PRESS RELEASE: Court Fines Woolworths For Union Busting

The Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) is a national union established in 2016 to fight for retail and fast food workers across Australia. We have members in every state and territory. Collectively our campaigns have returned over a billion dollars per annum in restoring wages, penalty rates, overtime, casual loadings and other conditions in the past 6 years.

On 22 July 2022 the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia handed down its decision in Retail and Fast Food Workers Union Incorporated v Woolworths Group Limited [2022] FedCFamC2G 578 – the Woolworths Union Busting case.

It brought to an end the long running fight by RAFFWU to hold union busters in Woolworths Group to account for their attacks on RAFFWU and our members. The case involved Senior Management at Woolworths Group targeting RAFFWU Delegate, Lauren Dyer, for raising a dispute about a serious car park safety issue.

The litigation exposed Woolworths kept a secret RAFFWU Tracker – to record issues involving RAFFWU. The litigation also exposed the Store Manager had immediately involved the SDA to help him suppress the safety campaign. RAFFWU has been told many workers who supported the campaign were threatened by SDA officials that their jobs were under threat unless they apologised to the Store Manager.

In response to the case Woolworths Group has promised to recognise the standing of RAFFWU as a union of workers, the Freedom of Association of our members and the right of RAFFWU to represent our members. Woolworths Group has issued guidance to its Store Managers and HR/People Services staff. Woolworths apologised, in writing, to Lauren and paid her $3000 compensation.

Obviously, RAFFWU is not so naive as to believe Woolworths Group will suddenly change and treat workers with dignity and respect. We will continue to actively pursue Woolworths Group wherever and whenever it attacks workers.

This case identifies that there is only one Union on the side of Woolworths workers – RAFFWU. While we were fighting for the safety of workers, SDA was threatening workers to get apologies and gifts for the Store Manager. Our members ensured the safety issue was fixed but were then pursued by the National Employee Relations Manager.

This is the second major union busting case won by RAFFWU after the successful Tantex litigation against a major McDonald’s franchisee for coercing children. RAFFWU remains before the courts against JB Hi-Fi over union busting.

Media enquiries can be directed to RAFFWU Secretary, Josh Cullinan, 0416 241 763

The judgement and associated documents can be downloaded here: https://raffwu.org.au/woolworths-cops-10000-penalty-for-union-busting-after-promising-to-do-better/