Oh how things can change!!

Prepare yourself for my rant, by golly!

Ok, so my birthday was pretty awesome, we all went out for a good meal and had fun, but isn't it funny how things can change so damn quick.

Right, as a backpacker, we are expected to work hard for low money and put up with any shit from our employers as we are 'casual labour'.  Which hasn't been too much of a problem, as I am work damn hard and I am quite happy with the long hours and wage I get for it.  Also, Paul (my current employer) seemed like a real decent guy who we have a good laugh together, albeit for his occasional temper tantrums which normally follow him coming to appologise for his over-reactions. 

So I have been here for 8ish weeks now, and things had been going well, work hard and get paid every other week.  I had found it weird why I had not been getting pay slips, but dismissed it as not a worry.  But 5 days a go, I asked Paul for my pay slips, which he handed to me on Wednesday and wow what a surprise.  We agreed a wages of $15ph over the phone, which is an average wage for a backpacker and I pay $30 per wage for electricity.  So when I looked at my pay slips I noticed I only got $14ph, I paid $130 per wage for rent & electricity and also 7 hours per week was taken from my wages.

Thursday came, and I had the evening to calm down and work out how much had been taken from me over the past 8 weeks, approximately $1950.  With this, I approached Paul and calmly asked him to explain to me what had happened.  I'll list his explanations:

• Lower wage - What he had to pay, so $13.50 to me and $1.50 to other taxes
• Paying rent - He forgot to tell me over the phone
• Taking hours - For insurance purposes we have to have a lunch hour (which we dont get by the way)
• Even if we 'work' a 14 hour shift, he doesn't think we actually work that long even though I work damn hard flat out all day, and if we don't we get yelled at.
• Plus a load of other little excuses he came up with

I said that I didn't think that was good enough, and he asked that we discuss this the next day.  I agreed, and I continued with my day.  Friday came, and Paul came to my house (workers house), and before I even got to say hello, he told me "we need to go our seperate ways".  Aparently he doesn't think I am doing a good enough job, even though every other day he likes to vent to me how annoyed he is with everyone else and that he gets me to teach others how to drive the equipment and do some cattle work.  Also he thinks it is very petty that I am chasing after him for such a small amount......... It isn't a small amount.

The thing is, I am going to ask him again polietly to pay me what he owes me, one last chance, otherwise I will seek legal help, just can not stand to lose that much money.  I have met backpackers who have told me storied of not being paid, and they gave me a couple of companies with whom to call.  Also after I heard about those other boss' not paying, I set my phone to record all phone calls, I wrote down in a book everything I do each and every day with times and who I worked with, and I also took photos of my time sheets.  Is it fair that I just want to be paid what we agreed on before I arrived here?

Could go in to a lot more detail, but don't want to bore you all. 

My plan now is that I will leave here on Tuesday in my car and drive to Melbourne, along the way maybe stop and meet some family over here, pending if they are free.  In Melbourne, pick up a few backpackers (ride sharing) and head up north somewhere along the Great Ocean Road.  Will be quite cheap and already have 2 people who want to come along.  All the mean time sort out a new job, hopefully somewhere a bit warmer.

Could go in to a lot more detail, but don't want to bore you all. 

Rant over............... lol :p