It's a case that is causing a stir in Australia and could have significant consequences, that of Elena Sabbatini, an Italian chef who has raised the issue of the gender pay gap among chefs in the country. But the Fair Work Commission, while siding with her, couldn't help her. Let's see why.
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The complaint comes from none other than an Italian chef: Elena Sabbatini, who worked as a chef for the Peter Rowland Group for over two years. As reported by a well-known news site, her salary, which amounted to $65,000 per year, didn't seem so bad until she discovered that two chef de parties at the Docklands branch were earning $15,000 (equivalent to over €14,000) more. "And I felt furious because I had given all of myself to this job." She immediately resigned, dragging the renowned high-end catering group in front of the Fair Work Commission for compensation.
The commission verified the existence of a gender pay gap between her and her male colleagues performing equivalent tasks; other chefs even testified that she had better performance without the ownership raising any objections. On the other hand, the company claimed it was a loyalty strategy aimed at retaining other employees who would be available to work extra hours when needed.
But the Commission didn't believe her. Instead, it ruled that Sabbatini deserved equal pay, as there was clear gender inequality in remuneration. At the same time, it rejected her claim for $12,500 in wage equalization for 10 months of full-time work, $2,173 for vacation, and $3,000 for stress and overtime, but only for a formal reason: her position would have been considered if Sabbatini hadn't resigned and had still been an employee at the time of legal action, just nine days after quitting. Even in that case, the Commission could have ordered a salary increase at most, without back pay recovery.
"It feels like a dream," commented the chef. "Something like this should never happen, especially in Australia, which I consider to be a fairly fair country. I had to leave. They simply treated me with the least possible respect. And I felt it was happening because I am a woman, first and foremost, and because I am not an Australian citizen, secondly. I liked that job. I liked the team. Money doesn't matter that much to me. But after all the sacrifices I had made for the company, it wasn't about the money, but about how I was treated, about how they didn't care about me." The company, on the other hand, has taken shelter behind a "no comment." The end is bitter: even when the worker is right, it's not easy to win in legal proceedings, where they may also end up paying hefty legal fees.
Cover photos: @Justin Mc Manus
