United Voice: Anti-Poverty Week march and protest against cuts to weekend rates of pay

Canberra region workers and their supporters will commemorate Anti-Poverty Week today with a protest against the push by some employers and parliamentarians to cut the weekend penalty rates of some of Australia’s lowest paid workers.

The protestors will march to the Queanbeyan office of Dr Peter Hendy, the member for Eden-Monaro and Assistant Productivity Minister.

Lyndal Ryan, ACT Branch Secretary of United Voice, the hospitality union says “Our members are very concerned by the increasingly strident campaign against penalty rates. They know this campaign is about taking money from their pockets and putting it into the pockets of their employers.

“For many people weekend penalty rates make the difference between financial security and living in poverty.

“We want to send a strong message to the Turnbull Government and to our local member of Parliament that it’s not good enough for them to be contemplating pay cuts for the people who can’t afford it and don’t deserve it.

“Right now in the Fair Work Commission United Voice hospitality members are fighting an application by employers to cut their weekend penalty rates. Meanwhile, the Productivity Commission recommended in its recent draft report that Sunday penalty rates be cut for people who work in the hospitality and retail industries.

“Cutting penalty rates is out of step with the views of the overwhelming majority of Australians.

“This protest is about sending a strong message to Dr Hendy and to the new Prime Minister that they must stand by the hard working people who give up precious weekend time to work so the rest of the community can enjoy the good things in life that are so much a part of the Australian weekend” says Lyndal Ryan.