This Sunday, July 1, workers in retail and hospitality in Macarthur will see even bigger cuts to their penalty rates.

This week, Labor introduced legislation that, if passed, would stop cuts to penalty rates, which will affect thousands of residents in Macarthur.

Labor’s bill will restore penalty rates in awards and ensure they can never be cut again.

“Stopping the cuts to penalty rates would be easy if only Malcolm Turnbull and his Liberals dropped their disregard for workers, joined Labor and supported this bill,” said the Member for Macarthur.

“But they won’t, because they want Australian workers to get a pay cut.”

“It’s staggering that at a time when wages growth has hit record lows, and in the week this government is trying to give big business an $80 billion tax cut, Malcolm Turnbull is doing nothing to stop a pay cut for workers,” said Dr Freelander.

“This government has had eight opportunities in the parliament to protect penalty rates and they have voted against protecting them every time. “

“Turnbull’s position is a slap in the face for low paid workers, who this weekend, on July 1 will have their penalty rates cut again. This time the cuts will be even deeper,” said Dr Mike Freelander MP.

More than ten thousand people, or 1 in 6 workers, in Macarthur work in the retail, food and accommodation industries affected by the cuts. And the cuts will continue on 1 July 2019 and 1 July 2020.

These workers stand to lose up to $77 per week from cuts to penalty rates.“Penalty rates are not a luxury, they are what pay the bills and put food on the table,” said the Member for Macarthur.

“Labor is completely opposed to any cuts to penalty rates for Australian workers.”