Penalty Rates Update: Commission announces dates of penalty rate cuts, SDA to file immediate appeal

June 5, 2017 Protect Penalty Rates

Today the Fair Work Commission announced the dates for cutting penalty rates for retail, fast food, hospitality and pharmacy workers covered by Awards.

The SDA is now filing an appeal of the Fair Work Commission’s decision to cut penalty rates to stop cuts to your take-home pay. We will be seeking an appeal to prevent any reduction occurring this year.

The Commission has decided to phase in cuts to Sunday penalty rates from 1 July 2017 as follows:

Retail & Pharmacy Awards
Full-time and part-time employees

1 July 2017 from 200 per cent to195 per cent

1 July 2018 from 195 per cent to 180 per cent

1 July 2019 from 180 per cent to 165 per cent

1 July 2020 from 165 per cent to 150 per cent

Casual employees (inclusive of casual loading)

1 July 2017 from 200 per cent to 195 per cent

1 July 2018 from 195 per cent to 185 per cent

1 July 2019 from 185 per cent to 175 per cent

Fast Food Award

Full-time and part-time employees – Level 1 only

1 July 2017 from 150 per cent to 145 per cent

1 July 2018 from 145 per cent to 135 per cent

1 July 2019 from 135 per cent to 125 per cent

Casual employees (inclusive of casual loading) – Level 1 only

1 July 2017 from 175 per cent to 170 per cent

1 July 2018 from 170 per cent to 160 per cent

1 July 2019 from 160 per cent to 150 per cent

We are working hard to stop these cuts from happening because we know you can’t afford a cut to your take-home pay.

We’re applying for a judicial review of the decision – to stop the cuts from coming into effect.

If we are successful in our application, there will be no changes to your take-home pay during the appeal process.

We will have more information about this in the coming weeks.

Retail, fast food and pharmacy workers covered by Awards stand to lose up to $6,000 per year because of this decision.

The SDA is continuing to fight to protect your take-home pay because penalty rates are not a luxury they put food on the table and petrol in the car.

We will continue to update you as the appeal progresses.

In the meantime, the best thing you can do to protect your take-home pay is to join our campaign.

Hundreds of thousands of workers will be impacted by these unfair cuts and we urgently need to keep up the fight out in our community – get your friends and family on board too. Tell them to sign up at www.protectpenaltyrates.org.au.

If you have any questions or concerns about penalty rates or your pay, please call the SDA.