Greens move to save Christmas Day from Labor attack
Following news that Victorians working on Christmas Day will be denied their public holiday penalty rates by the Victorian Labor government, Greens Industrial Relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today announced the Greens will move to protect people’s public holiday rates when they work on Christmas and New Year’s Day, regardless of which day of they fall on. Mr Bandt and the Greens today also launched this petition calling on Premier Andrews to ensure Victorians are paid their public holiday penalty rates if they work on Christmas Day this year.
“Daniel Andrews’ Christmas gift to Victorians is a pay cut for people who have to work on Christmas Day,” Mr Bandt said.
“When Labor promised an extra public holiday on Grand Final Eve, they didn’t tell people it would come at the cost of Christmas Day.”
“There hasn’t been a worse gift from a government since Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey tried to cut people’s Paid Parental Leave on Mother’s Day.”
“People who have to work on Christmas Day should be properly compensated for the time they spend working and away from their families.”
“It’s simple: if you have to work while everyone else is spending precious time with their family and loved ones, you deserve to be compensated for this special shared time lost.”
“The Greens will protect people’s public holiday pay rates for Christmas and New Year’s Day in national law, so these special days are protected from future State Government Grinches.”
“The Greens are the only party who will legislate to protect penalty rates.”
“Federal Labor needs to get behind the Greens’ push to protect pay on Christmas Day.”
Mr Bandt will introduce the Fair Work Amendment (Protecting Christmas) Bill 2016 into the Federal Parliament in the next sitting fortnight to ensure that public holiday penalty rates are paid to people working on Christmas Day, December 25, and New Year’s Day, January 1. This follows a commitment made by the Greens earlier this year to enshrine existing penalty rates in legislation, protecting them from any potential cuts by the Fair Work Commission.
View and sign the petition at http://www.adambandt.com/protectchristmas.
Media contact: Adam Pulford, 0429 109 054
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