SDA STATE SECRETARY CHRIS GAZENBEEK CONGRATULATES PREMIER ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK FOR ANNOUNCING CHRISTMAS EVE  TO BE A PUBLIC HOLIDAY FROM 6pm THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF QUEENSLAND

The Premier, Annastacia Palaszczuk, has announced that her government will legislate to make Christmas Eve a public holiday from 6pm to midnight.

The SDA has been lobbying the government since 2017 as this is an important issue for our members and their families.

The SDA welcomes the Palaszczuk government’s proposed legislation because Christmas Eve is no ordinary day. We are delighted that this initiative will commence in 2019. Retail, Fast Food and Warehousing staff work very hard during the festive season and deserve time off to attend Church services, spend time with their family and friends or in some cases work and enjoy the appropriate penalty rates.

Christmas Day is a public holiday, Boxing Day is a public holiday but Christmas Eve has not been a public holiday. This is unfair to people who work nights and do shift work.

State Secretary Chris Gazenbeek said the Palaszczuk government was putting in place something the vast majority of Queenslanders supported.

“Many people who work 9-5 jobs already enjoy Christmas Eve off – however our members in retail, fast food and warehousing have often missed out and had to be at work until 9pm – or even midnight”!

“Christmas Eve is a very important religious night with many attending Church services. Even for those who are not religious, Christmas Eve is an important time to share with family and friends. Many people need to travel to see their family on Christmas Eve or prepare for Christmas Day with their loved ones.”

“Our members in retail, warehousing and fast food and many employees work extremely hard at very unsociable times to provide a seven-day-a-week service to the public.”

“No reasonable person would begrudge retail, warehousing and fast food workers the right to a part-day public holiday on Christmas Eve or to public holiday penalty rates if they work.”

“This will not only benefit members of the SDA, it will be great news for many hard-working Queenslanders including our well respected essential services workers – such as fire fighters, paramedics, nurses and police officers.”

The SDA applauds the Palaszczuk government’s decision to support working families and providing an opportunity for an improved work life balance at a very busy and important time of the year.

The Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association (the SDA) is one of the largest unions in Queensland with more than 32,000 members employed across the retail, warehousing and fast food industry. Chris Gazenbeek is the Queensland State Secretary.

Further information: Rose Bailey, 0418 781 524