PM move strip weekend penalty rates would devastate vulnerable families

The new Prime Minister’s refusal today to rule out cuts to weekend workers’ take home is slap in the face for to the tens of thousands of workers who rely on penalty rates to make ends meet.

Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association National Secretary, Gerard Dwyer said Malcolm Turnbull’s claim in an interview today that slashing weekend penalty rates is “under consideration” is a huge concern for weekend workers.

“It’s disgraceful that the Prime Minister is willing to wave around the threat of cutting low income earners’ pay,” Mr Dwyer said.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s done in an “orderly” fashion or not, the simple fact is that if the Prime Minister moves to cut weekend workers’ penalty rates he will be cutting the take home pay of thousands of vulnerable workers and their families.

“There are thousands of workers sitting at home watching our new Prime Minister on television threatening to strip away their hard-earned pay wondering if they’ll be able to make ends meet if he does.

“For many workers, penalty rates aren’t the icing on the cake, they’re the bread and butter.

“Penalty rates are vital compensation for working unsociable hours, and there’s absolutely no evidence to suggest that cutting them will result in a single extra job. The only guarantee is that it will devastate workers and their families.”

 

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