CCTV footage emerges of bubble tea fight as two women accuse employer of wage theft at Fun Tea bubble tea shop

New CCTV footage has emerged of the shocking Fun Tea fight, as two of its workers – including the woman assaulted – accuse their employer of wage theft. See how the incident unfolded.

Two female bubble tea shop workers – including one viciously assaulted on camera – say they are victims of wage theft and have rejected claims by their employer that the attack was not linked to a pay dispute.

The pair, aged 20 and 22, have also challenged a statement issued by their employer Fun Tea that the accused attacker was not related to the Gouger St business.

Fun Tea was the centre of a brawl – filmed on a mobile phone and broadcast across social media – that erupted on Friday, January 29 after a female worker was slapped across the face and kicked in the stomach. CCTV footage has now emerged showing how the incident unfolded.

A Glen Osmond man, 39, was arrested on Tuesday evening. He has been charged with assault and will appear in Adelaide Magistrates Court in May.

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The assault at Fun Tea last Friday was filmed on a phone and sent around social media.

Fun Tea broke its silence about midday Wednesday, posting a notice on its shopfront claiming the assault was not related to the employee’s rate of pay but rather arose from an earlier argument between the woman and male customer.

It said the accused man was a customer who was not connected to the business.

The victim and a co-worker responded via employee and industrial rights advocacy group Working Women’s Centre SA, who they engaged on Wednesday afternoon to act on their behalf.

In a statement WWC SA director Abbey Kendall said one client “entirely rejects” Fun Tea’s claim the assault was not related to a wage complaint.

“Our client was asking to be paid her wages for that night and the two weeks prior,” she said. “This is clear from the video.”

Ms Kendall said that the women were international students, had been working at Fun Tea for five months and three weeks respectively and earned between $10 and $12 an hour as casual employees.

“The minimum legal rate of pay for casual workers in a restaurant is $25.51,” she said. “Our clients are the victims of wage theft and in this respect, they are considering their legal position.

“International students are often the victims of wage theft, deportation intimidation, violence and threats of violence in the workplace.

“Our clients stood up for themselves and their right to a wage and as a result they were violently attacked.”

Ms Kendall said her clients also “strongly reject” Fun Tea’s statement that the accused attacker was not related to Fun Tea.

Ms Kendall said her clients also “strongly reject” Fun Tea’s statement that the accused attacker was not related to Fun Tea. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

She was instructed that the accused was a close friend of the owner of Fun Tea and that the business’ statement was “misleading”.

She said the business owner had directed her clients to provide free drinks and desserts to the accused, his wife and their children.

They accuse the business of failing to provide a safe workplace by “facilitating and participating in workplace violence” and failing to call police or paramedics.

“Our clients will continue to work with SA Police to ensure that … all other perpetrators of violence are brought to justice,” Ms Kendall said in the statement.

Fun Tea said in its public notice that the owners “deplore violence” and have “zero tolerance for assaults of violence”.

The Advertiser has attempted to contact Fun Tea by email.

Ms Kendall said her clients did not publish the video of the brawl and were “shocked” when it went viral.

Treasurer Rob Lucas told parliament on Wednesday that workplace health and safety regulator, SafeWork SA, had appointed an investigator to the incident.

The Fair Work Ombudsman also confirmed it was investigating underpayment allegations at Fun Tea but would not comment further.

University students’ group SA Education Activism Network will hold a rally outside Fun Tea at midday on Thursday, February 4.