Over 150 past and present workers at Bendigo family services centre St Luke's have recently shared a $1 million back pay decision after it was found employees were not receiving all of their EBA entitlements for working shifts.
Management at St Luke's – a SACS workplace under the Anglicare umbrella – finally succumbed to the rightful pressures from ASU delegates and lead organiser Leon Wiegard, who fought for the payout for over eight months.
Leon said that despite lots of pressure thrown at delegates and members, a united group received their just desserts after not receiving correct pay over a five-year period.
"In July last year, we received a call saying that there was some issues surrounding back pay for allowances for residential care workers at St Luke's. Calls of this nature can be reasonably common, but when we actually went to St Luke's and had a meeting with around 20 people, there were some members who were talking about some huge discrepancies in back pay and what was really being paid to these workers."
"We are so proud of our members at St Luke's. Management constantly said that if they pursued their rights they would potentially shut down the workplace, but they stuck to their guns and got what they deserved. The amount of guilt thrown at members was intense, and we are happy to say that the organisation did not shut down. If anything, workers are happier now for being paid a fair day's pay."
>>> Read the full news item at the ASU Victorian & Tasmanian A&S Branch website