Exploitation at Work: If It Feels Wrong, It Probably Is

Kate Reynolds on exploitation and neglected pay in the creative workplace.

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My phone, awkwardly angled by a rock on the ground, captured my triumphant moment via self-timer. I’d just driven the 1,600-plus kilometres from Melbourne to Goondiwindi to begin my first job since completing my Creative Arts degree. I was going to be a video journalist. I quit my part-time job at the pub. I was beside myself with joy.

Joy soon dissolved into fear though, when after six weeks of this new job I was yet to receive a full week’s wages, and I was overwhelmed with the amount of work I needed to do, on my own, with no support, no office and no formal, on-going training. I was working well past midnight most evenings, fuelled by my employer’s promise of money coming in ‘soon’, and my fear of giving up.

‘But you just started,’ my parents lamented when I confided my fears that this job perhaps wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, and that I didn’t have enough money for next month’s rent. ‘It will work out,’ my optimistic Dad told me, perhaps blinded by his own bias of owning a small company and knowing how tough it is to pay staff when money is tight. ‘We’ll send you some money to keep you going.’  It was a kind gesture, but I still wasn’t getting paid, and now I owed my parents two thousand dollars.

After three more weeks of still no proper pay, I packed up my things and drove back home.

Exploitation of young workers is, unfortunately, not uncommon, and the highly competitive industries of journalism and media are no exception. Being exploited isn’t always obvious at first, either. When I started, I was put up in a hotel while I found accommodation, and given a camera and laptop. A dodgy company wouldn’t do that, right?

We were told the reason we weren’t getting paid was because the company was waiting for investment money to come through. It was always ‘just a week away,’ and we were given small drabs of money here and there; just enough to keep our hopes up, but not quite enough to cover living costs.

With so many unpaid internships, ‘opportunities to build your portfolio’, or my personal favourite, ‘great chance for exposure’, it can feel like a blessing to simply get paid for your work, so we tolerate sub-par working standards, excessive hours, and dismal pay.

So how do we avoid it?

1. Know what you’re entitled to

Minimum wage in Australia is currently $18.93 per hour, as stated by Fair Work Australia. If you are getting paid less than that, no matter any other benefits, equipment you may have or perks you have access to, if you are getting paid less than minimum wage, your employer is breaking the law. More important than that though, you are not getting the full wage that you deserve for your work. You are also entitled to sick leave, time in lieu, annual leave, maximum weekly hours and compassionate leave for full-time work under the National Employment Standards, so check over your contract before you sign anything and bring up any red flags before you commence work.

Image description: Fair Work Australia engraved plaque

2. Get a paper/email trail

Even if you don’t suspect foul play, having an email trail of correspondence with your employer is a great way to ensure there’s no misunderstandings, and you both have a copy of all relevant information. It’s especially important if you think you’re being taken for a ride, as you can use a paper trail as evidence; this becomes difficult if all your correspondence has been done over the phone. If an employer is reluctant to talk over email (like mine was) when problems arise and insists on phone conversations only, it’s getting into red flag territory.

3. Chat to Fair Work

I was given a group certificate from my previous employer that stated I had been paid my full wages, which I very much hadn’t. When I quizzed this, they (very defensively) told me that it was all above board and that the ATO required the wages as set out in my contract, not what they actually paid me. Spoiler alert, that is not the case, and I went to Fair Work asking what was legally required of the company. By providing my employer with the resources that showed I’d done my homework, I was soon emailed a group certificate that stated my actual wages. If you have any questions about your rights in the workplace, don’t be afraid to reach out to Fair Work.

4. Join an organisation like MEAA

Another fantastic resource for journalists and writers is the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), ‘the largest and most established union and industry advocate for Australia’s creative professionals.’ There is a membership fee to join, but they have information about fair pay, worker’s rights, run various campaigns and hold events throughout the year.

5. Avoid signing for a 12-month rental when you first arrive (if moving away from home)

I was able to pack up and move quite swiftly from nightmare jobs because I had opted to live in share houses, rather than move into my own rental property; colleagues of mine who were in the same boat felt trapped as they couldn’t break their lease. If you are moving away from home for a new job, take into consideration that if you sign a long lease and then your job goes pear-shaped, it’s much harder to leave.

Image description: MEAA logo

6. Listen to your gut feeling (and take the advice of loved ones with a grain of salt)

My parents, bless them, had all the best intentions for me, but they encouraged me to stay in exploitative conditions, when my gut was telling me that I wasn’t ever going to see the money I was owed. You know the situation you’re in better than anyone, and while it’s nice to have optimistic, supportive friends and family, if I can leave one piece of advice here to take home, it’s to trust your gut and go with it.