So a few months ago my parents worked for a pet transport company in QLD Australia – Outwest animal transport.
They paid them a flat rate of $150 per day, cash, for hours that varied but were never less than 12 hours a day, sometimes up to 18. They also would withhold ‘tax’ from each paycheque at the highest rate that never got paid to the ATO, so they had just kept it. They also would not pay them on time and not pay them the full amount, they ended up owing them over $3000 in unpaid wages.
The way the schedule worked was they would do a 7-10 day run and then a week (unpaid) off. The employers would also pay for the hotel room each night, though on occasion they hadn’t put money in the business account and my parents had to cover the cost.
Outwest also ran an illegal and abusive puppy mill, stereotypically neglecting and abusing the dogs. On the off week they offered my parents cash in hand work to work around the farm and attend to the dogs and paid them $250 for a week of work.
When my parents demanded their unpaid wages and better treatment (they were terrible bosses) Jeff blew up and verbally abused my parents and little brother (who had also done a lot of free work around the farm for them) and also attempted to tip their car over with the tractor and smashed the car with a crow bar.
We’ve reported them to the ATO, the ombudsman and the QLD dept of agriculture and fisheries (for the puppy mill). They’re also suing them for the damage of their car.
They are owed almost $30,000 in wages based on the minimum wage they should have been paid, hours and overtime they worked.
We also report every new job ad they post and I have gotten them banned from a few job Facebook pages by reaching out to the admins.
It’s still a long journey but we’re taking these motherfuckers for everything they’ve got.