JOB LOSSES ARE A CONCERN TO CONSTITUENTS
The Member for Berowra, Philip Ruddock MP said today that locals employed in retail or hospitality have been warned by industry groups to brace for job losses under Labor’s proposed industrial relation reforms.
The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) said small retailers cannot cope with the increased labour costs associated with Labor’s Fair Work Bill, indicating staff will be sacked.
“I have a restaurant business in my electorate that employs over 40 staff serving 800 local people a week that has been in business for 11 years and they have written and spoken to me about their grave concerns,” Mr Ruddock said.
“According to the ARA, more than one in two small retailers will shed staff under Labor’s new modern retail award as it will push small business costs up.
“We will see restaurants in the electorate of Berowra reducing their hours or at very worse shutting their doors under Labor’s industrial relations reforms, putting more people out of work. Other restaurants may cut their opening hours back, and restructure their rosters to reduce labour costs.
“Under Labor’s IR reforms, the restaurant, café and catering industry will come under the hotels award, which applies to pubs and casinos. This will push labour costs up for small businesses in my electorate.
“Retail and hospitality workers want a guarantee from the Federal Labor Government that they will still have a job in 12 months time.
“Cash flow is the single biggest problem for small businesses in this economic crisis, and this Government is doing very little to help Australia’s 2.4 million small businesses which employ 3.8 million Australians.
“While I understand in these uncertain economic times that no small business is recession proof, the Federal government is making the problem worse with award modernisation,” Philip Ruddock said.