Karen’s Diner is a downright dangerous workplace, so we're speaking up on behalf of a group of workers who've had enough.
Customers are encouraged to be rude and act like ‘Karens’ and as workers we were regularly racially abused, sexually harassed, subjected to homophobia and fat shaming and threatened with physical violence. Customers have shown us indecent photos, pushed us up against walls, groped us and up-skirted our dresses. Some of us have had our identities revealed online, been abused at other jobs and harassed on the street.
The employing business, Viral Ventures, has created a workplace that puts its staff at extreme risk of customers abuse and it has hung us out to dry. Management brushed off incidents, there are no policies or procedures in place to deal with incidents and the owners of Viral Ventures even tried to make us sign a waiver to take away our right to pursue injury claims. When some workers tried to seek advice they cut their shifts and then fired them.
Why is this important?
Every employer has a duty to eliminate occupational health and safety risks as far as is practically possible. Karen’s Diner have done the exact opposite, they have created an unsafe workplace and actively encouraged hazards as part of their business model. That’s why we’re calling on WorkSafe Victoria to investigate Karen’s Diner.
