MEDIA STATEMENT
15/1/99
McDonalds tells workers: dob in your workmates or face the sack
Two sacked McDonalds workers will go to the Tasmanian Industrial
Commission next Friday in Launceston, claiming they were unfairly
dismissed by the fast-food company and seeking re-instatement.
The two, along with another worker who is not appealing, were sacked
from the McDonalds Invermay restaurant in November last year. Two
were ostensibly sacked for for arriving at work 2 hours early,
consuming a small amount of alcohol on the company's premises and
eating some of the employer's stock without paying.
The other sacked worker, who was working the overnight cleaning shift
at the time is accused of failing to report the breaches of company
policy to her supervisor.
Rebecca Bishop 20 and Justin Bartlett 21, were relatively long-time
McDonalds employees. Rebecca had worked at the restaurant for 3
years, 9 months and the Justin 2 years 6 months.
But both are in the 20-21 year age range and are claiming that the
sackings are out of proportion to the alleged offenses. Rebecca. the
sacked overnight shift worker, is protesting that it is not only
unreasonable but in fact un-Australian to expect employees to dob in
their work-mates for minor offenses.
The sacked workers further allege that the fast-food franchise
breached the award in dismissing them without notice, and without
even paying them up to the date they were sacked. Other unfair and
exploitative practices inside the multi-national franchise chain,
will also be brought to light by the case.
The fast-food giant will be represented by legal counsel from the
Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the employers
representative body. The sacked workers who (unlike their former
boss) were not members of a union, will be represented in the
Industrial Commission by the father of one of the two.
Further details contact:
Bill Bartlett
27 Emma St
Bracknell 7302
PH: 03 63973155 BH/AH
E-mail: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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