In the hospitality industry, it’s not uncommon for wage theft or underpayment of wages to occur.

Earlier this month, at one of Melbourne’s most exclusive restaurants, Vue de monde, staff complained of being asked to work past their set hours for no extra pay. Also in Sydney, well-known restaurant Bar Coluzzi was fined over $97,000 for requesting one cook to pay back her wages as part of a cashback scheme.

In the spotlight at the moment is a small cafe located in north-east suburb of Northcote. Barry cafe workers have claimed to be treated unfairly, to the point of having work cancelled when querying their lower pays.

Led by a charge from Anna Langford, on behalf of a total of nine staff, she sent constant emails to cafe owners Steve and Anne Petroulias. Her requests for a joint meeting between staff and owners was rejected twice and that all workers should speak to them one-on-one.

Upon pressing further, going to the Young Workers Union, Langford sent another email, structured with assistance by the union. Shortly after, she and two other workers were told via text message their upcoming shifts were cancelled, and their employment until they were needed again.

This morning, co-owner Steve Petroulias says that if the harassment doesn’t stop, he and sister Anne will be suing their workers. It is unclear what exactly the cafe owners will be suing for however they state the reason for doing so is because of the hurt these claims are doing to Barry cafe.

On the weekend, the owners had to get the police involved after Langford, other workers and the union rallied along the Westgarth shopping strip.

The increased instance of underpayments and wage theft has seen calls by unions for tougher penalties for restaurants and cafes who break the law.

The Victoria Trades Hall Council have called on the state government to introduce a new section into Victoria’s Crime Act, that would see wage theft as a criminal offence. The Council are lobbying for the section to include a definition of wage theft being “a person who dishonestly withholds from an employee wages” and for the accused sentenced for 10 years in jail and a a fine under $200,000.