THE Launceston Chamber of Commerce and Industry will push for minimum shift times to be brought down to one hour when it appears before a Productivity Commission hearing next week. The Productivity Commission is holding public hearings in Hobart on Monday to get feedback on its draft workplace relations framework. Some of the recommendations in the draft include scrapping Sunday rates and replacing them with the Saturday rate, allowing modern award employees to agree to swap particular public holidays for other days with their employers, and a full review of the Fair Work Commission. LCCI executive officer Maree Tetlow said penalty rates would be a "major focus" for the chamber. "There's support from our members for a penalty rate compromise," Ms Tetlow said. Ms Tetlow said replacing Sunday rates with Saturday rates was a "reasonable compromise". She said she would also push to support reducing minimum shift times to one hour. "Especially in regional areas and for juniors and young people still at school," she said. "We're keen for young people to be employed after school and get that valuable work experience." Ms Tetlow said she would also submit to the Productivity Commission that better communication was needed with small businesses on "the constantly changing workplace relations environment". "People struggle to maintain the most current information on what to pay people," she said. At the time of its release, Unions Tasmania secretary Steve Walsh said the draft was a "partisan political document designed to lay the groundwork for an all-out assault on penalty rates, the minimum wage and workers' rights".
THE Launceston Chamber of Commerce and Industry will push for minimum shift times to be brought down to one hour when it appears before a Productivity Commission hearing next week.
The Productivity Commission is holding public hearings in Hobart on Monday to get feedback on its draft workplace relations framework.
Some of the recommendations in the draft include scrapping Sunday rates and replacing them with the Saturday rate, allowing modern award employees to agree to swap particular public holidays for other days with their employers, and a full review of the Fair Work Commission.
LCCI executive officer Maree Tetlow said penalty rates would be a "major focus" for the chamber.
"There's support from our members for a penalty rate compromise," Ms Tetlow said.
Ms Tetlow said replacing Sunday rates with Saturday rates was a "reasonable compromise".
She said she would also push to support reducing minimum shift times to one hour.
"Especially in regional areas and for juniors and young people still at school," she said.
"We're keen for young people to be employed after school and get that valuable work experience."
Ms Tetlow said she would also submit to the Productivity Commission that better communication was needed with small businesses on "the constantly changing workplace relations environment".
"People struggle to maintain the most current information on what to pay people," she said.
At the time of its release, Unions Tasmania secretary Steve Walsh said the draft was a "partisan political document designed to lay the groundwork for an all-out assault on penalty rates, the minimum wage and workers' rights".
