Latest news with #Rishworth
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Business
- The Advertiser
Workers optimistic but employers wary over wages bill
About one in seven Australian workers will have their penalty rates increased and their employers will not be able to reduce them, under changes proposed by the Albanese government. One of those workers is service assistant Ruth Sumner, who for 25 years had to struggle to provide for her kids. Although her children have moved out, she still has to look for deals to pay for her basic needs, sacrificing her quality of life. "It's sad because everything's going up. It's your power and everything," Ms Sumner told AAP. "I look at an apple that I really like but if there's one two dollars cheaper, I'm going to buy the cheaper one." She stands to benefit from a bill Labor has introduced to the lower house that seeks to enshrine higher rates of pay for award workers when they work late nights, early hours, weekends and public holidays. If it is passed, award workers will earn a base weekend penalty rate of about $40 an hour. While rates can vary depending on an employee's specific award or agreement applicable to that industry, common pay rates for workers on a Sunday are double time (200 per cent) or time and a half (150 per cent). A calculation of rates on the Fair Work Commission's website shows a common penalty for a casual hospitality Saturday shift to be $40.85 per hour, while a Sunday shift could bring in $47.65 per hour. Ms Rishworth said award workers deserved to have their wages protected. "Wages of low-paid workers should not go backwards because that's not fair and not what Australians expect of our workplace relation system," Ms Rishworth said as she introduced the bill. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the bill was anything but simple and fair, calling it a "backwards step". Acting chief executive David Alexander said it made negotiating wage changes harder for employers, especially small businesses who already struggled to work through the "complex" fair work act. "Tying Australian businesses up in knots around workplace systems has the effect of strangling growth and that means less jobs and lower wages," Mr Alexander said. "This bill is at odds with the government's plans to improve productivity, and instead injects more rigidity and complexity into the fair work laws." Opposition employment spokesman Tim Wilson said the coalition supported penalty rates, but agreed the government had overlooked small businesses who had not been adequately consulted. He floated holding a Senate inquiry so employers' could voice their concerns. "There's concerns that this may undermine the role of the Fair Work Commission," Mr Wilson said. "If anything, small business needs to be brought into the conversation because they need hope, and when you need hope, the best way to give it is to be part of the conversation about the way forward." Mr Wilson said the absence of a regulatory impact statement, which lays out the potential impacts of the proposed changes, meant consultation was even more important. The Australian Council of Trade Unions said young people, women and casual workers would suffer most if higher penalty rates were not enshrined. "Unfortunately, for decades, employers have pushed and pushed to erode or abolish them," secretary Sally McManus said. The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association said wage theft remained a problem in the retail and fast food industries, and the protections would force employers to show they respect their workers. The bill will be passed to MPs before it is debated in parliament at a later date. About one in seven Australian workers will have their penalty rates increased and their employers will not be able to reduce them, under changes proposed by the Albanese government. One of those workers is service assistant Ruth Sumner, who for 25 years had to struggle to provide for her kids. Although her children have moved out, she still has to look for deals to pay for her basic needs, sacrificing her quality of life. "It's sad because everything's going up. It's your power and everything," Ms Sumner told AAP. "I look at an apple that I really like but if there's one two dollars cheaper, I'm going to buy the cheaper one." She stands to benefit from a bill Labor has introduced to the lower house that seeks to enshrine higher rates of pay for award workers when they work late nights, early hours, weekends and public holidays. If it is passed, award workers will earn a base weekend penalty rate of about $40 an hour. While rates can vary depending on an employee's specific award or agreement applicable to that industry, common pay rates for workers on a Sunday are double time (200 per cent) or time and a half (150 per cent). A calculation of rates on the Fair Work Commission's website shows a common penalty for a casual hospitality Saturday shift to be $40.85 per hour, while a Sunday shift could bring in $47.65 per hour. Ms Rishworth said award workers deserved to have their wages protected. "Wages of low-paid workers should not go backwards because that's not fair and not what Australians expect of our workplace relation system," Ms Rishworth said as she introduced the bill. