A final report into Australia’s workplace
relations by the Productivity Commission has suggested Sunday penalty rates be
lowered to Saturdays.
While public holiday rates and the minimum wage
will remain in place, Labor has vowed to fight to protect the rates of those in
the Hunter and around Australia.
The recommendation was in relation to workers in
hospitality and retail workers which Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon suggests will
cut the pay of the lowest paid workers in the Hunter.
“Lower paid people take the advantage of penalty
rates; they sacrifice home life so that they can get their family ahead in
life” says Fitzgibbon.
He also suggests the cut will have devastating
effects should the Turnbull Government go ahead with the recommendation.
“There will be long term consequences because
people who will be affected most by this are those who are only getting by
wee-by-week.
“You cannot move in and just cut the pay of
those families, there will be dramatic consequences as a result”.
