SDA to appeal penalty rate cuts
The Fair Work Commission has announced that the cuts to Sunday and Public Holiday penalty rates will commence from July 1 this year to the retail, pharmacy and fast food awards.
SDA Secretary Sonia Romeo said this decision is extremely disappointing and that the SDA will be filing an appeal of the Fair Work Commission’s decision to cut penalty rates immediately.
“We are calling for these cuts not to proceed until our appeal is heard.”
The SDA will be asking for a judicial review into whether the Fair Work Commission has properly considered the needs of the low paid as required by the Fair Work Act.
These cuts will see the retail and fast food awards reduced by 5% this year and decreased each year after, impacting the wages of over 100,000 workers in South Australia alone.
“If the cuts go ahead, a worker under the retail award working each Sunday could lose up to $6000 a year” said Sonia.
An extensive report conducted by the McKell Institute estimates that the penalty rate cuts in the retail and fast food sectors would result in workers across Australia losing between $370 million and $1.55 billion each year.
“These cuts will not only hurt workers but will also rip millions of dollars out of the economy” said SDA Assistant Secretary Josh Peak.
“This decision comes at a time when Australian wages are not keeping up with increases in the cost of living. Low wages are stifling our economy, Australians needs a wage rise, not a pay cut”