Earn
Casual workers could lose $1k under new reforms
The opposition has claimed that the Morrison government’s plan to amend penalty rates could cost casual employees up to $1,100.

Casual workers could lose $1k under new reforms
The opposition has claimed that the Morrison government’s plan to amend penalty rates could cost casual employees up to $1,100.

The government is pushing ahead with a suite of industrial relation reforms in 2021, which it states will help get the economy back on track post the COVID-19 recession.
As part of these reforms, the government will seek provisions that will allow distressed industries employers to pay a ‘loaded rate’, a higher hourly rate, instead of penalty rates over the public holidays.
However, the opposition has hit out at the government, claiming that workers are set to lose up to $1,100 in holiday penalty rates if they worked Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve and Australia Day alone.
“Millions of workers across the economy are vulnerable to attack under Mr Morrison’s nasty industrial relations changes,” Labor industrial relations spokesman Tony Burke said.
“From cleaners to miners, aged care workers to waiters, checkout operators to nurses – all could take a massive pay cut if Mr Morrison is successful in suspending the Better Off Overall Test.”
The Minister said that under the proposal, workers who helped get Australia through the pandemic, including essential workers, would be the same people that would lose their pay under the changes.
Mr Burke said banking, finance or insurance industry workers could lose $1,170 over the Christmas period.
His calculations show healthcare workers, including a typical aged care worker, could lose $1,080 and $890, respectively.
“If you abolish something called the Better Off Overall Test, guess what will happen: workers will be worse off.”
“Scott Morrison’s earlier penalty rate cuts for retail, fast food, pharmacy and hospitality workers failed to deliver a single extra job. But now, they want us to believe that cutting more penalty rates, cutting overtime, cutting shift loading, cutting allowances will create jobs,” he continued.
“Pay cuts are bad for workers and bad for the economy. For Australia to recover from the recession, we need people with the money and confidence to spend,” he said.
About the author

About the author


Salary
IR reforms to ‘suppress wages for years to come’
Unions have hit out at the proposed industrial relations law, approved recently by the lower house, arguing it would leave workers worse off with cuts to take-home pay and conditions, few rights and ...Read more

Salary
JobSeeker rise a ‘half-arsed PR exercise’
The federal government’s plan to permanently increase JobSeeker by $50 a fortnight has been slammed by industry experts for leaving 1.2 million Australians at the mercy of poverty. ...Read more

Salary
Why 1.5m Australians could be out of work by 2030
One and a half million Australians are set to lose their jobs to automation by 2030 as technology overtakes traditional workers, a new report has revealed. ...Read more

Salary
UK’s top court declares Uber drivers ‘workers’ in landmark case
The UK Supreme Court has ruled that Uber must clarify its drivers as workers instead of independent contractors, which could have major implications for the gig economy worldwide. ...Read more

Salary
3 in 4 Aussies welcome COVID jab as rollout begins
The vast majority of Australians have declared they would consent to a COVID-19 jab, as the first phase of Australia’s vaccination program begins on Monday. ...Read more

Salary
Unemployment falls with the creation of 29k new jobs
The unemployment rate has surprised economists, falling to 6.4 per cent for the month of January, official figures show. ...Read more

Salary
Payroll back ‘around pre-COVID levels’
Australian payroll data is nearing pre-COVID levels as employees return to work post-lockdowns, official stats have revealed. ...Read more

Salary
1.5m workers still relying on JobKeeper as subsidy approaches its end
The number of Australians relying on JobKeeper has almost halved. However, 1.5 million workers are still relying on the government scheme as it approaches its end. ...Read more

Salary
IR reforms to ‘suppress wages for years to come’
Unions have hit out at the proposed industrial relations law, approved recently by the lower house, arguing it would leave workers worse off with cuts to take-home pay and conditions, few rights and ...Read more

Salary
JobSeeker rise a ‘half-arsed PR exercise’
The federal government’s plan to permanently increase JobSeeker by $50 a fortnight has been slammed by industry experts for leaving 1.2 million Australians at the mercy of poverty. ...Read more

Salary
Why 1.5m Australians could be out of work by 2030
One and a half million Australians are set to lose their jobs to automation by 2030 as technology overtakes traditional workers, a new report has revealed. ...Read more

Salary
UK’s top court declares Uber drivers ‘workers’ in landmark case
The UK Supreme Court has ruled that Uber must clarify its drivers as workers instead of independent contractors, which could have major implications for the gig economy worldwide. ...Read more

Salary
3 in 4 Aussies welcome COVID jab as rollout begins
The vast majority of Australians have declared they would consent to a COVID-19 jab, as the first phase of Australia’s vaccination program begins on Monday. ...Read more

Salary
Unemployment falls with the creation of 29k new jobs
The unemployment rate has surprised economists, falling to 6.4 per cent for the month of January, official figures show. ...Read more

Salary
Payroll back ‘around pre-COVID levels’
Australian payroll data is nearing pre-COVID levels as employees return to work post-lockdowns, official stats have revealed. ...Read more

Salary
1.5m workers still relying on JobKeeper as subsidy approaches its end
The number of Australians relying on JobKeeper has almost halved. However, 1.5 million workers are still relying on the government scheme as it approaches its end. ...Read more