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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jun/23/sunday-penalty-rate-cut-faces-union-court-challenge
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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Sunday penalty rate cut faces union court challenge | Sunday penalty rate cut faces union court challenge |
| (25 days later) | |
| The Fair Work Commission’s controversial cut to Sunday penalty rates will be challenged by the United Voice union in a federal court case launched on Friday. | The Fair Work Commission’s controversial cut to Sunday penalty rates will be challenged by the United Voice union in a federal court case launched on Friday. |
| United Voice, which represents hospitality workers, is seeking an urgent hearing to stop the penalty rate cuts in the hospitality and restaurants award, which apply from 1 July and will be phased in over three years. | United Voice, which represents hospitality workers, is seeking an urgent hearing to stop the penalty rate cuts in the hospitality and restaurants award, which apply from 1 July and will be phased in over three years. |
| On Tuesday the government resisted pressure to pass laws blocking the cuts, after LNP backbencher George Christensen crossed the floor on Tuesday to vote with Labor, the Greens and the crossbench. | On Tuesday the government resisted pressure to pass laws blocking the cuts, after LNP backbencher George Christensen crossed the floor on Tuesday to vote with Labor, the Greens and the crossbench. |
| The national secretary of United Voice, Jo-anne Schofield, told Guardian Australia the basis for the claim was that the Fair Work Commission had “failed its obligation to uphold the living standards of low-paid workers”. | The national secretary of United Voice, Jo-anne Schofield, told Guardian Australia the basis for the claim was that the Fair Work Commission had “failed its obligation to uphold the living standards of low-paid workers”. |
| Schofield said the decision “turned away from a long-held principle [in] industrial law ... that the needs of workers should be placed on an equal footing with business and economic interests”. | Schofield said the decision “turned away from a long-held principle [in] industrial law ... that the needs of workers should be placed on an equal footing with business and economic interests”. |
| The needs of the low paid is one of the award objectives considered by the commission, alongside business productivity and the impact of industrial conditions on employment, among others. | The needs of the low paid is one of the award objectives considered by the commission, alongside business productivity and the impact of industrial conditions on employment, among others. |
| In its decision in February, the commission opted for rate cuts of between 25 and 50 percentage points in the retail, pharmacy, fast food and hospitality industries. | In its decision in February, the commission opted for rate cuts of between 25 and 50 percentage points in the retail, pharmacy, fast food and hospitality industries. |
| It agreed with employer submissions that reducing rates could boost employment, citing the need to keep the safety net “fair and relevant” and the argument that working on a Sunday was no longer so disruptive to family and social life. | It agreed with employer submissions that reducing rates could boost employment, citing the need to keep the safety net “fair and relevant” and the argument that working on a Sunday was no longer so disruptive to family and social life. |
| Unions are concerned that the case could set a precedent for cuts in other industries including aged care, cleaning, security, and hair and beauty. | Unions are concerned that the case could set a precedent for cuts in other industries including aged care, cleaning, security, and hair and beauty. |
| Schofield said the decision was “out of step with community expectations”. | Schofield said the decision was “out of step with community expectations”. |
| “Weekends still mean something in Australia and the people who give up time to work on weekends deserve to be fairly compensated for this.” | “Weekends still mean something in Australia and the people who give up time to work on weekends deserve to be fairly compensated for this.” |
| Schofield said the decision would cut several thousand dollars from the take-home pay of workers who are “already prone to significant financial duress”. | Schofield said the decision would cut several thousand dollars from the take-home pay of workers who are “already prone to significant financial duress”. |
| United Voice has highlighted the example of Margarita Murray-Stark, a 58-year-old housekeeper who works 30 hours a week in a luxury hotel, and is set to lose $2,000 from her take-home pay of $30,000. | United Voice has highlighted the example of Margarita Murray-Stark, a 58-year-old housekeeper who works 30 hours a week in a luxury hotel, and is set to lose $2,000 from her take-home pay of $30,000. |
| “If left unchallenged, this decision would see hardworking hospitality staff suffer a pay cut they can’t afford and don’t deserve,” Schofield said. “This should put employers on notice – we will not accept their attempts to undermine basic working rights and conditions.” | “If left unchallenged, this decision would see hardworking hospitality staff suffer a pay cut they can’t afford and don’t deserve,” Schofield said. “This should put employers on notice – we will not accept their attempts to undermine basic working rights and conditions.” |
| When delivering its decision the commission’s president, Justice Iain Ross, acknowledged the cuts to Sunday rates would “inevitably cause some hardship to the employees affected”, but said the transitional arrangements would mitigate that hardship. | When delivering its decision the commission’s president, Justice Iain Ross, acknowledged the cuts to Sunday rates would “inevitably cause some hardship to the employees affected”, but said the transitional arrangements would mitigate that hardship. |
| Sunday penalty rate cuts in the fast-food and hospitality industries will be phased in over three years, and over four years in the retail and pharmacy industries. | Sunday penalty rate cuts in the fast-food and hospitality industries will be phased in over three years, and over four years in the retail and pharmacy industries. |
| Industrial relations | Industrial relations |
| Australian trade unions | Australian trade unions |
| Australian politics | Australian politics |
| Coalition | Coalition |
| news | news |
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