The workplace watchdog is taking legal action against a cleaning company formerly contracted by Woolworths, for allegedly underpaying Korean cleaners.
Overseas trolley collectors, including Indian visa holders, are being underpaid at several Woolworths sites across Australia, some getting as low as $10 per hour, Fair Work Ombudsman has found in its inquiry.
The Fair Work inspectors found serious non-compliance issues, including reports of underpayment, record-keeping and pay slips at nearly half of the sites they visited across Australia. Of the total 130 sites visited, the inspectors found some sort of non-compliance with workplace laws at more than three out of every four (79%).
When the inquiry commenced, the minimum adult hourly rate was between $18.01 and $22.51, depending on whether the workers were full-time, part-time or casual employees. Many of the trolley collectors were overseas workers from India, Sudan, Korea, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq and Iran and vulnerable to coercion and exploitation.
Meanwhile, the pay of low skilled subcontractors at Woolworths is again under scrutiny, with the workplace watchdog launching legal action on behalf of underpaid cleaners.
The Fair Work Ombudsman has begun proceedings in the Federal Court against national cleaning firm Pioneer Facility Services and subcontractor OzKorea and its owner Mr. Hwang. OzKorea and Mr Hwang have been accused of short-changing four cleaners, including three Korean nationals, more than $21,000.
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