Federal Court backs Fair Work Commission's cuts to Sunday penalty rates

Business groups are urging unions to accept the Fair Work umpire's decision to slash Sunday penalty rates.

penalty rate

Source: AAP

It comes as the Federal Court has found the Fair Work Commission acted within its rights when it cut rates.

Unions representing hospitality and retail workers challenged the commission's decision to drop Sunday rates by five percentage points in some sectors starting on July the 1st.

The decision will affect around 220,000 workers in the fast-food, hospitality, retail and pharmacy sectors.

United Voice's national secretary Jo-anne Schofield says the verdict is a blow to workers but could not yet say whether the union would look at avenues for appeal.

But speaking with the ABC, Australian Retailers Association Director, Russell Zimmerman says the ruling is fair and should be abided by.

"We all had a chance to put our submissions in, we've done it, the Fair Work Commission has gone away, and I think they've gone away, given a fair and reasonable summation of where we are and that's the decision and I think we all need to abide by it."




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Published 12 October 2017 10:18am
Updated 12 October 2017 3:22pm


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