Former staff of Northcote’s Barry cafe have claimed they were underpaid by their employers, brother and sister Steve and Anne Petroulias, by at least five dollars per hour.

After attempting to raise the matter with the owners via email on behalf of nine staff, with the request they be paid the award rate, former employee Anna Langford told the ABC that she had her shifts cancelled.

According to the ABC, which sighted Ms Langford’s payslip, the hourly rate shows $18.00 an hour, including weekends – a contrast to the award rate which shows $24.41 an hour for weekday shifts, and $29.30 for weekends.

Once the staff realised they were being underpaid, they reportedly approached the owners to discuss the matter as a group, but it was rejected, with the owners then approaching the staff individually.

“When we were on shift they started to interrogate us, asking questions like ‘who’s the ringleader?'” Ms Langford said.

She continued to push for a group meeting, but was told via text by Mr Patroulias that “Everyone can talk to me separately. It’s the only way we can talk.” claiming that “Each one is a separate agreement. We can discuss separately.”, which then saw the staff take matters into their own hands.

“We saw that we weren’t going to get anywhere, so we got in touch with the Young Workers Centre and told them what was going on,” Ms Langford said.

“They helped us draft an email to our bosses, signed by nine of us,” which they sent off on Friday afternoon.

Mr Petroulias responded to the email that same day with the following:

“Hi Anna, Just to let you know that you and the other staff agreed each and every one of you the rate that you would be paid.
“On top of that you all had free meals free unlimited coffees, and paid during your meal break. You came and went when ever you felt like and you begged us to come back after seven months away.
“On top of that you asked us to employ your sister as well. If you weren’t satisfied with your pay why all that.
“All of you had previous experience, had worked in other cafes and you knew what the rates were.”

Ms Langford said that within minutes she received a text message from Ms Patroulias: “Hi Anna. I just want to let you know that your shift for tomorrow has been canceled (sic). We let you know if we need you again. Thank you.”

With two other workers who signed the letter also losing their shifts, Mr Petroulias attributed the cancellation to having too many staff.

“They are casuals, they come whenever they went (want) to, six months later, one will take a holiday. That’s how casual is,” he said – a sentiment, former employee Hannah Paletu’a won’t accept, saying they were “always short-staffed”.

Mr Petroulias said that he was not aware that he was underpaying his staff.

“I had a look on Google, and it said the average rate was $15 to $17 an hour, or something like that. And I was under the impression that $18 was the minimum rate,” he told the ABC.

“Now that I’ve checked it, it’s $18.51 or something.” The minimum hourly rate for full-time staff is in fact $18.51, but on the award for staff that are casual the rate is $23.51.

“If there is a mistake, I will correct it,” Mr Petroulias said.

“I presumed that when they accepted the job, they were happy with what they were getting.”

In response to the matter, staff and United Voice union members staged a protest outside the Northcote cafe on Monday.

“We started off reasonably requesting a meeting – we didn’t even mention backpay – but they’ve reacted really badly and just shut us down,” said Ms Langford.

“All we asked for was the minimum award rate.”

Barry is not the first Melbourne hospitality venue to come under fire for underpaying staff. In 2017 it came to light that George Calombaris’ Made Establishment underpaid some 200 staff a total of $2.6 million.