The retail workers union has today advised workers at fashion group, Cotton On,”to check their pay is correct” after discovering over $35,000 worth of underpayments at the company’s distribution centre.

First Union transport and logistics secretary, Jared Abbott, said approximately 30 distribution centre staff had their annual leave miscalculated as well as other breaches to the collective agreement.

“This isn’t the first time underpayments have happened,” he said.

“Last year the company was forced to pay out $80,000 after miscalculating leave entitlements.”

Abbott said it’s possible that the underpayments applies to all employees of Cotton On.

“We thought that would be the end of it, but this year we said over and over again to Cotton On that they were still miscalculating leave entitlements.

“On Friday the company finally acknowledged we were right,” he said. “This isn’t just a one-off mistake, it’s been an ongoing issue. It’s essentially wage theft.”

Cotton On has been contacted for comment.