Greens pass penalty rates bill in the Senate, back ACTU minimum wage boost & slam Minister Cash
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Greens pass penalty rates bill in the Senate, back ACTU minimum wage boost & slam Minister Cash
The Greens industrial relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today said that, in the aftermath of the joint Greens Labor bill passing the Senate, the Government is now under pressure to pass the bill through the lower house and stop penalty rate cuts from coming into effect. The Greens also gave their backing to the ACTU’s call for a $45 a week increase to the minimum wage.
PENALTY RATES:
“The Greens, along with the Labor party, Jacqui Lambie and the crossbench, have just passed a bill in the Senate to stop these savage cuts to penalty rates from coming into effect,” said Mr. Bandt.
“The Greens were the first party to call for penalty rates to be protected in law. Now that Labor has come on board, we’re hopeful the Liberals will be next.
“The pressure on Malcolm Turnbull is now immense. If he has the guts, he can stand up for workers across the country and stop these cuts to penalty rates today.”
MINIMUM WAGE:
“While we’re trying to protect wages of young people and vulnerable workers, the government is hacking away at their wages at every opportunity.
“With inflation and stagnant wage growth, a $45 a week increase to the wages of vulnerable workers in this country would be an important step towards raising living standards and reducing inequality.
“The gap between the billionaires and the rest of us is growing, and lifting the minimum wage is one way to start making Australia more equal.”
“There are 2.3 million workers in this country that rely on the minimum wage to put food on the table and to pay the rent. They need our support.
MINISTER CASH:
“Michaelia Cash seems to think that the people who clean her hotel or prepare her food go home at night and get looked after by some rich guardian angel.
“Michaelia Cash is a modern-day Margaret Thatcher. Turnbull government ministers need a reality check.
“The Liberals’ answer is for low paid workers to get a sugar daddy and for young people to get rich parents. This government has no idea.”
Media contact: Gideon Reisner, 0429 109 054
TW: @AdamBandt FB: facebook.com/Adam.Bandt.MP