The union representing bottle shop workers said the cut to hours was a pre-Xmas kick in the guts
The union representing bottle shop workers has joined Hospitality NT attacking unconsulted changes to bottle shop hours on the eve of Christmas. See what they said.
Northern Territory
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The union representing bottle shop workers says the government’s decision to cut hours at Top End takeaway outlets is a “kick in the guts” for already low-paid employees.
On Tuesday, Chief Minister Natasha Fyles announced changes to try and reduce public drinking and anti-social behaviour in the Territory.
One of the measures, to delay Top End bottle shop opening hours from 10am to midday during week days, will hit potentially hundreds of mostly low-paid or casual employees in the lead-up to Christmas.
NT director of the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association, Shlok Sharma, said the decision capped off what had been a terrible year for bottle shop workers.
“Losing up to 12 hours of work will mean that retail workers will be worse off in the lead-up to Christmas,” Mr Sharma said.
“This has been a terrible year for workers in bottle shops and losing out on work will be another kick in the guts for many of them.
“Every dollar counts in the lead-up to Christmas for our bottle shop workers, losing a few hours of work can make a massive difference in their ability to celebrate Christmas with their friends and family.
“We are calling on liquor retailers to work with their staff to make sure that where possible, no worker is worse off because of this announcement.”
In March, Darwin bottle shop employee Declan Laverty was allegedly stabbed to death by a customer at a Jingili outlet.
Ms Fyles announced the revised hours days after she had promised leaders in the hospitality industry she would make no changes to grog laws without properly consulting the industry.
It has since emerged that in December 2022, in a letter thanking Hospitality NT’s executive for its assistance managing Covid-19, Ms Fyles committed in writing there would be no changes to the trading rules.
“Off the back of Covid and the immense hard work invested across the industry, I would like to reassure you that government has no intentions on altering your current business operating environments during this term of government,” she wrote.
Ms Fyles acknowledged she’d broken her word to the hospitality sector, admitting to the NT News she could have done “better” in consultations with industry.
“I agree we could’ve been better with our communication with Hospitality NT,” she said. “The Police Commissioner approached us and said he needed this trial to keep Territorians safe.”
Opposition Leader Lia Finocchiaro said this week “marked a new low” for the government.
“Chief Minister Fyles consistently evades scrutiny and shirks responsibility, but this week has marked a new low in her blatant disrespect for Territorians,” she said.
“The promised consultation with Territory industry never materialised, contradicting assurances she made just days prior.
“Natasha Fyles pledges ‘no surprises’ but continues to deliver them. Industry and the community have lost faith in her ability to tell the truth.”
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Originally published as The union representing bottle shop workers said the cut to hours was a pre-Xmas kick in the guts
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