Steven Marshall: Declare Boxing Day a Public Holiday
Under South Australian legislation, this year because Boxing Day is on a Saturday, the SA Government is moving the public holiday to Monday December 28.
This means that workers won’t be entitled to public holiday penalty rates on December 26
Despite thousands of workers calling on them to do the right thing, Premier Steven Marshall has refused to do the right thing and declare both days as public holidays.
SDA Secretary Josh Peaks says this is a disgraceful move by the Government and will leave thousands of retail workers short handed.
“While everyone else is eating Christmas leftovers and spending time with loved ones on Boxing Day, Steven Marshall is leaving retail workers with nothing but the scraps.”
“Steven Marshall is leaving hard working South Australians behind and leaving SA completely out of step with the rest of the country,” says Josh.
Currently, South Australia stands as the only mainland state in Australia where December 26 is not a public holiday.
“If workers in NSW, Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, the Northern Territory and the ACT are all receiving penalty rates on December 26, why shouldn’t South Australians?”
“It’s a disgrace that on the day after Christmas, after just a single day’s break, Steven Marshall thinks it’s fair that they should have to rock up to work and not be paid a cent more,” says Josh.
For workers working within the Greater Adelaide Shopping District (excluding the CBD), the State Government has said that work on December 26 will be voluntary for all workers.
“While the Government may claim that work is voluntary, this idea is fanciful. The reality is that many workers are told they have to work or face the consequences.”
“After everything essential retail workers have done for our community throughout 2020, the least the Government can do is ensure those who give up their time off on Boxing Day receive the public holiday penalty rates they deserve,” says Josh.
