Editorials Analysis: 7-Eleven's Wage Exploitation and Media Response

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of editorials covering the 7-Eleven wage abuse scandal in Australia. It examines Adele Ferguson's critical stance on 7-Eleven's exploitation of foreign students through underpayment, non-payment of penalties, and falsification of payroll records. The analysis contrasts Ferguson's aggressive approach with another article that seemingly attempts to cover up the unethical practices. The essay highlights the economic and ethical implications of 7-Eleven's actions, emphasizing the need for government intervention and stricter monitoring of business practices to protect national interests and employee rights. The author concludes by noting the loopholes in government oversight of the business sector.

Running head: EDITORIALS
Editorials
Name of the student
Name of the University
Author note

1EDITORIALS
Article 1
The tyranny of 7 Eleven has been highlighted in DELE Ferguson’s article ‘7-Eleven head
office involved in wage fraud cover- up’ with the distress of the poorly-paid workers of the
company (Afr.com, 2018). Ferguson in the article strongly criticized the exploitation of the
employees by the company over the years. The exploited employees were the foreign students
who would come to Australia for the purpose of study. However they were not poorly paid and
exploited. Several times, The Fair Work Ombudsman Australia had conducted raids at the
premises of the company over a six-long years and filed report which stated the underpayment
practice by the company. The articled highlighted other illicit practices by the company like non-
payment of penalty for not keeping accounting records. The editor robustly condemned the
policies as well as the business model of the company and its recruitment policy of hiring only
the foreign students and underpaying them.
Before penning down the article, Ferguson gathered ample knowledge regarding the
policies of the company, the actual issues and the record filed after the joint raids conducted by
the four corners and The Fairfox media and used them in her article to reveal the actual fact. She
not only drew the attention of the reader to the illegal practices of the company but also
insinuated her opinion which strongly counters the business policies of the company. In terms of
economical perspective, the incident can easily be considered as the financial scam because 7
Eleven duped both the Australian government as well as the overseas student whose primary
intention to come in the country for the purpose of study. The scam of 7 Eleven was termed by
Ferguson as Australiafraudulant which denotes that the company cheated the interest of the
nation. The falsification of payroll records to non-payment of tax to government, and most
importantly the practice e of wage abuse were very much knew to the business heads of the

2EDITORIALS
company as they closely monitor the entire business operation of company. However the
business heads and the higher authorities of the company claimed to have not knowing the issue
of wage abuse which was running over the long six months. This acclimation can easily be
refuted as the investigation report revealed that there have been many complaints lodged against
the ill practices of the company. The report also states that despite of several complaints, no
actions were taken by the authority rather they tried to hide them.
All of the ill practices including the inaction after the complaints were lodged clearly
shows that the company did follow the business principles rather it has violated all the business
norms as well as the norms towards the employees. As the company has affected the national
interest, the interventions of the government as well as the political parties are needed in order to
secure that the victimized students receive justice and the strict action is taken against the
company so that companies which are not yet aware and still involved in illegal practices like 7
Eleven.
Article 2
Australia’s one of the biggest convenience store chain not only violated the business
norms but also hit the national interest by poorly paying its employees who are mostly the
foreign students over the long six years. 7 Eleven, the company was found with non-payment of
taxes and the falsification of payroll sheets which has been regarded as the economic scam.
However, more than the economic interest, the company has violated the policies towards its
employees. 7 Eleven had been hiring the foreign students who come to the country for further

3EDITORIALS
studies yet need to earn money to afford their living. Over the long six years, the company has
been underpaying the employees while making them to work more than the usual working hour.
The biggest convince chain of the country rocked the nation as well secure its position in
the headlines of the renowned newspapers for underpaying its employees. After the joint
investigation reveals that there have many complaints lodged by the employees especially the
foreign students in order to draw the attention of the higher authority which resulted in no action
taken to secure the employee interest. This clearly shows that everything was going under the
nose of the business head and the management of the company yet they did not even bother take
any action. Rather they continued the ill practices and hid the complaints lodged by the
employee. However, just as an eye wash the leadership of the company announced that they will
be paying back the wages to the employees. Not only that, they claimed to have been ignorant of
the entire illegal activities, which has been proved as completely false acclamation by the
investigation report. The article by Rachel Baxendale in his article has taken a supportive
approach to the company by not highlighting the evidences that proves the unethical practices of
the company (Theaustralian.com.au, 2018). Rather the author of the article tried to cover up the
unethical behavior of the company. It is needless to mention that such articles further provoke
the company to continue the malpractices as well as other companies who are also involved in
such activities.
Hence it will not be very wrong to say that government should immediately put a ban on
the business process of the company along with other companies who affect the national interest
by indulging into the mal practices. Apart from government, trade regulatory board of the
country needs to monitor the business operations of not only the 7 Eleven and similar businesses
but also other companies to assure that they are fulfilling the business norms successfully. It also

4EDITORIALS
deserves mention the entire incident shows loopholes in the government in terms of governance
on the business sector.

5EDITORIALS
References
Afr.com. (2018). 7-Eleven: Wage abuse claims puts scrutiny on Fair Work response. Retrieved
from http://www.afr.com/business/retail/fmcg/7eleven-wage-abuse-claims-puts-scrutiny-
on-fair-work-response-20150830-gjavxh
Theaustralian.com.au. (2018). Subscribe to The Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website,
iPad, iPhone & Android apps. Retrieved from
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/companies/the-buck-stops-with-us-says-
7eleven-chairman-russ-withers/news-story/c446f2f834f4b72748c630a0944ec6b4