Around the Shops

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1. Nicole Coombes,

Woolworths Westlands Whyalla 2. Danica Fajardo, Mia Perrotta and Chloe Coleman-Webb,

McDonald's Woodville 3. Brieana Paea,

Romoeo's Kilkenny 4. Riley McMahon,

Reject Shop West Lakes 5. Samantha O'Brien, Officeworks Prospect 6. John Carr and Helen Bryant,

Coles Anzac Highway 7. James Cuming and Greg

Hammann, BWS Pooraka 8. Rya Trask, Woolworths

Christies Beach 9. Abbey Hansen,

Drakes Eyre Liquor 10. Lachlan Smith,

Coles Mount Gambier

SDA FAMILY FUN DAY

at the Zoo!

SDA LEGAL TEAM: INDUSTRIAL REPORT

Wage Theft Case against Eudunda Farmers grows to an estimated $3+ million

The SDA’s wage theft case against Eudunda Farmers Ltd has grown in size, with hundreds of workers joining our claim since lodgement, writes SDA Principal Solicitor Blythe Ormesher.

In September 2021, we lodged a claim in the Federal Court on behalf of 64 current and former Eudunda Farmers workers for underpaying workers.

Just six months on, over 400 current and former workers - from across 20 supermarkets operated by Eudunda Farmers - have reached out to join our case and we are seeking an estimated $3 million in backpay for them.

These workers haven’t just been skimped out of a few dollars here and there, we believe workers could be owed upwards of $1000 each for being misclassified, denied allowances, denied overtime pay and more. This is no small sum. It’s not just the workers - who had this money ripped out of their back pockets - who bear the brunt of this behaviour.

Wage theft impacts our towns, our cities, our communities, our entire country.

When employers steal from workers, they steal from their communities and the local economies.

This kind of exploitation is inexcusable and a clear message must be sent to employers who think it is: underpaying workers will not be tolerated.

In March, the Federal Court hearings between the SDA and Eudunda Farmers Ltd to resolve this matter began. As part of the case, we’re asking the Court to order Eudunda Farmers to backpay all workers and to penalise the company for these breaches.

The lack of action on wage theft from our State and Federal Parliaments is seeing it become a business model.

For too long, perpetrators of wage theft have been getting nothing more than a slap on the wrist when they get caught but enough is enough. Our message is clear: if your business model is wage theft, the SDA is coming for you.

As this claim progresses, we will keep all involved workers and SDA members updated.

SIGNS YOU’VE BEEN UNDERPAID

» You had to fill in for your manager temporarily but didn’t get paid more

» You’re required to wash your own uniform but aren’t reimbursed for this

» You’ve been working overtime but haven’t received overtime rates

» You stay back after your shift or start early and aren’t paid for this extra time

» You do most of your work in the fridge/freezer but aren’t paid a cold work allowance

» You’ve taken on extra duties permanently but haven’t received a pay rise

If you think you’ve been underpaid, let us know here:

Eudunda Farmers Limited accused of wage theft of more than $1 million in regional SA as union launches legal action

ABC News, Tuesday 14 September 2021