LATEST PENALTY RATE CUTS TO HIT HUNDREDS

TONY BURKE MP.
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4 years ago
LATEST PENALTY RATE CUTS TO HIT HUNDREDS
TONY BURKE MP
Hundreds of thousands of Australian workers will have their penalty rates cut again today because Scott Morrison refuses to reverse this unfair decision.

Around 700,000 low paid workers in retail, fast food, hospitality and pharmacy will be paid less next Sunday than they were last Sunday – making it harder for them to pay their rent, cover their bills and look after their families.

Australians are rightly worried about the poor economic growth, stubbornly stagnant wages and the rising cost of living – but the Liberals are happy to stand by as already low paid workers cop a third pay cut in as many years.

This latest 10 to 15 per cent cut means many workers will lose thousands of dollars from their pay packets this financial year.

Some workers will be up to $26,0000 worse off by the time these cuts are fully implemented on July 1 next year.

All up, workers will lose an estimated $2.9 billion.

And yet there is no evidence that these cuts have produced any jobs, like Scott Morrison promised they would.

Even the Council of Small Business admits these jobs have not materialised.

If this tired third-term Government wants to stimulate the economy the last thing it should be doing is standing idly by while people’s wages are cut.

Yet Scott Morrison has voted eight times against restoring penalty rates.

Penalty rates are not a luxury – they help people put food on the table and petrol in the car. They can make the difference for people struggling to pay the electricity bill, the private health insurance premiums or child care costs – all of which keep soaring under this Government.
Employment