THE SHOP ASSISTANT SUMMER 2017 9 BUTWAIT...THERE’S ANEWTARGET! Employer lobby groups came after penalty rates for retail and fast food workers first, and now they have a new target — hairdressers. In another stinging attack on workers, employer lobby groups have now applied to cut Sunday and public holiday penalty rates in the Hair and Beauty Industry Award. Hairdressers are some of Australia’s lowest-paid trade workers, and they certainly don’t deserve a pay cut. As the cost of living continues to rise — from electricity bills to rent to health insurance – hairdressers can’t afford to have their pay cut. In addition to the fight to restore the take-home pay of retail and fast food workers who had their penalty rates slashed, now the SDA will also be campaigning on behalf of hairdressers, to stop the cuts and protect their pay. The SDA is working hard on a comprehensive submission to the Fair Work Commission detailing why penalty rates in the Hair and Beauty Award need to be protected. Submissions to the Fair Work Commission will begin from February 2018. RETAIL, FAST FOOD, HAIRDRESSING... WHO’S NEXT? As Australian workers struggle with record low wage growth, penalty rate cuts are a step in the wrong direction. Inequality is getting worse, with workers receiving less and less of their fair share. But business groups don’t care. They keep attacking our wages and conditions, hurting workers, their families and our economy. There is growing concern that cutting penalty rates in retail, fast food and hairdressing is just the beginning. Employer lobby groups are relentless and won’t stop coming after penalty rates in other industries, further driving down wages. Retail and fast food workers have already had their penalty rates slashed… who’s next? Nurses in our hospitals? Police officers keeping our streets safe? It’s a slippery slope. The Government has taken no action to protect the pay of Australian workers, and we must hold them to account. It’s time they stood up for workers and stopped pay cuts before it’s too late. Sign up to stop cuts and protect hairdressers pay at www.protectpenaltyrates.org.au. He and his Government stood by and allowed the pay of 700,000 workers to be slashed. Tell the Government you won’t be voting for them at protectpenaltyrates.org.au. Raise retail, fast food and pharmacy wages: The SDA will now be pushing even harder to increase the base rates of pay in the Retail, Fast Food and Pharmacy Awards in the Annual Wage Review next year. At a time of record low wage growth and growing inequality, we know workers can’t afford to have their pay cut as the cost of living continues to rise. CUTS TO AWARDS AFFECT ALL OF US Most SDA members are covered by SDA-negotiated Agreements, which means the cuts to penalty rates in Awards has not directly affected their take-home pay — yet! However, it does mean the floor from which we negotiate wages in new Agreements is lowered – which is one reason why it’s so important to continue the fight to protect take-home pay for workers covered by Awards. The Fair Work Commission’s decision to cut Sunday penalty rates in the Retail, Fast Food, Pharmacy and Hospitality Awards will continue to be phased in on 1 July each year until 2020. But the SDA isn’t giving up — until penalty rates are restored, the fight isn’t over.