Better Read Than Dead call in lawyers over alleged ‘defamatory’ post

One of Sydney’s best-loved independent bookstores is involved in an almighty stoush with its workers over what it claims is a defamatory Facebook post.

A beloved local bookstore hassent legal letters to its own employees after they shared a union post on their private social media accounts.

The independent bookstore Better Read Than Dead in Newtown claimed the Retail and Fast Food Workers Union (RAFFWU) post was defamatory and caused the owners’ reputational damage.

But the union said the staff, most casual and part time, were “targeted” for engaging in “entirely lawful” industrial activity by sharing the post.

According to ASIC documents the store is owned by legendary art collector Pat Corrigan AM through two companies, one fully in his name and one he half owns with a man called Terry Greer.

Pat Corrigan, 88, at his Darling Point home. Picture: Troy Snook

Mr Corrigan is also listed as Better Read than Dead’s director and secretary.

On April 13, RAFFWU published a post on Twitter and Facebook, which stated the union had launched a campaign for an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement and listed some of the claims it was making, including being paid a living wage.

This post was then shared by a number of the staff at Better Read Than Dead on their personal social media accounts.

Better Read Than Dead responded by sending cease and desist letters to the union and staff to take down the post.

Better Read Than Dead told the Inner West Courier through its lawyer it simply wanted to “protect its legal rights by having defamatory and false comments, which caused damage to the owners’ reputations, removed.”

The store claimed the owners were easily identifiable in the post.

Better Read than Dead in Newtown. Picture: John Appleyard

It is understood the staff complied with this request.

Secretary of the RAFFWU Josh Cullinan said he had “never come across such behaviour before” where an employer would target staff through lawyers for engaging in industrial activity.

He called it “absolutely outrageous conduct”.

On the union’s Twitter account on Monday, the RAFFWU uploaded a second post which stated “Better Read Than Dead is demanding members attend show cause meetings where their employment may be terminated” and said they were preparing litigation in support of members.

Better Read Than Dead, through its lawyer, denied that employees would face show cause meetings but said the store “did need to address the inappropriate behaviour by some employees, who shared the defamatory post of the union ... as any form of inappropriate workplace conduct would be.”

Better Read Than Dead has said the claims lodged by the RAFFWU were “excessive” and “simply not affordable to our business … in the current economic climate”.

It is understood the claims included among them 25 days annual leave and 30 days paid leave.

Generic picture of kids reading at Better Read Than Dead bookshop on King Street in Newtown. Picture: Richard Dobson

As well as a $25 per hour living wage and comprehensive policies to deal with health and safety, bullying and sexual harassment in the workplace.

When Mr Corrigan was contacted on Tuesday for comment, he said he was unaware of what was happening, said he only had “a small share” in the store and rarely went there because he lived on the other side of the Harbour.

“I only have a small share. I don’t get involved in all that,” he said.

“I only come down when there’s cocktails or some event just to sell some books.”

The union has sought an order compelling Better Read Than Dead to negotiate and the matter is currently before the Fair Work Commission.