Retail And Hospitality Workers Facing Sunday Penalty Rate Cuts

Sunday rates and public holiday pay for retail and hospitality workers will come under direct scrutiny in the latest Fair Work Commission review, with industry leaders pushing for cuts. 
Earlier this year, we reported that penalty rates in Australia were potentially under threat across various industries; today, ABC News have reported on specific cuts that may be made as a result of the review.
The Australian Retailers Association are making a push to cut Sunday penalty rates by 50%, with director Russell Zimmerman claiming that they are “not sustainable” in the current climate. 
It has long been claimed that Sunday openings are not financially worthwhile for small retailers, with the ARA claiming that penalty rates lead to low productivity and high operating costs for business owners in retail.
Restaurant And Catering Australia are also joining the push, claiming that Sunday and public holiday penalty rates lead to restaurant closures on those days. 
“We certainly believe that, in this day and age, there is no difference to working on a Sunday to working on a Saturday,” said John Hart of the RACA, “and therefore we believe Sundays should be paid at the Saturday rate.”
“We also believe that in a contemporary environment, in the restaurant industry, one shouldn’t have to pay penalties for working after hours,” he continued. 
“That’s when most of our people work and certainly in the morning, at 6:00am when a lot of cafés are open, that is not a penalty time. It should be just ordinary hours.”
Retail and hospo workers of Australia will now need to think very carefully before buying holiday houses on the peninsula. The Fair Work review is ongoing.

Photo: William West via Getty Images

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