Contractors peck it out in 'cock fight’ caught on camera
Mobile phone video has emerged showing men attempting to peck each other in a "cock fight", as part of a hazing ritual at a sales firm.
In the footage office workers can be heard cheering and laughing as two men kneel as they appear to attempt to peck each other while keeping their hands behind their backs.
The video emerged following allegations of systemic bullying and hazing within the sales team of Appco, Fairfax Media has reported.
A spokesman for Appco told Yahoo7 that the men who appeared in the video were not employees of Appco, instead referring to them as "independent contractors".
Fairfax has reported that the bizarre weekly "cock fight" would occur allegedly as punishment for poor performance within the organisation.
The office "cock-fights" would occur on a regular basis according to reports.
A group of former independent contractors have since launched an $85 million class action against Appco.
A spokesman for Chamberlains Law Firm, which is representing the contractors, told Yahoo7 some contractors were paid as little as $2.50 per hour.
The spokesman said that some contractors also reported working between 80 to 120 hours per week.
In a statement to Yahoo7 an Appco spokesman said that as a result of an investigation the company: "has found evidence that unacceptable activities had taken place and the managing director has voluntarily stepped aside pending completion of the investigation".
"Investigation found the activities at this marketing company appeared to be designed for motivation and fun and were not aimed at intentionally causing discomfort or humiliation," the statement said.
The spokesman said Appco Australia was "extremely disappointed" that the activities had occurred.
In a statement to Yahoo7 Chamberlains Law Firm said: "individuals who question their workplace rights or level or remuneration are repeatedly bullied and shamed by senior managers within the business".
Chamberlains spokesman also said that one of the contractors was underpaid over $145,000 during a two-year employment period.
The same employee also alleges working from "7am to 8pm Monday to Friday and eight hours on Saturday", the statement said.
Jacob Bywater, the lead litigant in the Appco class action, told Fairfax Media events like the "cock fight" were a regular event at the organisation.
"It was every Friday morning. The idea is, like being a bird, you wrestle each other to the ground, and you have to try and hold them down for three seconds," he said.
"People would take part if they didn't hit sales targets or made an error throughout the week or they may have been late to a meeting."
Other employees said they had crawled on the floor in another ritual called "the slug race", the ABC reported.
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