Wage theft

[marwi_3023]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-16/wage-theft-report/10505412

It isn't just the hospitality industry.
I had about $30000 stolen from me by a private school when I was a boarding house master.
They didn't even pay the teachers properly.

[go-tazz]

It all has a knock on affect in that the employees aren't getting paid correctly so they don't have that extra money

too spend and the whole economy suffers,(similar too how penalty rates will drop for Retail,Pharmacy,Hospitality

and Fast food industries so that their bosses can make more money and put it in the bank,so no benefit to the

economy).

Those low income earners will have to find more money for mortgages and such and will spend less so a big

loss of revenue for the economy,(probably all brought about by a polly not being able to get a coffee or

sandwich on a Sunday and they feel entitled to having one when they want one).

[chameleon54]

Our teenage son has worked in the hospitality industry since leaving school. " Wage theft " is absolutely rife in the industry, particularly for young people, but it is a symptom of a much larger problem.

Australias wages are simply too high, particularly when penalty rates for weekend work and all the other mandated " extras " such as sick leave, stress leave, superannuation, maternity leave, parental leave, bereavement leave, holiday pay with extra loading ( whats that all about ???? ), rostered days off, time off for union meetings, Christmas parties, Melbourne cup luncheons, office coffee mornings for cancer research, long weekends and long service leave are taken into account. Frankly with all of this " leave", its a real occasion when some workers actually turn up for work at all.

Our 18 YO son was earning up to $38 an hour on normal weekends as a barman in a country pub. Many small business employers simply cant afford to pay the high wages, high rents, high insurance costs,  and high utilities costs.  and still stay in business. While I dont condone wage theft, I appreciate that if wages and conditions where more realistic and commesurate with the input the employee actually provides to the business, it would not be such a widespread problem.

[marwi_3023]

If a business can't afford to pay wages then don't employ people.
Employees make the money.
Funny how a few of these millionaaire celebrity chefs have been caught up in the wage theft scandal.
You can't tell me they can't afford to pay correct wages

[lyndal1838]

So what is your solution to businesses that do not employ anyone but the husband and wife owners and the husband works 13-14 hours a day, 5 days a week.

[marwi_3023]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-19/underpaid-workers-call-bosses-to-be-jailed-victoria/10505482

[lyhargr_0]

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

So what is your solution to businesses that do not employ anyone but the husband and wife owners and the husband works 13-14 hours a day, 5 days a week.

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If he is forced to work those hours in order to make a living, then clearly something isnt right within the business, perhaps a good overhaul is needed

[chameleon54]

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@lyhargr_0 wrote:

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

So what is your solution to businesses that do not employ anyone but the husband and wife owners and the husband works 13-14 hours a day, 5 days a week.

---

If he is forced to work those hours in order to make a living, then clearly something isnt right within the business, perhaps a good overhaul is needed

---

Despite what many employees think, not all bosses are greedy millionaires, making a fortune from the sweat of their workers. There are a huge number of small businesses owners, battling to provide a basic living for their families, often paying their workers more than the boss takes home in pay each week.

The courier business that Lyndals husband works in, is notoriously competative, with sub contractors operating on wafer thin margins after paying lease on vehicles, fuel, and other running costs. And all to provide the consumer with the cheapest freight on their latest electronic gizmo or toy for the kids.

Often small business owners are like me, older people who the labor market simply wont employ, regardless of the skills or experience we have to offer. In other cases, small business owners simply like the freedom to think and act without having to have ideas presented to a meeting to be discussed and deferred to the next meeting when a feasability study will be discussed to decide wether to go to the next step and commision a full study on the pros and cons of buying a new coffee machine for the staff room.

Spoiler

Yes I did work as a public servent for many years...........

[lyhargr_0]

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@chameleon54 wrote:

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@lyhargr_0 wrote:

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@lyndal1838 wrote:

So what is your solution to businesses that do not employ anyone but the husband and wife owners and the husband works 13-14 hours a day, 5 days a week.

---

If he is forced to work those hours in order to make a living, then clearly something isnt right within the business, perhaps a good overhaul is needed

---

Despite what many employees think, not all bosses are greedy millionaires, making a fortune from the sweat of their workers. There are a huge number of small businesses owners, battling to provide a basic living for their families, often paying their workers more than the boss takes home in pay each week.

The courier business that Lyndals husband works in, is notoriously competative, with sub contractors operating on wafer thin margins after paying lease on vehicles, fuel, and other running costs. And all to provide the consumer with the cheapest freight on their latest electronic gizmo or toy for the kids.

Often small business owners are like me, older people who the labor market simply wont employ, regardless of the skills or experience we have to offer. In other cases, small business owners simply like the freedom to think and act without having to have ideas presented to a meeting to be discussed and deferred to the next meeting when a feasability study will be discussed to decide wether to go to the next step and commision a full study on the pros and cons of buying a new coffee machine for the staff room.

Spoiler

Yes I did work as a public servent for many years...........

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I'm fully aware of the pitfalls of running a small ( successful) business  ..... 

[chameleon54]

Another reason many of us choose to run small businesses, is that we have signifigant injuries / health problems that prevent us from seeking " normal " jobs.

In my case I have three ruptured discs in my back. I was told at age 30 that I should stop work immediately and go on the invalid pension. Rather than take the easy option of living off of the taxpayer for the rest of my life as so many others do, I chose to remain active and continue working. Twenty five years later and I am still providing for my family and hope to continue to do so until retirment age. Sure it hasnt always been easy or pain free.

For many years I had to notify the neighbours that if they heard me crying out in agony I wasnt being murdered, I just had excrutiating nerve pain from my damaged back. And yes they had heard me. Luckily the nerves are now so badly damaged that they no longer send pain signals. .

By continuing to work in self employment,  I have the satisfaction of knowing I am contributing to society and are probably living a much more fulfilling and interesting life than I would have had, taking the easy option of welfare.