Well, this sucks.
The cuts to penalty rates brought in by the Fair Work Commission are due to start rolling out within weeks.
The plan is to phase in the cuts over the next few years, with fast food and hospo workers set to have their Sunday rates dropped by 5 per cent this year, and 10 per cent for the next two.
Retail and pharmacy workers will cop a 5 per cent pay cut this year, and a 15 per cent reduction every year until 2020.
Sally McManus, secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, told the ABC that even small increments would make a negative difference to workers.
“They’re looking at offsetting it in the first year and [if] you look at the cuts in the following years they’re much bigger, especially in some of the industries, which is a 15 per cent pay cut in the out years.“I think no matter which way you dress it up, you’re facing pay cuts every single year.”
You’re not wrong, Sally. Might as well settle in for another year of housing insecurity and avo toast, mates – there’s precious little else we can do to muster up some spark of joy as young people in the work force.
If you’re not sure how much you’re set to lose with the upcoming cuts, the ABC has a handy (and depressing) calculator right here.
Source: ABC.
Image: Paul Stringer / Getty.
