The boss of a popular stationery retailer has sent a text message to staff claiming their decision to strike for minimum wage is behind the temporary closure of two of its Queensland stores.
News.com.au first reported earlier this week that Mint My Desk employees were striking amid claims that the retailer was “too understaffed” to provide employees with payslips and that some workers were losing between $200 and $500 a week.
Now, it can be revealed that two Mint My Desk stores in Chermside and Uptown — formerly the Myer Centre location — were shut between Tuesday and Thursday this week due to significantly reduced sales.
A text message sent to employees, seen by news.com.au, reads: “Hi everyone, due to recent industrial actions and publicity influence, Myer sales has seriously dropped. The store will close from Tuesday to Thursday this week. We will try to relocate your shifts.”
The two stores are set to reopen today.
News.com.au understands an employee has been stood down as a result of taking part in the industrial action.
In a text message seen by news.com.au, the employee is told they may face further disciplinary action “depending on your responses”.
Louisa McCarthy, a member of Mint Workers United and staff member from the Old Myer Centre and Garden City stores in Brisbane, told news.com.au the decision means staff are again losing out.
“You know, we’ve already been underpaid with the wrong rates, no penalty rates, etc. And now, we’re not going to get paid because we’re not working for those shifts,” she said.
“We do know what we’re entitled to. And so we’re not going to settle for less, basically, and so I think that’s kind of why I wanted to do the rally and we’ll see how it goes.”
Earlier this week she claimed the company was constantly opening new stores.
“Clearly they’ve got priorities and it’s certainly not about, you know, looking after the staff or even paying them what we’re entitled to.”
Most staff members at the company are casual students, according to Ms McCarthy, and receive an envelope with their name on it containing their pay in cash.
“It’s probably the same in so many retail places and hospitality,” Ms McCarthy continued, mentioning that another reason they went public with their action was to tell others in the same boat, “here’s what you can do”.
“I don’t have to say it for people to know it, but rent is so high, the cost of groceries, so high, and then this company won’t even pay like $20 to some of its employees an hour,” she continued.
Holly Booth, who uses she/they pronouns, runs the Millionlife TikTok account, and expressed their frustration in a personal TikTok video.
“Our love for the job does not justify us being underpaid,” they said in their video, adding that the stores make thousands per day and are “well capable” of paying staff legal rates.
“We are being taken advantage of, and we are sick of it,” they said, noting that they’ll likely lose their job for speaking out on the issue.
Booth added that they earn $24 an hour as a store manager, while they should be paid $32 based on minimum wage.
“I make a lot for a worker in this company,” they added, mentioning that other workers make as little as $18 or $19 an hour.
A source from the company said that there have been productive conversations with employees to address their concerns.
In a statement, Mint My Desk said it “takes its legal obligations to its employees most seriously”.
“It is in that context that MMD notes that one or more of its employees have raised concerns about alleged employment practices,” the statement read.
“MMD appreciates that concerns have been raised, and they continue to be urgently considered. MMD notes however that any concerns raised by these employees should be done in a respectful and courteous manner.
“MMD is committed to trying to work through any live issues collaboratively with the employees, and trust that the employees will do the same when communicating with MMD or about MMD publicly.
“If there have been any mistakes made, then they will be urgently rectified. MMD has approached and will continue to discuss the issue with its employees and seek to resolve them.”
Support has continued rolling in for the cause, with teachers from Bellbird Park State Secondary College holding up signs in solidarity.
“A bunch of staff mentioned that they worry about how their students will be treated at work and are proud to see young workers take a stand,” a post to the Mint Workers United Instagram read.
Ms McCarthy added that they hope their action sends a message to other retail employees in similar positions, that they can get “what they’re entitled to as well”.
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