Employment Relations Assessment 1 PDF

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Employment Relations Assessment 1 Introduction: The issue of the case study I am doing is the 7-eleven operators who underpaid vulnerable workers in Brisbane who is fined $192,000 for penalties in April 2018. Fair work ombudsman had investigated and found 21 employees across the two stores one located in Adelaide St and the other in George street which is own by Viplus Pty Ltd had been underpaid $31,507.27 over a 12-month period. Both stores had surprise night-time visits by the fair work as good evidence to prove the owner Jason Yuan was underpaying his workers. 7Eleven is one of the largest petrol and convenience retailer in Australia, based on the IBIS world. 7-Eleven Inc was founded in 1927 in Dallas, Texas U.S by Joe C. Thompson, has franchisers in Asia, Europe, North America and Oceania. 7-Eleven Australia the company has promised to give employees on these following welfare Insurance, Health & Wellness, Financial & Retirement, Family & Parenting, Vacation & Time Off, Perks & Benefits and Professional Support. Glassdoor a website for job search and company information, 7-Eleven workers had replied saying “no petrol, food, drink discounts”, “being a casual you get nothing from 7-Eleven, not even a box of chocolate from Christmas and they only matter their own profits”. “one free coffee or slurpy per shift”. From the comments we could see that benefits differ from stores if they were own by Franchisers or the main company, as to franchiser boss would reduce staff welfare to increase their profit from sales and main company who strictly follow rules to have good staff reputation. This essay intends to analyse workers underpaid at 7-Eleven, the 7-Eleven company policy which can critically discusses what the employees could have done and what involvement of colleagues, the union management relative to this case. Discussion: The current 7-Eleven policy is called Whistleblower policy it contains the purpose, policy statement scope, procedure for raising a concern, investigation procedures and support for whistleblowers Etc. This policy had one Whistleblower at the 7-eleven headquarter had this issue told to the public in 2014 about the employees at the 7-eleven franchise been underpaid and had not sort support from unions or fair works Australia. As to this policy it could be made better for the employees , it can state that anyone who has been mistreated, underpaid could raise their problem to the unions or fair works Australia with gather evidence and the headquarters will fully support those employees on the case with franchisers. If this policy was made I would think franchisers would not risk to increase their profit on underpaying the employees that they hire, which mostly are hiring temporary migrants (international students in most case), these people are mostly unfamiliar with the fair works rules and so they normally do not know how to defend themselves when hit in these situations (some employees might know about fair works but would have the mind set of not been successful after raising the concern). To reduce these signs happening 7-Eleven should work closely with Fair work Australia and unions to prevent it happen, as their function is to “provide education assistance, advice and guidance to employers, employees, out workers, outworking entities and organisation, investigate breaches of the fair work act

and take actions against it” (Fair work act 2009). Why the Whistleblower policy wasn’t made earlier is that 7-Eleven headquarter did not know what their franchiser were doing at the start all they did was to provide training to the stores and getting them set up and have franchising fees received every annual time. As it happens, I reckon 7-Eleven should make strict rules and background checks on the people who wants to be part of the franchising of 7-Eleven team in order to reduce underpaid employees. As an employee of 7-Eleven Australia franchiser if I was stuck in the situation of been unpaid, I would have ask about my colleagues if they are in the same situation as me if they are ill have us gathering our evidence then submitting it to the fair works or the unions to have this case investigated to protect my rights. Another option is to write a concern letter to the 7-eleven headquarter as they are strictly made rules about mistreatment according to the Whistleblower policy. Why I have picked these following ways of getting me through this situation is that unions represent the voice of the employees who are been mistreated, who gets bad welfare in the workplace. Therefore I know I will be successful in requesting the unions on investigating this issue which help me to gain my rights back as to the law “employers cannot legally offer work on inferior terms or conditions that statute or agreement covering the worker”(Stewart 2018,p.6) as even I have agreed to low pay at the start the agreement will be ineffective. Having sent a whistleblower concern to the 7-eleven headquarter service is that now they care about their employee’s in there company and franchiser because they will get fines if they do not treat them fairly and makes bad reputations of the company. Summary: When employee have been mistreated and underpaid for their work they should seek for the unions and fair works Australia for help as these two departments speaks out for employees. As this case had happen in 7-Eleven they should make strict applications for joining franchisers as to reduce similar scenarios (underpaid employees) happening which will damage company reputation.

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