Unions prepare to wage war on government over penalty rate cuts

UNIONS will today gear up for a serious fight against the Turnbull government with the militant CFMEU unleashing a ‘WorkChoices’ style campaign over penalty rate cuts.

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UNIONS are gearing up for a serious fight against the Turnbull government over penalty rates.

ACTU president Ged Kearney will be in Canberra today urging parliamentarians to stand with working people after the Fair Work Commission ruled Sunday penalty rates for retail, hospitality and fast food workers should be cut.

Campaign... ACTU President Ged Kearney

“Whether it is the prime minister or a backbench MP, no one in parliament can hide from their responsibility to ensure that there is a solution that prevents these hard working people from seeing their pay go backwards,” she said in a statement.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union has vowed to lead a WorkChoices-style campaign against the Turnbull government, despite its members not being affected by the penalty rates decision, The Australian reports.

The CFMEU has vowed to lead a WorkChoices-style campaign in the wage-war

National secretary Michael O’Connor said his union would join others on picket lines and rallies across the country to protest cuts to pensions and family supplements and efforts to recover welfare overpayments.

Penalty rates reduction will allow longer hours and more hiring

“This war on battlers must end. The war on the fair go must stop,” he told the newspaper.

“Where the fightback takes place - wherever there is a picket, a rally, a campaign, whatever it is - you will see us there standing shoulder to shoulder with those under attack.”

The Prime Minister during Question Time yesterday accused Labor of running a scare campaign on the Commission’s penalty rate decision.

Under attack... Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull yesterday.

Hypocrisy... Opposition Leader Bill Shorten in Question Time yesterday.

His government accused Opposition leader Bill Shorten of taking hypocrisy to new heights for opposing the independent penalty rate ruling which he had previously backed.

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The PM said Mr Shorten had gone through a “though-cleansing experience when he was suddenly reprogrammed.

“I think it was the CFMEU...that’s undoubtedly what it was,” Mr Turnbull said.

WHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU

HOSPITALITY AWARD WORKERS

• Sunday penalty rate for full-time and part-time employees reduced from 175 to 150 per cent

• There will be no change to the Sunday rate for casuals which will remain at 175 per cent.
  

FAST FOOD AWARD WORKERS

• Sunday penalty rate reduced for level one employees from 150 to 125 per cent for full-time and part-time employees and from 175 to 150 per cent for casuals.

• No change to Sunday penalty rates for level two and three employees in that award.
  

RETAIL AWARD WORKERS

• Sunday penalty rate for full-time and part-time employees reduced from 200 to 150 per cent.

• Sunday rate for casuals will be reduced from 200 to 175 per cent.
  

PHARMACY AWARD WORKERS

• Sunday rates for work performed between 7am and 9pm reduced from 200 to 150 per cent.

• Sunday rate for casuals will be reduced from 200 to 175 per cent.
  

PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

• Reduced public holiday penalty rates for hospitality and retail workers, but not for clubs

•  Public holiday penalty rate for full-time and part-time employees will be reduced from 250 to 225 per cent.

• The rate for casuals will be 250 per cent.
  

START DATE FOR CHANGES

• Public holiday changes will start from July 1.

• Early/late night work loadings in the restaurant and fast food awards will take effect in late March.