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the bill was anything but simple and fair, calling it a "backwards step". Acting chief executive David Alexander said it made negotiating wage changes harder for employers, especially small businesses who already struggled to work through the "complex" fair work act. "Tying Australian businesses up in knots around workplace systems has the effect of strangling growth and that means less jobs and lower wages," Mr Alexander said. "This bill is at odds with the government's plans to improve productivity, and instead injects more rigidity and complexity into the fair work laws." Opposition employment spokesman Tim Wilson said the coalition supported penalty rates, but agreed the government had overlooked small businesses who had not been adequately consulted. He floated holding a Senate inquiry so employers' could voice their concerns. "There's concerns that this may undermine the role of the Fair Work Commission," Mr Wilson said. "If anything, small business needs to be brought into the conversation because they need hope, and when you need hope, the best way to give it is to be part of the conversation about the way forward." Mr Wilson said the absence of a regulatory impact statement, which lays out the potential impacts of the proposed changes, meant consultation was even more important. The Australian Council of Trade Unions said young people, women and casual workers would suffer most if higher penalty rates were not enshrined. "Unfortunately, for decades, employers have pushed and pushed to erode or abolish them," secretary Sally McManus said. The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association said wage theft remained a problem in the retail and fast food industries, and the protections would force employers to show they respect their workers. The bill will be passed to MPs before it is debated in parliament at a later date. About one in seven Australian workers will have their penalty rates increased and their employers will not be able to reduce them, under changes proposed by the Albanese government. One of those workers is service assistant Ruth Sumner, who for 25 years had to struggle to provide for her kids. Although her children have moved out, she still has to look for deals to pay for her basic needs, sacrificing her quality of life. "It's sad because everything's going up. It's your power and everything," Ms Sumner told AAP. "I look at an apple that I really like but if there's one two dollars cheaper, I'm going to buy the cheaper one." She stands to benefit from a bill Labor has introduced to the lower house that seeks to enshrine higher rates of pay for award workers when they work late nights, early hours, weekends and public holidays. If it is passed, award workers will earn a base weekend penalty rate of about $40 an hour. While rates can vary depending on an employee's specific award or agreement applicable to that industry, common pay rates for workers on a Sunday are double time (200 per cent) or time and a half (150 per cent). A calculation of rates on the Fair Work Commission's website shows a common penalty for a casual hospitality Saturday shift to be $40.85 per hour, while a Sunday shift could bring in $47.65 per hour. Ms Rishworth said award workers deserved to have their wages protected. "Wages of low-paid workers should not go backwards because that's not fair and not what Australians expect of our workplace relation system," Ms Rishworth said as she introduced the bill. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the bill was anything but simple and fair, calling it a "backwards step". Acting chief executive David Alexander said it made negotiating wage changes harder for employers, especially small businesses who already struggled to work through the "complex" fair work act. "Tying Australian businesses up in knots around workplace systems has the effect of strangling growth and that means less jobs and lower wages," Mr Alexander said. "This bill is at odds with the government's plans to improve productivity, and instead injects more rigidity and complexity into the fair work laws." Opposition employment spokesman Tim Wilson said the coalition supported penalty rates, but agreed the government had overlooked small businesses who had not been adequately consulted. He floated holding a Senate inquiry so employers' could voice their concerns. "There's concerns that this may undermine the role of the Fair Work Commission," Mr Wilson said. "If anything, small business needs to be brought into the conversation because they need hope, and when you need hope, the best way to give it is to be part of the conversation about the way forward." Mr Wilson said the absence of a regulatory impact statement, which lays out the potential impacts of the proposed changes, meant consultation was even more important. The Australian Council of Trade Unions said young people, women and casual