Penalty rates: Labor moves to stop Fair Work Commission ruling

DESPITE having previously stated he would respect the Fair Work Commission’s ruling on penalty rates, Opposition Leader Bill Shorten has moved to legislate against any cuts.

• Penalty rates reduction will allow longer hours and more hiring
• Fair Work Commission cuts Sunday, public holiday pay rates
• John Slater: Penalty rates belong in era of horse and buggy

Labor will backflip on its promise to respect The Fair Work Commission’s decision to cut penalty rates for retail workers, by attempting to stop the change in parliament.

This morning Opposition Leader Bill Shorten gave notice of his move to introduce legislation to protect rates for workers and ensure they can’t be dropped in the future if it results in cuts to take-home pay.

The move comes despite Mr Shorten having repeatedly rejected calls to legislate penalty rates during the last election.

Under the industrial umpire’s decision, penalty rates for work on Sunday across the retail, hospitality and fast food sectors would be brought into line with Saturday’s rates.

I have just given notice to introduce legislation to protect penalty rates. Labor will stand up for workers - Turnbull should do the same. pic.twitter.com/5SzX31pAsl

— Bill Shorten (@billshortenmp) February 26, 2017

Last week’s ruling is expected to reduce Sunday wage bills, with many businesses predicted to open on Sundays and start trading for longer hours and hire more staff.

More than 600,000 people are expected to be affected by the decision.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash warned Labor is setting a dangerous precedent by calling for the commission’s decision to be overturned.

Leader of the Opposition Bill Shorten has moved to overturn the Fair Work Commission’s decision to cut penalty rates for workers.

“You cannot have it both ways,” she said.

“What’s next for Bill Shorten? Is it legislating the minimum wage, is it legislating interest rates, is it overturning a decision by the judicial process that Bill Shorten says, ‘You know, I’m actually not happy with that’.” She compared the latest push by Labor to its “Mediscare” campaign during the last federal election.

Trent Hunter posed with Labor about cuts to his weekend pay rate only for it to be revealed he would not be affected.

Mr Shorten has even written to the prime minister urging him to support Labor’s drafted legislation.

“Malcolm Turnbull is giving the big banks a tax cut and the person making his coffee a pay cut,” Mr Shorten told AAP.

“The prime minister can’t even summon up a bit of sympathy for these people. As far as he’s concerned, they are just numbers on a spreadsheet.”

The opposition’s employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor said Labor supports the independence of the commission “generally speaking”.

“But this decision was so untenable we had to respond by saying we cannot support it,” he told ABC radio on Monday.

“This decision, and if we allow it to take effect, will mean that the lowest paid workers in our society will be losing money.”

Don't hear @amworldtodaypm putting Bill Shorten on the spot about HIS penalty rates legislation that he's refusing to back. #auspol

— Ashley Stevens (@StevensAsh) February 26, 2017

Mr Shorten came under fire last week after he posed with Trent Hunter — a Coles employee — who was subsequently revealed to be a Labor Party branch president.

It was also revealed he wouldn’t have lost a cent from the decision, as he was under an enterprise agreement which is unaffected by the decision.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce said the system the government was dealing with was set up by Labor.

“The question has to be asked, this is Bill Shorten’s baby,” he told reporters at Parliament House.

“This baby has now grown up and this baby is now saying well we’re going to have to change Sunday penalty rates. But it’s Bill’s baby.”

Veterans Affairs Minister Dan Tehan took aim at Mr Shorten, telling reporters: :”He’s behaving like a spoilt little brat who goes to the cricket, gets clean bowled, the umpire gives him out and he says, no, I’m not going to accept that decision.”