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To: People of Melbourne

Condemn Joe's Shoe Store

United Workers Union

Over the last few days thousands of Hospo Voice members and supporters have piled the pressure on Joes Shoe Store over its treatment of staff.

Following this pressure management at Joe’s urgently requested a meeting to seek to resolve the issues contained in Alfonso’s petition.

Management has agreed to meet with Hospo Voice leaders, and allow us to review employee payslips. They have agreed to resolve any issues we uncover.

Joe's has also agreed to resolve Alfonso's concerns about being underpaid wages and superannuation, and Hospo Voice leaders will meet with Joe's to ensure they comply.

Congratulations to Alfonso and everyone who stood with him.

This is the power of hospo workers when we stand together in a union.

Join Hospo Voice: www.hospovoice.org.au/join

Every Northcote local has heard of the cocktail bar, Joe’s Shoe Store. But what patrons don’t know is how this bar, and its sister-venue Uncle Joe’s, treat their staff like dirt. They pay below-award wages, ripping us off by as much as $11 an hour on Sundays and by more than $25 an hour on public holidays.

Earlier this year Joe’s organised a staff paint-balling event they called “fistmas”. It was held at least an hour out of Melbourne. Attendance was compulsory but they didn’t organise any transport for staff. Most of us are too broke to afford a car, so plenty couldn’t go. The following day the owners met with each of us separately. And one by one, they fired us for not attending.

They think they can get away with treating us like this because we’re casual workers. But I’ve had enough. How can they believe it’s reasonable to fire us for not attending a party? I’m calling on you to stand with me in condemning Joe’s Shoe Store and Uncle Joe’s.

Why is this important?

Heaps of workers in the hospitality industry are employed as casuals. Bosses think this means they can treat and pay us however they like and then sack us the second we question their dodgy practices. There is no job security and no respect.

Pretty much all of Joe’s staff are casual, and they prey on the fact that we are students, young workers, or migrant workers like me. They paid part of my wages in cash and part into my bank account and they kept some for themselves. They didn’t provide payslips so it was nearly impossible to keep track of what I was being paid.

Dodgy employers like these guys must be held to account. Hospo Voice members are standing up and demanding every hospo employer pays us our correct legal wages. We are asking customers to only support venues that respect their staff.

Join me and fellow workers to condemn Joe’s Shoe Store for the disgusting way they treat their staff.

Partner

Links

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Updates

2019-03-28 22:22:59 +1100

Petition is successful with 1,600 signatures

2019-03-26 19:14:37 +1100

1,000 signatures reached

2019-03-26 15:26:46 +1100

500 signatures reached

2019-03-25 19:30:59 +1100

100 signatures reached

2019-03-25 18:25:03 +1100

50 signatures reached

2019-03-25 18:07:49 +1100

25 signatures reached

2019-03-25 17:52:51 +1100

10 signatures reached