By Genevieve Gannon (The Melbourne Times 27.01.10)

The Fair Work Ombudsman has started prosecuting 7-Eleven franchisees as part of its statewide audit of the convenience stores, but the union says the probe has hardly scratched the surface of the issue of worker exploitation.

Anthony Main, spokesman for UNITE, the fast food and retail workers union, said workers were being bilked out of pay in a widespread double-hours scam.

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Authorities trying to hide the full story of exploitation of international students

UNITE has been made aware today that the Fair Work Ombudsman is set to prosecute the former operators of two 7-Eleven stores in Victoria.

While this news is welcomed, UNITE remains frustrated that the Ombudsman is only scratching the surface of this case. UNITE first brought the issues of severe underpayment at these stores to the attention of the Ombudsman in January 2009. After 12 months and many protests outside these stores, only now is the case being taken to court.

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UNITE organiser Mel Gregson recently spoke to Diana Beaumont from 3CR’s Stick Together about the campaign for decent wages and conditions for Bakers Delight workers.

Listen to the interview here:

3crcast-2009-11-22-16774

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Last week UNITE organized a protest out the front of the St Helena Bakers Delight to inform the local community of the dispute. Many students from the local high school came to express support for the Bakers Delight workers.

The protest was reported in the two local papers:

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Say ‘NO’ to low pay, insecurity, and  undermining industry standards!

Very soon Bakers Delight workers at St Helena, Diamond Creek and Laurimar will have to vote on a whether to accept a new workplace agreement. Unfortunately Bakers Delight has a history of trying to take advantage of young workers. In 2005 they were one of the first companies to use John Howard’s IR laws to undermine Award conditions. The current agreement is a legacy of this time and is one of the worst in Australia.

We don’t want to see something similar get through again. UNITE has produced this leaflet to make sure you know exactly what you are voting for.

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UNITE wholeheartedly supports YUN’s upcoming National Day of Action against youth rates in Melbourne on November 21st, 1pm at the State Library.

The concept of youth rates is nothing more than discrimination on the basis of age. The simple reason that bosses pay young workers such low wages is to cut costs in order to boost profits.

The arguments used by bosses to pay young people less than a full wage are the same as the arguments used by bosses in the past in favour of paying women less than men. It was only through organising women into unions and fighting that we achieved equal pay for women. A similar fight needs to be waged today by young people.

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Support Bakers Delight workers in St Helena, Diamond Creek and Laurimar!

After the positive response we have received from Bakers Delight customers and after speaking to workers, parents and other locals, we have decided to organise a community protest in support of the Bakers Delight workers who are campaigning for better wages and conditions.

Please come along. The details are: 3pm Wednesday 4th November @ St Helena Marketplace, 214 Aqueduct Road St Helena.

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UNITE currently represents a group of workers in Bakers Delight stores in the northern suburbs of Melbourne.

Their employer is attempting to get through a workplace agreement that does away with many retail award entitlements.

UNITE is in the process of informing local residents of what was going on. The leaflets we have produced read:

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7-Eleven have recently won the “Established Franchisor of the Year” award at the MYOB Excellence in Franchising Awards ceremony hosted by the Franchise Council of Australia. UNITE is calling on 7-Eleven to hand it back!

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The following article appeared in this week’s Melbourne Times:

By Genevieve Gannon

Fair Work is investigating 7-Eleven franchises in Victoria over claims of exploitation. The union for fast food and retail workers, UNITE, said international students, particularly Indians, had become common targets.

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UNITE welcomes the announcement from the Fair Work Ombudsman of a statewide audit of Victoria’s 7-Eleven stores.

The 7-Eleven audits will start this month. This comes after a year long campaign where UNITE exposed various 7-Eleven franchisees for systematically underpaying their staff.

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UNITE action a success!

More than 30 people attended a protest outside the 7-Eleven store on Domain Rd, South Yarra last Friday evening. The action was organised by UNITE, the union campaigning against the underpayment of wages in 7-Eleven stores.

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Article written by Christie Peucker in the Geelong Advertiser September 18th, 2009

DISGRUNTLED ex-employees of Moorabool St’s 7-Eleven will picket the convenience store’s South Yarra franchise this afternoon where their former boss has interests.

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Time for Eddie Chan to pay up!

On Friday September 18 between 5-6pm UNITE will stage an action outside the 7-Eleven store at 187 Domain Rd, South Yarra. The store is located on the corner of Park St, opposite the Botanical Gardens.

The South Yarra store is part owned by Eddie Chan. Until recently Chan also owned the Moorabool St store in Geelong where he paid his workers only half of the wages they were owed!

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A mass rally has been called for next Tuesday in protest of the weakening of OH&S legislation.

The rally will be on Tuesday September 1st, 10am outside Trades Hall (corner Victoria & Lygon st, Carlton South- near RMIT).

The rally has been called in response to the Labor Government attempting to water down Occupational Health & Safety (OH&S) laws

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