South Australia's skills commissioner has issued a warning about potential abuse of the state's traineeship scheme by fast food chains. It comes as one of the state's largest pizza operators was banned from using trainees amid allegations that workers have been underpaid.
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00:00Domino's is Australia's largest pizza chain, employing tens of thousands of workers.
00:07And today, South Australia's Skills Commissioner announced he'd banned one of its franchisees
00:13from employing trainees following a six-month investigation.
00:17Our investigation found that a majority of the trainees employed by the prohibited employer
00:23were not actually released to undertake training.
00:26The investigation into Team Van Diemen SA, which owns 12 Domino's stores across Adelaide
00:33and other outlets in Tasmania, found 18% of SA-based trainees had completed their training.
00:40Commissioner Cameron Baker says since 2021, the company had employed 269 trainees, with
00:47only 48 people successfully completing their training.
00:50A further 217 traineeships were either withdrawn or terminated by the Skills Commissioner.
00:57Mr Baker says workers are paid less when they're taken on as trainees.
01:02By putting someone through a traineeship, you, as the employer, are able to employ them
01:08at a reduced wage rate.
01:10So if we're talking about someone who's about 18 years of age, that's just under $15 an
01:15hour.
01:16In practice, the commission is concerned is being used by other operators.
01:21As part of the investigative process, I do intend to make further announcements later
01:27in the year.
01:28Concerns about potential worker underpayment backed up by the Shop Workers Union.
01:33This has been a problem that we've identified for years.
01:36It's something that we continue to make sure we alert the authorities to.
01:41We want to send a message to other employers who might not be doing the right thing, that
01:45we will take action if you are found to do that.
01:47While the franchisee declined to comment, Domino's Pizza released a statement saying
01:52it's committed to ensuring workplace compliance and that it takes these allegations seriously
01:58and it's reviewing this matter as a priority.
02:01While investigations continue, the government says most of the state's 1,200 businesses
02:07who employ trainees comply with the law.