Today Liberal Treasurer Rob Lucas will introduce job-killing trading hour legislation to allow international chains such as ALDI to open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including ANZAC Day and Good Friday.
If plans reported by The Advertiser today (3/07) are correct, under the Liberals deregulation plan the square metre rule will be removed and replaced by a new headcount restriction of 100 staff.
SDA Assistant Secretary Josh Peak said this would allow international chains such as ALDI, who employ less than 100 staff to be exempt from trading hour restrictions.
“This legislation is a free kick to international chains like ALDI at the expense of local South Australian shops and local jobs.
“For the Liberals to allow international chains to open their doors 24 hours a day including on ANZAC Day and Good Friday is disgraceful.
“It won’t create extra hours for workers or more local jobs, it will have the opposite effect.
“In fact, the Liberals legislation will create a perverse incentive for big supermarket chains to reduce staff to be excluded from the new headcount restriction.
“If the reports are true and this legislation goes ahead there is a real risk of retail workers having their hours reduced or staff cut backs as a direct result,” he said.
The SDA, the union for retail workers, is campaigning against the deregulation of trading hours.