The Fair Work Commission has made a decision to cut Sunday and public holiday penalty rates in the retail, fast food, hospitality and pharmacy sectors, however Sunday wages will not drop to the same level as Saturday rates.
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The ACTU said the decision to reduce the Sunday rates would affect almost one million workers, costing some up to $6000 a year. For many of us out in retail, this country has gone downhill.
Fair Work Commission President Justice Iain Ross confirmed that “transition arrangements will be put in place, so that workers affected will have time to get used to the changes”.
Charities are even anxious it will create more of a demand for their services.
These changes include cutting public holiday rates for full and part time hospitality and retail workers from a 250% loading to 225%.
Does that mean that as consumers we’ll see that 10 per cent to 15 per cent Sunday surcharge decrease, or disappear altogether?
“Many of these employees earn just enough to cover weekly living expenses, saving money is hard and unexpected expenses produce considerable financial distress”, the commission said in its judgement.
As a society aren’t we all about quality of life?
“The majority of Australians work Monday to Friday – people who give up their nights and weekends, who miss out on family time, should be compensated for working those unsociable hours”.
“The Turnbull government’s position has been consistent and clear – the setting of penalty rates are a matter for the independent Fair Work Commission to determine, not Government”.
The public holiday changes will take effect from July 1, while the commission will hear submissions on how the Sunday penalty rate changes should be brought in.
“Labor and the crossbenchers have a decision to make: will they side with the Liberals and stand by as people’s penalty rates are cut, or will they join the Greens to protect people’s penalty rates in law?”
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said she had seen emails claiming Sunday penalty rates had been axed altogether, describing the misinformation as an “absolute disgrace”. However, we have missed a huge opportunity to boost employment and increase productivity in the fastest growing sector of the food services industry. “They can afford to pay people decently”.
She said that for some workers the cuts would equate to a loss of $6,000 a year. “That is the nature of the Fair Work Commission”, said TAA chairman Martin Ferguson.
‘I’m not happy about it, working on the weekend is lot worse than during the week, ‘ she said of the Fair Work decision.
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Under Australia’s current industrial relations framework things like penalty rates are decided by the FWC, though federal parliament does have the ability to override the commission’s decisions through legislation.
