Between 2022-2024, United Workers Union’s strategic wage theft campaign recovered millions in stolen wages and entitlements across multiple industries, while forcing systematic changes in company practices and building union power.
United Workers Union’s campaign against wage theft has recovered millions for our members across multiple industries. When global giant Compass Group tried to deny $180,000 in redundancy entitlements to 29 members, we forced them to pay up and face $100,800 in additional penalties – we went all the way to the High Court! We recovered $130,000 for three security sub-contractors denied Award entitlements, part of our broader fight against sham contracting in security industry. We are also in the process of recovering an underpayment for members that could be in the millions, after Aegis admitted to wage theft affecting hundreds of aged care members, including a dodgy sham contracting arrangement. This is after aged care provider Regis back paid it’s workforce an estimated $40m in entitlements. In hospitality, we terminated Hot Wok’s exploitative below-Award agreement and won proper wages across multiple Brisbane venues. At the Hilton Darwin, we recovered nearly $20,000 in unpaid break penalties. In South Australia, our sustained campaign against CARA’s systematic underpayment forced a company-wide wage review and commitment to resolve future issues raised by United Workers Union. These examples are just some of the cases where we have taken on bosses and won back our members hard earned wages.