workers would suffer most if higher penalty rates were not enshrined. "Unfortunately, for decades, employers have pushed and pushed to erode or abolish them," secretary Sally McManus said. The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association said wage theft remained a problem in the retail and fast food industries, and the protections would force employers to show they respect their workers. The bill will be passed to MPs before it is debated in parliament at a later date. About one in seven Australian workers will have their penalty rates increased and their employers will not be able to reduce them, under changes proposed by the Albanese government. One of those workers is service assistant Ruth Sumner, who for 25 years had to struggle to provide for her kids. Although her children have moved out, she still has to look for deals to pay for her basic needs, sacrificing her quality of life. "It's sad because everything's going up. It's your power and everything," Ms Sumner told AAP. "I look at an apple that I really like but if there's one two dollars cheaper, I'm going to buy the cheaper one." She stands to benefit from a bill Labor has introduced to the lower house that seeks to enshrine higher rates of pay for award workers when they work late nights, early hours, weekends and public holidays. If it is passed, award workers will earn a base weekend penalty rate of about $40 an hour. While rates can vary depending on an employee's specific award or agreement applicable to that industry, common pay rates for workers on a Sunday are double time (200 per cent) or time and a half (150 per cent). A calculation of rates on the Fair Work Commission's website shows a common penalty for a casual hospitality Saturday shift to be $40.85 per hour, while a Sunday shift could bring in $47.65 per hour. Ms Rishworth said award workers deserved to have their wages protected. "Wages of low-paid workers should not go backwards because that's not fair and not what Australians expect of our workplace relation system," Ms Rishworth said as she introduced the bill. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry said the bill was anything but simple and fair, calling it a "backwards step". Acting chief executive David Alexander said it made negotiating wage changes harder for employers, especially small businesses who already struggled to work through the "complex" fair work act. "Tying Australian businesses up in knots around workplace systems has the effect of strangling growth and that means less jobs and lower wages," Mr Alexander said. "This bill is at odds with the government's plans to improve productivity, and instead injects more rigidity and complexity into the fair work laws." Opposition employment spokesman Tim Wilson said the coalition supported penalty rates, but agreed the government had overlooked small businesses who had not been adequately consulted. He floated holding a Senate inquiry so employers' could voice their concerns. "There's concerns that this may undermine the role of the Fair Work Commission," Mr Wilson said. "If anything, small business needs to be brought into the conversation because they need hope, and when you need hope, the best way to give it is to be part of the conversation about the way forward." Mr Wilson said the absence of a regulatory impact statement, which lays out the potential impacts of the proposed changes, meant consultation was even more important. The Australian Council of Trade Unions said young people, women and casual workers would suffer most if higher penalty rates were not enshrined. "Unfortunately, for decades, employers have pushed and pushed to erode or abolish them," secretary Sally McManus said. The Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association said wage theft remained a problem in the retail and fast food industries, and the protections would force employers to show they respect their workers. The bill will be passed to MPs before it is debated in parliament at a later date.
7NEWS
6 days ago
- Business
- 7NEWS
Major win as penalty rates set to be protected for millions of Aussies
A casual hospitality worker's weekend penalty rates of about $40 an hour will be protected under a bid to prevent take-home pay from being shaved. Measures to enshrine penalty and overtime rates in law will be introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday by Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth. The bill aims to prevent variations to awards that would result in lower pay for workers. 'What this legislation will do is make sure that the safety net, which is our award system, can't be eroded,' Rishworth told Sunrise viewers on Thursday. 'At the moment there's a number of applications in front of the Fair Work Commission trying to erode the penalty rates and overtime of those workers who ... really are low paid (and who) rely on the award. 'So, what this legislation will do is protect those who rely on penalty rates, rely on overtime, because this often makes up a very large amount of their take-home pay. 