Vic, WA karaoke workers receive back pay

Workers at five Perth and Melbourne karaoke bars have received nearly $11,000 in back pay following Fair Work raids.

Workers from five karaoke bars in Perth and Melbourne have received almost $11,000 in recovered wages after surprise raids by Fair Work officers.

The unexpected inspections were carried out on the bars, three in Perth and two in Melbourne, in October last year under the Fair Work Ombudsman's Taskforce Cadena.

All were found to be in breach of their obligations to properly award staff, with deputy ombudsman Michael Campbell describing the employers' understanding of workplace laws as "rudimentary, at best".