Pity, the poor girl

Dave Cripps

Why worry about AWAs, when some of the high flying Tasmanian entrepreneurs have their employees screwed down enough without the hassle of further regulation.

Take the following chain of events at a Hobart video store. I’d like to identify the date this occurred, but then the poor girl behind the counter would be at risk of joining the unemployment cue.

My family visited the store one Friday evening to be greeted by around 25 people all waiting for service with only one girl in attendance.

Many people queuing for service that night understood perfectly the poor girl’s frustration and we all commended her for the good humour and patience under the stressful conditions she was under. Listening and talking to the girl behind the counter we learnt:

(1) Her shift had started at 1 PM and would finish at 10 PM.

(2) The second, junior employee had left at 7 PM leaving only one staff member in attendance.

(3) By 9 PM that night the poor girl had managed only one short break, and that was at 4.30 PM.

(4) When by herself she found it almost impossible to go to the toilet or have a break.

(5) She did phone her boss on his mobile for assistance, but he never answered.

(6) The girl did apologise several times for the delays and was very polite to the waiting public.

(7) She made the comment to several people that she’s concerned about being on her own, especially locking up the premises each Friday and Saturday night.

(8) Several people in the queue made the comment to each other that the store had a non union policy and anyone joining or talking to the union was sacked.

(9) We were given to understand that this wasn’t a one-off event, but that this happens to her on most shifts she has been on, especially over the weekend period.