'We think this is really important to put beyond doubt that you can't strip away penalty rates and overtime from our safety system.' Rishworth said the bill essentially means penalty rates cannot be rolled into one and lumped into a base salary. Labor's promise This will be among the first pieces of legislation introduced by Labor in its second term of power following the May 3 federal election. Workers can be entitled to higher rates of pay when they are required to work particular hours or days including weekends, public holidays or irregular hours. While rates can vary depending on an employee's specific award or agreement applicable to that industry, common pay rates for workers on a Sunday are double time (200 per cent) or time-and-a-half (150 per cent). A calculation of rates on the Fair Work Commission's website shows, for a casual hospitality worker, common penalties for a shift on Saturday to be $40.85 per hour, while a day's work on Sunday could bring in $47.65 per hour. Albanese's pledge Protecting penalty rates was an Albanese government election pledge. Rishworth said the bill will ensure the wages of about 2.6 million award-reliant workers are protected. 'If you rely on the modern award safety net and work weekends, public holidays, early mornings or late nights, you deserve to have your wages protected,' she said. 'Millions of hard-working Australians rely on penalty rates and overtime rates to keep their heads above water, which is why this bill is so critical and should receive the support of both the opposition and the Greens.' Labor's planned changes came after peak retail and business groups put forward proposals for large companies to opt out of providing penalty rates for staff in exchange for a raise on base levels of pay. Opposition employment spokesman Tim Wilson said the Coalition supported penalty rates. 'We will work through the legislation to make sure we consult the businesses and those it's going to impact to get the best outcome,' he told AAP. Wilson said the absence of a regulatory impact statement, which lays out the potential impacts of the proposed changes, meant consultation was even more important to ensure it would be part of the future success of the economy. The Coalition also wants to assess how the changes would interact with the Fair Work Commission, which would be required to apply the new rules in addition to the modern awards objective in making its determination.
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Penalty rates bill aims to protect millions of workers
A casual hospitality worker can expect to have weekend penalty rates of about $40 an hour protected under a bid to prevent take home pay for employees from being shaved. Measures to enshrine penalty and overtime rates in law will be introduced in the House of Representatives on Thursday by Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth. The bill aims to prevent variations to awards that would result in lower pay for workers. It will be among the first pieces of legislation introduced by Labor in its second term of power following the May 3 federal election. Workers can be entitled to higher rates of pay when they are required to work particular hours or days including weekends, public holidays or irregular hours. While rates can vary depending on an employee's specific award or agreement applicable to that industry, common pay rates for workers on a Sunday are double time (200 per cent) or time-and-a-half (150 per cent). A calculation of rates on the Fair Work Commission's website show for a casual hospitality worker, common penalties for a shift on Saturday to be $40.85 per hour, while a day's work on Sunday could bring in $47.65 per hour. Protecting penalty rates was an Albanese government election pledge. Ms Rishworth said the bill will ensure the wages of about 2.6 million modern award-reliant workers are protected. "If you rely on the modern award safety net and work weekends, public holidays, early mornings or late nights, you deserve to have your wages protected," she said. "Millions of hard-working Australians rely on penalty rates and overtime rates to keep their heads above water, which is why this bill is so critical and should receive the support of both the opposition and the Greens." Labor's planned changes came after peak retail and business groups put forward proposals for large companies to opt out of providing penalty rates for staff in exchange for a raise on base levels of pay. Opposition employment spokesman Tim Wilson said the coalition supported penalty rates. "We will work through the legislation to make sure we consult the businesses and those it's going to impact to get the best outcome," he told AAP. Mr Wilson said the absence of a regulatory impact statement, which lays out the potential impacts of the proposed changes, meant consultation was even more important to ensure it would be part of the future success of the economy. The coalition also wants to assess how the changes would interact with the Fair Work Commission, which would be required to apply the new rules in addition to the modern awards objective in making its determination.
