100 signatures reached
To: Queensland Parliament
Young workers need wage theft laws!
The Inquiry into wage theft in Queensland has heard shocking stories of young workers being deliberately underpaid, not receiving pay slips, cash in hand work and unpaid superannuation.
We want the Queensland Parliament to make deliberate wage theft a crime, because young workers don't deserve to be exploited.
Why is this important?
Max (left) was underpaid $7000 in hospo on the Sunshine Coast and sent threatening letters to stop him claiming his wages.
Andreas (middle) was paid $10/hr cash in hand at a restaurant in Sunnybank and couldn't recover his wages because he didn't receive pay slips.
Sulu (right) was underpaid $13,000 over two years packaging ready made meals.
Young workers are more likely to experience wage theft because we are often unaware of our rights at work, can find it hard to speak up and don't know where to seek help.
In Brisbane's Fortitude Valley, 60% of businesses don't comply with the law, with most contraventions relating to wage theft. But hundreds of these cases will never make it to court, because the current legal system is expensive, lengthy and stacked in favour of bad employers who underpay their workers.
If you've experienced wage theft or know someone who has contact the Young Workers Hub on 0448 681 116. Let's end wage theft!