Bruck worker, Irene Mahoney, decided to put her payslip on the public record after reading comments made in the Wangaratta Chronicle by Bruck CEO, Alan Williamson, denying that he was underpaying his workforce.
TCFUA State Secretary, Michele O'Neil, said the payslip was serious blow to the company's credibility.
"The union and the workers at Bruck have repeatedly raised this issue for two years while the company has justified the underpayment as being legal under the Howard Government's WorkChoices," Ms O'Neil said.
At $14.38 an hour, Ms Mahoney's wage is currently less then the Government's fair pay standards for her skill level of $14.50, and in October when the Government's new minimum rates are introduced she'll be even further out of pocket. Not including any shift allowances or superannuation payments, Ms Mahoney will miss out on $757 a year.
Workers at Bruck have not received a pay rise since December 2004.
The workers have twice rejected deficient non-union agreements proposed by the company and the majority of workers have requested the company negotiates a collective union-agreement with a fair pay rise.
The workers now face individual AWA contracts that reduce their rights and entitlements.
Ms O'Neil said Bruck Textiles is using the Howard Government's WorkChoices laws to starve its workers into submission.
"The workers at Bruck are working hard making the material used for uniforms for the Australian Army in Iraq and for the Victoria Police and deserve to be treated with dignity - not in the shabby way the company has treated them under the WorkChoices IR laws," said Ms O'Neil.
