Issue No 66 | 11 August 2000 | |
NewsSaloon Doors Flap as Wealthy Owner WalksBy Andrew Casey
Several hundred people working for the franchise restaurant Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon have been thrown out of their jobs this week without any notice or warning.
The US franchise chain has as its managing director in Australia, Robert.M.LaPointe, who has been involved in bringing other franchises to this country - including KFC, Pizza Hut and CarLovers Carwash. Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon has this week shutdown ten stores - employing more than 300 people - scattered throughout Victoria, Tasmania, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia. The company has been involved in some controversial workplace practices - including bringing in private security guards to stop workers from talking to the union before they were to take a vote on a non-union enterprise agreement. The restaurant chain has sent a letter to the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU), dated August 9, to inform the union that the closures were happening, that day, and all employees were terminated immediately. 'Of course it wasn't faxed. It arrived two days later by snail mail. We got no telephone call. It was a fig leaf to cover the disrespectful way they treated their workforce,' Tim Ferrari, the Assistant National Secretary of the LHMU said. 'At this stage there is no information about what entitlements the workers will receive as a result of their retrenchments. They have been told to wait nearly three weeks, till September 1.' 'This is unacceptable treatment of loyal workers. The boss of Lone Star, Robert.M.La Pointe, should get out his cheque book immediately,' Mr Ferrari said. 'Offers being made in some cases to transfer young workers - way across town - to another restaurant, instead of paying their entitlements, is a crook outcome for these young workers.' 'The company is trying to salve their conscience by giving their ex-employees a list of Job Network employment providers, hoping they will find them a job.' 'Many - if not all- of the former Lone Star workers won't be able to get help because they won't qualify for complete service under the current Job Network rules.' 'I am not surprised there has been no warning to the workers about the closures when you look at the history of Lone Star creating unfair non-union agreements whenever they set up a new site.' 'Before they open an outlet they roll young kids in - often school children who are looking for extra pocket money - and hand them a document to vote on.' 'They even called in private security goons to try to stop the Union talking to workers in Launceston, Tasmania, a couple of years ago.' 'When you're looking for a new job, unemployed , or just looking for extra pocket money, of course you'll do the right thing by your prospective boss and vote for the agreement.' 'It's like a muster, and must be frightening, especially if you are desperate for a job.' 'In Tasmania we had parents crying on the phone to our union officials about how poorly their children were treated when asked to vote to set up a non-union agreement.' The sites that have been closed down are Launceston and Hobart in Tasmania; Newcastle in NSW; Townsville in Queensland; Geelong, Sunshine, Frankston and Brighton in Victoria; Woodford and Morley in WA.
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