ACTU: Unions won’t bow to Clubs Australia threats

21 May 2017

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) stands firmly behind United Voice (Queensland Branch) and its protests aimed to protect penalty rates for workers in Queensland’s licensed Clubs Australia venues.

Despite Clubs Australia’s demanding a back down, unions and workers will continue to speak up against wage cuts with protests across the country.

Unions call on these community-based Clubs to put the interests of their local community, and therefore their workers, first by committing to supporting penalty rates.

Australians are strongly behind this campaign with 81% saying employees required to work outside normal hours should receive a higher hourly rate of pay and 63% saying those working Sunday should get higher rates of pay than those on a Saturday, according to a recent Essential Poll.

Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:

• “Employers who have staff who rely on penalty rates needs to decide whether or not they will support their workers or cut their pay.”
• “The whole union movement is behind this campaign and any employer considering cutting penalty rates should keep this in mind.”
• “Clubs Australia shouldn’t be surprised that after pushing for penalty rate cuts they’ve received a backlash by employees and unions.”
• “Workers have the right to be angry and have been peacefully protesting. We won’t stop speaking out against these unfair wage cuts just because Club Australia don’t want to hear it.”
• “Wage growth is at an all-time low and any cut to penalty rates will simply exacerbate cost of living pressures, particularly for low wage earners who will bear the brunt.”
• “I would recommend Clubs Australia consider the fact that less money in worker’s pay packets is less money spent in their clubs.”