Main Content

End wage theft for hospo workers

End wage theft for hospo workers

End wage theft for hospo workers

Nursing and midwifery students working in bars, cafes, pubs and restaurants are invited to join Australia’s first digital union, Hospo Voice, and rate their employers.

If you work in hospitality, or know people who do, it’s likely you have experienced underpayment of your wages and superannuation. This is known as ‘wage theft’ which prompted United Voice to launch Hospo Voice branch and employer rating website, RateMyBoss.org.au. As bartender James Lea puts it, ‘everyone I know who works in hospitality has had wages stolen from them.’

Many of Melbourne’s high profile venues have recently become embroiled in wage theft scandals.

In a United Voice survey of 624 Victorian workers in cafes, restaurants, bars and pubs, 76 per cent of workers were paid below the award, missing out on minimum wages and/or penalty rates for working evenings, weekends and public holidays and 51 per cent worked unpaid overtime, with many working 20+ hours a week for no pay.

Hospo Voice has secured commitments from the Andrews Government to criminalise wage theft, and make it easier for workers to recover their stolen wages.

Standing together is how nurses and midwives achieved legislated ratios in the public sector, and standing together is how hospitality workers will achieve changes in their industry to make wage theft a criminal act.

There are no restrictions to join Hospo Voice, and you can still stay an ANMF member. For $9.99 per month, hospo workers will be able to access digital tools as PayChecker, Record My Hours, Harassment Diary and Hospo Help – a forum with information and advice about workplace rights and tips on how to win change.

If you no longer work in hospitality, you’re still invited to share your experiences on RateMyBoss.org.au so that other workers seeking hospitality work know the places to approach and places to avoid.

Related