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Vow to protect penalty rates for 2.6m workers
Labor will move to protect penalty and overtime rates for about 2.6 million workers, saying 'hardworking' Aussies rely on the entitlements to 'keep their heads above water'. Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth will introduce the Bill on Thursday, and urged the Greens and Coalition to support the proposed legislation. The law would prohibit the Fair Work Commission to reduce an overtime or penalty rate, or substitute the entitlements if it reduces the overall take-home pay a worker would otherwise receive. An award would not be able to be altered if there was evidence that even a single worker would be worse off under an arrangement which traded an overtime or penalty entitlement. Ms Rishworth said the change would protect about 2.6 million award-reliant workers. 'If you rely on the modern award safety net and work weekends, public holidays, early mornings or late nights, you deserve to have your wages protected,' she said. 'Millions of hardworking Australians rely on penalty rates and overtime rates to keep their heads above water, which is why this Bill is so critical and should receive the support of both the Opposition and the Greens.' Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth is set to introduce the legislation on Thursday. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia The election promise was prompted by a FWC review launched the Australian Retailers Association to allow senior management to take a 25 per cent wage increase above minimum award entitlements in exchange for overtime, weekend and public holiday penalty rates and rest breaks. The move has been backed by the supermarket giants, plus beauty giant Mecca, as well as Kmart, Costco and 7-Eleven. Prior to the election, then employment minister Murray Watt wrote to the FWC to stop large retailers from cutting the entitlements, in a rare act of government intervention. Enshrining penalty rates was a key demand from the Australian Council of Trade Unions, with secretary Sally McManus previously arguing workers should be compensated for sacrificing their weekends. The proposed bill will override the FWC's ability to reduce penalty and overtime rates in modern awards, or substitute the entitlements if even a single worker is worse off. NewsWire/ Nicholas Eagar Credit: NewsWire However, the legislation will likely will likely be opposed by the Coalition, with industrial relations and employment spokesman Tim Wilson stating the independent FWC was already responsible for ensuring 'workers get the best arrangements possible for a fair days work'. Instead he lashed Labor's proposed Bill as being politically motivated. 'There is no threat to penalty rates,' he said on Saturday. 'What there is, is a political focus of the Government that isn't focused towards improving the economic conditions to help small businesses grow, to enable them to go on and employ the next generation of workers, to give those first generation, those first jobs to young Australians so that they can be independent and be able to get on with their economic futures.'
Perth Now
19-07-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Move to stamp out ‘unfair' pay practice
Pay for workers in female, part time and under-35 dominated industries will be the target of some of the first new laws under the new federal government. On Saturday, Employment Minister Amanda Rishworth announced laws to protect penalty rates and overtime pay for 2.6 million workers would be introduced in the coming weeks. 'If you rely on the modern award safety net and work weekends, public holidays, early mornings or late nights, you deserve to have your wages protected,' Ms Rishworth said. 'We want this law passed as a top priority, so workers are protected from the loopholes that see their take-home pay go backwards.' People covered by award rates are more likely to be women, work part time, be under 35 years of age or employed on casual contracts, Ms Rishworth said. Workplace Relations Minister Amanda Rishworth says retail, clerical and banking sector companies have been engaged in the 'unfair' practice. NewsWire / Martin Ollman Credit: News Corp Australia The proposed law would add rules to the Fair Work Act, so penalty rates and overtime cannot be rolled up into a single rate of pay where it leaves any individual worker worse off. Speaking in Canberra on Saturday, Ms Rishworth stood alongside retail workers who said their penalty rates were 'really important' in paying for groceries and school fees. Retail worker Daniel said he was paid about $85 in penalty rates each week, equalling $4240 a year. 'I've been in retail for 17 years … That money often pays for vets, dentists, doctors and food. 'Generally, I find living on six to $700 a week is a struggle, whether you've got a partner to rely on or not. 'Penalty rates honestly make a huge difference, and without it, I'd have to work more. See my family less, see my dog less, see my friends less,' he said. 'Just not go to the movies, not ever have a holiday. It's a myriad of things that would affect me.' Ms Rishworth said the new legislation was prompted by 'a number of cases' where penalty rates were being reduced 'in an unfair way'. Retail, clerical and banking sector companies had made moves to trade away penalty rates for lower-paid workers, she said, leaving those staff worse off. 'Enterprise bargaining is the appropriate place to negotiate on entitlements – not eroding the award safety net,' Ms Rishworth said. Labor needs only the support of the Greens in the senate to pass legislation, sidelining the other minor parties and independents who held sway in the previous parliament's upper house. Following the May 3 election, politicians are returning to Canberra with the new parliament kicking off on Tuesday.
