Retail Award delay – is this a Pyrrhic victory?

What is really needed is Harmonised Trading Hours and Awards – NOW!

Without the combined Trading Hours and Awards changes, Australian retailers’ and their customers will be the losers.

The ARA and the other retail sector associations are breathing a sigh of relief – a delay in implementing the new retail sector awards.

·         This is putting off the inevitable – a Pyrrhic victory of sorts.

As promoted for the last six months what is really needed is Harmonised Trading Hours and Awards brokered by retail sector industry associations with the SDA – Julia Gillard in our view would be supportive.

The ARA at least actively promoted the delay in person – credit due.

Following is the recent ARA statement.

ARA Release

Wednesday 2 September 2009

New award five-year phase-in protects retail jobs for now

Peak retail industry body the Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has applauded the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) decision to make use of the new retail award's full five year transition period for increases to penalties and wage rates.

ARA Employment Relations spokesperson Yvonne Anderson said retailers who would have shed staff to cope with full wage increases from January 2010 were relieved by the decision to phase-in increases to wages, casual and part-time loadings, penalty rates and shift allowances at 20 percent per year from July 2010.

"The ARA congratulates the AIRC for considering the pleas from small retailers who couldn't cope with abrupt wage bill increases at a time when consumer confidence is still unsteady.

"The gradual phase-in of wage bill increases under the new retail award will give small retailers time to accommodate the changes and allow them to concentrate on holding onto staff at a time when job security is a vital ingredient in continuing economic recovery," Anderson said.

"However, there is still a concern the phase-in of weekend penalty rates may only protect retail jobs for the time being by delaying retailers' decisions to either close their doors on Sundays or cut back on staff who usually work on weekends.

"For small retailers the increased wage bills will eventually begin to outweigh the commercial benefits of meeting consumer demand and of employing workers for Sunday trading.

"This is of particular concern for small retailers in NSW, QLD and ACT where penalty rates for hours worked on Sundays will eventually increase from time and a half to double time under the new award," Anderson said.

As said repeatedly what is really needed is Harmonised Trading Hours and Awards brokered by all the retail sector industry associations with the SDA – Julia Gillard in our view would be supportive.

What is needed however is a combined approach from the ARA, the NRA and ANRA working with the SDA – without the combined Trading Hours and Awards changes, Australian retailers’ and their customers will be the losers.

To comment on Harmonised Trading Hours and Awards email Harmonised Trading Hours and Awards.

Tony Standley
Principal
The RETAiL Alert Group (Australia)
Mobile +61 (0)41 924 0497
e-mail info@adsass.com.au
Fax +61 (0)2 9987 0633
Website http://www.retailalert.com.au
 
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