Julie Savage worked at Vili's Cafe for nine years, and says she faced racial discrimination because she was a New Zealander. (Photo / Twitter)

NZ woman says lack of respect behind 'Kiwi' tribunal case

Author: Newstalk ZB ,
Publish Date: Sun, 9 Dec 2018, 6:39PM

A New Zealand woman has spoken out about her experience of being given a nickname by her boss.

Julie Savage went to a South Australian Employment Tribunal after her boss, Vili Milisits of Vili's Cakes, kept calling her 'Kiwi' rather than by her name.

The news was met with some ridicule online, but Savage has told The Weekend Collective that it was more about respect.

"There was always someone making a joke."

She says Vili always called her 'Kiwi' and never once addressed her by her name.

Savage says that if she complained, nothing ever happened, and that she was not alone in feeling uncomfortable working there due to the nickname habits.

"A lot of people left before me because of racial comments."

Savage says she is a proud Kiwi, but that's not the point of her argument. She says that she worked every weekend at the bakery for nine years, and she expected to be treated with more respect.

However, her case was thrown out by the tribunal. Savage says it has left her in an awkward predicament, and now her name is out in the media.

LISTEN TO JULIE SAVAGE TALK WITH THE WEEKEND COLLECTIVE ABOVE