CONVENIENCE STORES – AUSTRALIA

Woolworths, Caltex in food-fuel deal with $2bn IPO on the cards

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Original article by Eli Greenblat
The Australian – Page: 19 & 31 : 6-Jul-18

Grocery giant Woolworths will expand its existing alliance with fuel retailer Caltex Australia. The deal includes a 15-year wholesale fuel supply agreement, the extension of Woolworths’ customer loyalty program to more than 700 Caltex petrol station and the rebranding of up to 250 Caltex outlets under Woolworths’ Metro banner. Woolworths CEO Brad Banducci says the petrol station joint venture could ultimately be spun off, potentially within the next 12 months.

CORPORATES
WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, BP AUSTRALIA LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, 7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, DEUTSCHE BANK AG

Caltex tips profit rise despite downturn

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 15 : 13-Jun-18

Caltex Australia has advised that its 2018 interim net profit is expected to be within the range of $A295m to $A315m, compared with $A294m previously. Caltex has also forecast that its fuels and infrastructure division will post half-year EBIT growth of nine per cent. However, its convenience retail division’s EBIT is expected to be 17 per cent lower than previously. This has been attributed to factors such as lower fuel margins and costs associated with dismantling its franchise model.

CORPORATES
CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, SEAOIL, WOOLWORTHS GROUP LIMITED – ASX WOW, GULL PETROLEUM (NZ) LIMITED

Steep fine for 7-Eleven boss over pay rort

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Original article by Sarah Danckert
The Age – Page: 11 : 25-Jul-17

A former Brisbane-based 7-Eleven franchisee has been fined $A168,000 by the Federal Court, following an investigation by the Fair Work Ombudsman into wage underpayment. Jim Chien-Ching Chang was found to have underpaid eight employees by almost $A20,000, with one employee found to have been underpaid by almost $A14,000. The court heard that Chang had admitted to paying staff as little as $A13 an hour at all times of the day.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, JS TOP PTY LTD

7-Eleven worker payouts top $110m

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Original article by Anna Patty
The Age – Page: 1 : 13-Jun-17

Convenience store chain 7-Eleven has now paid more than $A110 million to workers who were found to have been underpaid by its franchisees. Professor Allan Fels says it is of concern that fines for wage underpayment under current laws are far lower than what 7-Eleven has voluntarily paid to affected staff. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash contends that proposed changes to the Fair Work Act will help prevent future exploitation of workers, but Labor’s Brendan O’Connor says the changes are insufficient.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN

Caltex’s Segal eyes Woolies fuel retail chain

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Original article by Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 11 : 24-Aug-16

It is estimated that Woolworths’ petrol stations business could fetch between $A1.3bn and $A1.5bn. Dale Koenders of Citigroup believes that Caltex Australia is likely to be the only bidder for the fuel retailing business, and Caltex CEO Julian Segal says his company would be interested in the division if it is put on the market. Caltex also intends to trial revamped convenience stores at some of its petrol stations. The pilot stores will feature quick service restaurants, fresh food and barista-made coffee.

CORPORATES
CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, WOOLWORTHS LIMITED – ASX WOW, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, INVESTORS MUTUAL LIMITED, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, VIVA ENERGY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, VIVA ENERGY REIT – ASX VVR

Record fine for 7-Eleven exploitation

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Original article by Anna Patty
The Age – Page: 2 : 22-Jun-16

The Federal Circuit Court has ordered a 7-Eleven franchisee to pay $A408,348 in penalties for underpaying staff. The court has found that the Brisbane store’s owner had underpaid 12 employees more than $A82,000 and had falsified the store’s payroll records. Judge Michael Jarrett said the franchisee had displayed "contemptuous disregard" for workplace laws. He was ordered to pay the outstanding wages, although the employees are still owed about $A35,000.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN

7-Eleven dumps independent back-pay panel

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Original article by Adele Ferguson, Sarah Danckert
The Age – Page: 3 : 12-May-16

Allan Fels is concerned that employees who were underpaid by 7-Eleven may not be fully compensated after the convenience store chain moved to disband the independent panel that was established to assess compensation claims. Fels and fellow panel member David Cousins have been advised that 7-Eleven will now handle compensation claims in-house. Fels says the move is aimed at minimising the amount of compensation 7-Eleven must pay.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, DELOITTE TOUCHE TOHMATSU LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION

7-Eleven’s legal woes

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Original article by Sarah Danckert
The Age – Page: 24 : 7-Apr-16

Australia’s Fair Work Ombudsman alleges that 7-Eleven franchisee Jim Chien-Ching Chang falsified payroll records and underpaid eight employees. One employee is said to be owed more than $A13,000 in unpaid wages, while the Ombudsman claims that none of Chang’s employees were paid shift worker allowances or weekend penalty rates. 7-Eleven employees have been paid about $A10m to date via a compensation scheme that was established in the wake of the wage exploitation scandal in 2015.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, JS TOY PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION

7-Eleven still rorting workers, says CEO

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Original article by Mathew Dunckley
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 18 : 21-Mar-16

Former Skilled Group boss Angus McKay says addressing problems with 7-Eleven’s corporate culture will be one of his priorities as the convenience store chain’s new CEO. McKay has conceded that wage exploitation is most likely still an issue at some stores, but he has committed to completely eliminating such practices. He also concedes that the wages scandal has tarnished 7-Eleven’s reputation among consumers.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, SKILLED GROUP LIMITED, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION, FOSTER’S GROUP LIMITED, DIAGEO AUSTRALIA LIMITED

7-Eleven workers’ $270,000 pay-day

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Original article by Sarah Danckert
The Age – Page: 23 : 15-Feb-16

The Fels Wage Fairness Panel has so far recovered more than $A2m in unpaid wages for current and past employees who were victims of the 7-Eleven wage exploitation scandal. One former employee of the convenience store chain has been awarded $A33,000 in back-pay. Giri Sivaraman of law firm Maurice notes that one former 7-Eleven employee is owed about $A270,000 in back-pay.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, MAURICE BLACKBURN PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, BOSEN PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK COMMISSION, SHOP, DISTRIBUTIVE AND ALLIED EMPLOYEES’ ASSOCIATION