Thousands of workers and community members turned out at last week’s national rally against continuing attacks on workers.
Queensland Council of Unions General Secretary Ros McLennan says there’s widespread anger over cuts to penalty rates and increasing risks to workplace safety, as well as renewed attacks on wages and conditions through federal laws.
Many Australians are asking “who’s next” for wage cuts but Ms McLennan promised a “street by street, suburb by suburb” campaign to stop the cuts to Sunday penalty rates.
Under the Fair Work Commission decision, supported by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull and the LNP, hospitality, restaurant, fast food, retail and pharmacy workers will have their Sunday penalty rates cut between 25% and 50%. Public holiday pay was also slashed by up to 25%.
This means a potential loss of around $6,000 per year for hundreds of thousands of Queensland workers.
We now have a chance to stop the attack on penalty rates in its tracks.
There’s a rally this Sunday 19 March from 12pm outside the Wynnum Manly Leagues Club, at 92 Wondall Road, Manly West. This Club is refusing to sign the pledge committing they will not cut their workers’ pay – saying “they’d prefer to wait and see what the Commission does”.
Right now, our community clubs are considering whether they will try to cut their workers’ wages. We need to help these clubs decide not to.
If you can’t make Sunday’s action in Wynnum, go to http://www.fairpayclubs.com/take-action to find out what your local clubs are saying and to tell them that we expect them to look after their community – including the people that work for them.
Let’s stop this attack on wages and the weekend before it goes any further.
This is a cut that Australian workers cannot afford and do not deserve!
