MEDIA RELEASE
Racism and bullying festers at Youfoodz Brisbane plant
Brisbane based meal delivery business, Youfoodz, is using racial tactics to divide employees and keep migrant workers vulnerable says the United Workers Union (UWU).
United Workers Union food & beverage spokesperson Imogen Beynon says last week’s racist video scandal is far from an isolated incident for the business, who has turned a blind eye to racially motivated attacks and systemic bullying and has allowed harassment to flourish amongst their mainly migrant workforce.
“Like many migrant workers, Youfoodz workers have come to Australia to build a good life. Instead, what they found at Youfoodz is a culture of bullying, racism and extreme wage theft,” she said.
“Rather than addressing the worksite’s culture of racism and bullying, the company is using it to drive productivity.
“For example, while many workers get access to 10-minute breaks, Punjabi workers are often told by their supervisors that they can’t take rest breaks and if they do, they risk having their shifts cut.
“When Punjabi workers raised this issue with the company’s HR manager, their shifts were subsequently cut to four hours in length to avoid having to give them 10-minute breaks.”
Ms Beynon said there were also accounts of culturally motivated violence against Youfoodz employees.
“One attack has left an employee feeling very unsafe at work, while the perpetrator has faced no disciplinary action and still remains at work.
“The bullying, harassment and racism these vulnerable migrant workers are copping at Youfoodz is deplorable. They came to live and work in Australia aware of our country’s reputation as a fair and just society.
“Instead they’ve found a Brisbane-based employer that turns a blind eye to the serious racial abuse happening under its roof.”