A fast-food worker says she was ‘treated like a slave,’ bullied and underpaid while working at Subway.
Renée McCarthy, 20, also said her boss would watch her and her colleagues from home and send texts commenting about what they were wearing.
Ms McCarthy spoke out after it was revealed the franchise was being investigated by the Fair Work Ombudsman for allegedly underpaying staff.
Ms McCarthy and her sister Penny, 22, started working at a Melbourne Subway store in 2013.
Although they were initially excited about their new job, the sisters claim they were later subjected to a campaign of bullying at the hands of the store’s owners.
Ms McCarthy said she had been inspired to pursue a career in law since quitting her job.
‘I was underpaid, exploited and bullied, all those standard things that happen to a lot of kids in their first jobs,’ Ms McCarthy said.
A Renée McCarthy, 20, said she was ‘treated like a slave,’ bullied and underpaid while working a high school job at Subway
While working at the store Ms McCarthy said she received passive aggressive text messages and said owners did not treat her with respect.
‘We really felt like they were treating workers like slaves,’ she said.
She added that she was underpaid by one owner and was constantly watched by another who installed security cameras so he could monitor workers from his home.
‘He would sit in his home with these really clear cameras and would watch us on this big TV screen,’ Ms McCarthy said.
‘He messaged me one day at work and said “oh i can see that you are wearing leggings not jeans” – I’m watching you from home.’
Ms McCarthy (pictured left with her sister Penny, 22) has spoken out after it was revealed Subway is being investigated by the Fair Work Ombudsman
‘I was a little 16-year-old girl and that was pretty weird,’ she said.
Ms McCarthy said on one occasion she was sent a video of herself in the wrong uniform.
‘I was really paranoid, I was uncomfortable and you feel like you’re constantly being watched,’ she said.
When inspectors from Subway came to the store Ms McCarthy said they were only concerned with image and dress code.
‘They have zero interaction with you, its not about the worker or the store it’s about them and what they look like – it’s purely image based,’ she said.
‘They never even have an audit or ask “can we see your pay slips”‘.
Ms McCarthy said on one occasion she was sent a video of herself in the wrong uniform
Mr McCarthy said she was regularly paid less than the award wage and forced to undergo unpaid training.
The sisters said they lodged a complaint with the Fair Work Ombudsman but faced limited action until they took the matter to the non-profit Young Workers Centre.
It was only after they spoke of the underpayment on national television that they were finally given a settlement of $1,300.
‘Every time there is something against them they just say “oh that’s the franchise that’s not us” that’s their defence,’ Ms McCarthy said.
It was only after the sisters spoke of the underpayment on national television that they were finally given a settlement of $1,300
‘Because of the George Calombaris scandal, I think practices might actually change, there is something in me that thinks it will finally get the attention it needs,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘It’s 15-year-olds in their first job that are being taken advantage of.
‘We aren’t taught what our rights are at school – they don’t even known what their minimal entitlements are.’
The ongoing investigation into the Subway Chain by the Ombudsman was confirmed by a spokesperson.
‘I can confirm that the Fair Work Ombudsman’s investigation in relation to the Subway chain is ongoing, and it is therefore not appropriate to provide further comment at this time.’
A spokesperson for Subway said that the investigation applied to individual stores as opposed to the company as a whole.
‘Subway takes these matters very seriously and franchise owners are expected to meet all regulatory, financial reporting, workplace and employment requirements,’ they said.
‘Non-compliance is unacceptable and can lead to termination of an owner’s Franchise Agreement.
‘Franchise owners are required to conduct quarterly audits of their employment records and Subway conducts both proactive and responsive reviews of records.
‘Subway provides employment support services to franchise owners to help them meet their obligations and has a dedicated employee hotline.’