Debate over penalty rates on public holidays has intensified in the Hunter, following the Easter long weekend.
Some businesses chose NOT to open their doors, arguing they’d trade at a loss.
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Traditional public holidays are just that and for anyone who has to/needs to work then, penalty rates need to be paid.
I do not need to shop on the couple of public holidays that we have…what is there 3 or 4 a year? Please! And everyone is off enjoying the holidays and being with family. No-one wants to shop anyway!! And, if I need to go out to eat then I pay the extra public holiday surcharge that restaurants apply.
So, no-one loses.
Abolishing penalty rates is wrong!
Instead of trying to take away the livelihoods of people who don’t earn a great deal and who give up time with family and friends on these so called public holidays, why don’t the businesses increase the surcharge on these days and have more of a user pays system.
the rest of the country gets the day off why should retail workers have to work on these days.If they do the should be paid penalty rates. full stop. yes I do work in retail
The Employers were the one’s that wanted to open on the public holidays and now whinge that they have to pay higher wages. You can’t have it both ways. I would rather see them closed on the public holidays anyway. The family unit is constantly being destroyed in one way or another and this is just another. If people are working these days then they are obviously in real need for the extra money so deserve the higher rates.