(1) Employed persons are said to belong to the same unpaid group if they are borne on the same establishment and if 1 [deductions have been made from their wages in contravention of this Act for the same cause and during the same wage period or periods or if] their wages for the same wage-period or periods have remained unpaid after the day fixed by section 5.
(2) A single application may be presented under section 15 on behalf or in respect of any number of employed persons belonging to the same unpaid group, and in such case 2 [every person on whose behalf such application is presented may be awarded maximum compensation to the extent specified in subsection (3) of section 15].
(3) The authority may deal with any number of separate pending applications, presented under section 15 in respect of persons belonging to the same unpaid group, as a single application presented under sub-section (2) of this section, and the provisions of that sub-section shall apply accordingly.