Shiftworkers to gain on penalty rates
BY BILL MASON
BRISBANE — Up to 200,000 Queensland shiftworkers stand to gain a wage rise following a historic union claim for afternoon and night penalties to override an "outdated" flat rate.
At the end of a union campaign spanning 50 years, the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission on May 9 declared a new policy establishing standards of 12.5% afternoon penalties and 15% night-shift penalties, opening the door for unions to apply on an award-by-award basis for loadings to replace the current flat rate.
The Australian Workers Union, supported by the Queensland Council of Unions, had sought a general ruling for shift penalties to apply to all state award workers, similar to the percentage shift allowance applying in the federal sphere.
Peter Beattie's state Labor government and the employers opposed the union application.
Although the QIRC full bench decided against a general ruling, it said that evidence presented showing many people could not adapt themselves physically or socially to shiftwork was "substantially true", and that, overall, "shiftwork has disabilities which require special remuneration".