than the minimum wages in the General Retail Industry Award 2010. All but one of the sales assistants are below 21 and more than half are under 18 years of age.
“Today we lodged our first case to terminate a dodgy old agreement. This case and the ones that follow will return millions of dollars to our members.” Said Josh Cullinan, Secretary of the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union.
“Over half a million workers are having hundreds of millions of dollars stolen from their pay packets every year by the big end of town,” said Josh Cullinan, Secretary of the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union.
“At Bakers Delight, the franchise structure is used to hide systemic underpayments through the use of dodgy old agreements to pay less than the minimum Award rates.”
“The young women who have stood up against these practices are the future of our union.” Said Josh Cullinan. “When others stand with them, we’ll end this practice once and for all.”
“We will not rest until all the penalty rates taken from our members have been returned.” Said Mr Cullinan. “As Bakers Delight workers at other stores contact us, we’ll take action to return their penalty rates too.”