Lone Star Saloon Doors Left Flapping

Date: 11 August 2000

11 August, 2000

The US franchise chain has as its managing director in Australia, Robert.M.LaPointe, who has been involved in bringing other franchises to this country - including KFC, Pizza Hut and CarLovers Carwash.

Lone Star Steakhouse and Saloon has this week shutdown ten stores - employing more than 300 people - scattered throughout Victoria, Tasmania, NSW, Queensland and Western Australia

The company has been involved in some controversial workplace practices - including bringing in private security guards to stop workers from talking to the union before they were to take a vote on a non-union enterprise agreement.

The restaurant chain has sent a letter to the Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union (LHMU), dated August 9, to inform the union that the closures were happening, that day, and all employees were terminated immediately.

" Of course it wasn't faxed. It arrived two days later by snail mail. We got no telephone call. It was a fig leaf to cover the disrespectful way they treated their workforce," Tim Ferrari, the Assistant National Secretary of the LHMU said.

" At this stage there is no information about what entitlements the workers will receive as a result of their retrenchments. They have been told to wait nearly three weeks, till September 1.

" This is unacceptable treatment of loyal workers. The boss of Lone Star, Robert.M.La Pointe, should get out his cheque book immediately," Mr Ferrari said.

" Offers being made in some cases to transfer young workers - way across town - to another restaurant, instead of paying their entitlements, is a crook outcome for these young workers
P1 of 2
" The company is trying to salve their conscience by giving their ex-employees a list of Job Network employment providers, hoping they will find them a job.

" Many - if not all- of the former Lone Star workers won't be able to get help because they won't qualify for complete service under the current Job Network rules.

" I am not surprised there has been no warning to the workers about the closures when you look at the history of Lone Star creating unfair non-union agreements whenever they set up a new site.

" Before they open an outlet they roll young kids in - often school children who are looking for extra pocket money - and hand them a document to vote on.

" They even called in private security goons to try to stop the Union talking to workers in Launceston, Tasmania, a couple of years ago.

" When you're looking for a new job, unemployed , or just looking for extra pocket money, of course you'll do the right thing by your prospective boss and vote for the agreement.

" It's like a muster, and must be frightening, especially if you are desperate for a job.

" In Tasmania we had parents crying on the phone to our union officials about how poorly their children were treated when asked to vote to set up a non-union agreement."

The sites that have been closed down are Launceston and Hobart in Tasmania; Newcastle in NSW; Townsville in Queensland; Geelong, Sunshine, Frankston and Brighton in Victoria; Woodford and Morley in WA.

The LHMU proudly represents more than 150,000 hard working women and men throughout Australia.

For further information

Contact:	Andrew Casey
Union:	Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union
Phone:	9281 9511
Fax:	92821 4480
Email:	Andrewc@lhmu.org.au
WWW:	http://www.lhmu.org.au

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]