A recent report by the Victorian Government’s Overseas Student Experience Taskforce has concluded that visa restrictions on international students are contributing to their exploitation in the workplace.
By Mel Gregson, Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

Below we publish a short report about the protest that UNITE held against 7-Eleven in Melbourne yesterday. We have also included the text of the UNITE leaflet handed out on the day and a very interesting interview conducted with a 7-Eleven worker.
All articles are from the UNITE website (more…)

SP Newsletter No.227
Video Dogs, a video shop in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton, has been forced to back-pay its workers over $4800. This came after UNITE revealed they were paying young workers with DVD rental instead of wages. (more…)

UNITE, the fast food and retail workers union in Victoria, is currently campaigning to organise 7-Eleven workers in Melbourne. Below is an article from The Age newspaper and the text of a leaflet aimed at 7-Eleven workers. The Age article includes quotes from SP member and UNITE Secretary, Anthony Main. (more…)

UNITE, the Victorian union representing fast food and retail workers, has exposed a video shop owner who offered young workers DVD hire instead of wages.
By Socialist Party reporters Melbourne (more…)

Leader of the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA), Joe de Bruyn, has come out saying he will oppose the Rudd government’s plan to scrap the restrictions preventing Australian aid money being used to fund abortion services overseas.
By SP reporters Melbourne (more…)

Over 300 people attended a demonstration to launch UNITE’s Boost Our Pay campaign on Friday March 30. The demonstration was held on the busy Swanston Street in Melbourne outside the main strip of fast food restaurants.
By UNITE reporters, Melbourne (more…)

Many young people will take on a casual job to make some extra cash over the summer period. It’s the busiest time of the year for areas such as retail, fast food and hospitality. Most shops put on extra staff to cover their increased workload. It is common for bosses to try and rip young workers off during this period. Some of the problems young workers face include; the underpayment of wages, not being given rest breaks, bullying and harassment or unsafe working conditions.
By Kylie McGregor, Socialist Party Melbourne (more…)

Burger King next on hit list!
After months of negotiation the Unite Union in New Zealand has reached a breakthrough collective employment agreement with fast food giant McDonald’s. Earlier this year Unite also signed agreements with Red Rooster and Restaurant Brands who own KFC, Pizza Hut and Starbucks. (more…)

The following article was carried by the AAP and published on the websites of several papers including The Australian and the Herald Sun. It includes quotes from UNITE Secretary and SP member Anthony Main.
A UNION has called for fast food and retail workers to join a mass protest in Melbourne this weekend, as the world’s economic leaders meet for the G20 summit. (more…)