Elizabeth spoke up about feeling unsafe at work. Then she lost her shifts

Hospitality is insecure, unsafe and unequal for workers, says a damning new report by the Victorian Trades Hall Council, which surveyed 608 hospitality workers between July 2025 and March 2026.

Of those, 67 per cent reported wage theft, 53 per cent felt unsafe at work, and 63 per cent of women and gender-diverse workers experienced sexual harassment or gender-based violence in hospitality settings (compared to 27 per cent of men). In contrast, across the wider Australian workforce, 41 per cent of women experienced sexual harassment between 2017 and 2022.

The Workplaces for Women: Safe Staff, Safe Venues report makes nine recommendations to the state government. These include making it simpler to report breaches, better access to information and training for workers and venue owners, and loss of liquor licence if any hospitality venue is found to tolerate violence against its staff.

‘Shifts are often used as leverage … and rosters become a tool to control and discourage workers from raising issues.’

Workplaces for Women: Safe Staff, Safe Venues report

“I’ve worked in cafes, bars and events for 20 years, trying to make the general public happy and putting their needs before my own,” says Elizabeth Coyle, 34, who welcomed the opportunity to contribute to the Workplaces for Women report.

“Hospitality can be a place of teamwork, community and shared passion, with environments full of laughter, gender-diversity and support,” she says. When it’s bad, though, it can be very bad, and workers are often ill-equipped to speak up and penalised when they do so.

Coyle worked until recently as a casual at an inner-city gelateria where young female staff were required to scoop cups and cones until late and often alone. Customers would sometimes be intimidating, staring at Coyle and other staff for hours (management advised Coyle to call police on such occasions). The sole staff toilet was shared with a rowdy pub and accessible only via a dark laneway with no CCTV. “I would advise new staff members to go to the toilet before their shift,” says Coyle.

“Management would only come in every few weeks, start wiping down a bench and tell us a tissue dispenser wasn’t shiny enough. I raised these issues with the general manager and there was nothing done. None of it was acceptable.”

After spending time with Trades Hall representatives, Coyle felt empowered to call for a meeting with senior management and an HR officer. All her recommendations have since been implemented. “But to tie a nice little bow on top of that story, I no longer have hours at that place,” she says.

Coyle’s experience is not uncommon: more than half of those who raised workplace issues experienced differential treatment.

“I received an email saying they won’t be able to roster me for the foreseeable future. While that’s disheartening, it also speaks to why we’re seeking change for casual workers,” she says.

The hospitality industry has the biggest share of casual workers – 58 per cent – according to Australian Bureau of Statistics data. Casual work often correlates with financial insecurity and an unwillingness to speak up. Two thirds of casual workers surveyed feel their job is unstable due to irregular or unpredictable work hours, lack of access to paid leave, and a sense that they are expendable.

“Reduced or cancelled shifts also mean lost income, challenging workers to meet financial needs,” the report says. “Moreover, shifts are often used as leverage … and rosters become a tool to control and discourage workers from raising issues.”

In 2024, the Sydney Morning Herald and Good Food exposed prominent Sydney hospitality group Swillhouse for failing to ensure worker safety, particularly around sexual harassment and assault. It led to the NSW government introducing compulsory sexual violence prevention training as part of the Responsible Service of Alcohol certificate, in particular that staff have a role in eliminating sexual harassment and sexual violence in venues. Victoria introduced similar training in December 2025.

‘If you decide to scrimp and save at the expense of your staff, it’s unforgivable. Maybe your formula isn’t working.’

Anita Basile, owner, Little Hop

In late 2025, the NSW government tabled further reforms to make it easier to suspend or cancel liquor licenses for unsafe venues. Trades Hall proposes similar reforms in Victoria.

“There are currently limited consequences for liquor licence holders who do not create and maintain a safe workplace free from violence and harassment,” says Women’s Team lead Carolyn Dunbar.

“That needs to change. If licence holders cannot create safe workplaces in accordance with the law, they should face real consequences. This should include conditions being placed on their licences, up to and including liquor licence suspension and revocation.”

There’s no argument with that from Anita Basile, owner of 10-year-old Fitzroy taco bar Little Hop.

“There are disgusting rotten apples that give the whole industry a bad name,” she says. “Some experiences people have are horrific. The general opinion is that hospitality owners are all crooks. No, we’re not. I pride myself on paying what is deserved and building a culture of trust, security and respect.”

The union report shares numerous examples of casual workers being forced to work when sick, or losing shifts after being unwell. “That’s one thing I have no time for,” says Basile.

“I remember when I was young, I got the flu and the owner didn’t believe me,” she says. “I went in the next day and fainted in the kitchen. That stuck with me. I will always believe my staff. It’s such a simple thing, but it goes such a long way.”

In tough trading conditions, it may be tempting for businesses to cut corners. “If you decide to scrimp and save at the expense of your staff, it’s unforgivable,” she says. “Maybe your formula isn’t working.”