Smythesdale pharmacy assistant Meredith Grant is set to lose almost $4000 a year after the Fair Work Commission ruled to slash penalty rates.
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The mum-of-two will lose $150 a fortnight after the Commission cut the pharmacy award for Sunday by 25 per cent.
The Commission also slashed penalty rates for hospitality, retail and pharmacy workers in a decision handed down on Thursday. The cuts are effective from July this year.
“Any money that we were able to put aside to use for taking kids out or doing anything extra for the family has gone out the door and that was already limited,” Mrs Grant said.
“My husband works most Saturdays, I work every Sunday so our weekends are a void for doing family things, you give it up to get paid the money but now you’re giving it up to be paid less.”
Ballarat Trades Hall secretary Brett Edgington said the cuts could see hospitality and retail workers lose as much as $6000 a year from their take-home pay.
Full or part-time hospitality workers will face a reduction in Sunday penalty rates from 175 to 150 per cent of their standard hourly rate. Casual hospitality penalty rates will be unchanged.
Retail workers will see the biggest cut into their Sunday penalty rates, from 200 per cent to 150 per cent. Casual workers will drop from 200 per cent to 175 per cent.
Mr Edgington said the ruling was a “kick in the guts” and would affect thousands of workers in the region.
“We know with illegal payments and black economy that there is already a significant part of the economy that are not even getting penalty rates. For the people lucky enough to be receiving them this will have massive ramifications.
Mr Edgington said extended trading hours were tied to supply and demand.
“Places open on Sunday because it’s profitable. Ultimately it comes around to bite them because the very people who spend money in their businesses now have less money in their pockets.”
Commerce Ballarat chair David Wright said he expected member businesses to pass the penalty rates win on to staff through additional hours or by hiring new employees.
“We certainly support our members working within that emerging economy and hopefully this ease in penalty rates will allow them to do that.
“It’s a great opportunity for all businesses to be looking at what they’re paying their staff and ensure they are paying their staff the correct rates.”