The comment comes after a new agreement has opened the door for the reduction and even removal of penalty rates in the retail and hospitality sector.Ī deal that focuses on slashing retail and hospitality penalty rates has been negotiated in South Australia.Ī debate has started as to whether or not it is a fair deal, but the experiences of employees working for penalty rates, those most affected by the change, have been largely missing from this debate. TOOWOOMBA hospitality worker Jessica Rix said she would not be able to support herself if weekend penalty rates were cut. Toowoomber worker survives on penalty rates
Mr Wielandt said if there is going to be a loss in entitlement there has to be adequate compensation. The new agreement has angered many employees, but unsurprisingly, most employer groups have welcomed the change. "The other side of it is that decreasing staffing costs are seen as one of the fastest way to make a business more profitable," he said. "In particular those who work outside normal hours should be compensated for being away from their family.
"It is a bit of a two-edged sword because we obviously want to make sure worker's rights are protected," Mr Wielandt said. Toowoomba Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Andrew Wielandt said he was not sure if the agreement would be taken on board by Queensland businesses. The South Australian branch of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry has made a deal with a union that allows for substantial cuts to penalty rates on Sundays and public holidays in exchange for increased base pay and new rights to refuse shifts. A LANDMARK deal that focuses on slashing retail and hospitality penalty rates could have flow-on effects to businesses across the country.
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