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Issue No. 261 | 29 April 2005 |
Lest We Forget
Interview: Australia@Work Unions: State of the Union Industrial: Fashion Accessories Legal: Leg Before Picket Politics: Business Welfare Brats Health: Cannabis Controversy Economics: Debt, Deficit, Downturn History: Politics In The Pubs Review: Three Bob's Worth Poetry: Do The Slowly Chokie
Dick Tracy Booted In Blacktown Picnic On for Working Families Skinny Pay Starves Weight Watchers Aged Care Workers Off Their Feet Unions Urge Fair Go For Timorese
The Soapbox The Locker Room Culture Parliament
Labor Council of NSW |
News Skinny Pay Starves Weight Watchers
The ambassadors - who are referred to as 'leaders' by the company - are arguing they should be considered employees and are entitled to the $18 an hour that a minimum rate award would deliver. They are flocking to join the LHMU and have formed an 'Interested Leaders Group' to help raise awareness about their rough deal. So far the company has refused to meet with the union except when they were forced by the Industrial Relations Commission and says it will not consider formalising an hourly rate for the leaders. The leaders are currently paid from $27 to organise and conduct a two hour meeting which entails five hours work and the rest of their pay must be earned through a paltry commission system. It is not unusual for leaders to earn less than $10 commission or to go without if targets had not been met. LHMU NSW President Jim Lloyd said it was now time for Weight Watchers to show some leadership in looking after their leaders who help the multinational move around $2billion worth of products each year. "We're talking about people that are paid $27 to do 5 hours work. This is an American style minimum wage." Lloyd said the leaders were providing a valuable service for Australians and they deserved to be compensated appropriately. "The LHMU is concerned about Australian health and fitness. With half of all Australian adults categorised as obese these people are doing a vitally important job for the health of our society." Weight Watchers says it will outline the details of the offer it is prepared to make its leaders by the end of May. Meanwhile the leaders are literally taking a stand in workplace meetings, where they are taking it in turns to stand up and announce to colleagues that they are now members of their union.
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