Eamon, Barista, age 23

I work at a cafe at a big university. 

My employer has always been pretty good – we get award rates, penalties, and a generally positive and transparent attitude to staff.

We’ve had our shifts cut back significantly twice this week. And then today, we heard all shifts are being cancelled indefinitely for casual staff as of next week.  

I asked one of the bosses what will be happening if the universities are forced to close, and if the company is looking to support us. He said that he was actively looking at what they could do, but they have not yet provided any update to this. 

Only one employee (a manager) from each of the four stores is on a contract. The rest of us (about 50 staff) are casuals. We will be left without any income and uncertainty about our future employment. 

Many of us are students who have rent and bills to pay. In our store, some of our employees have chronic health conditions who desperately need a consistent income in order to survive. What are they supposed to do? I’m terrified for them.

Now is the time for us to come together as an industry and a Union and demand this Government support hospo workers.