A BORDER business leader has called for Sunday penalty rates to be up for scrutiny.
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Murray-Riverina NSW Business Chamber regional manager Ben Foley believes the extra money paid to Sunday workers needs to be part of a debate around the future of penalty rates.
"Sunday penalty rates need to be on the table, they are effectively double time, but we don't put them in the ball park of excessive," Mr Foley said.
"I think the dialogue needs to happen in terms of how many businesses are choosing not to open on Sundays for the simple fact they can't afford to operate."
Mr Foley said his chamber did not want penalties to be abolished but had particular concerns about public holiday add-ons.
"We are keen to have an open dialogue about excessive penalty rates that can be applied on public holidays, where it they can be 2½ times the normal wage," Mr Foley said.
Mr Foley's comments coincided with Albury and district delegates from the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association meeting to discuss a campaign opposing cuts to penalty rates.
Lavington Coles supermarket delegate Nicole Boswell said she was "keen to fight" any penalty cuts by the Federal Government.
"If they eat away at retail workers, then where will they go next, will they go to emergency workers?" Ms Boswell said.
"Other workers need to realise this could affect them."
Albury Myer department store delegate Michelle Sullivan said women at her workplace would suffer if penalties ended.
"A lot of the staff I speak to are mums, they have to pay childcare during the week," Mrs Sullivan said.
"They would have to work more hours to pay for the childcare without penalty rates."
Albury Dan Murphy's liquor store delegate Mike Hamilton said those at his workplace were generally aged 18 to 24, with many supporting themselves through university.
"If they take it away it will have a huge impact on a lot of people with university students and families,” Mr Hamilton said.
"There's a young bloke who has a kid and he has three jobs and he works on Sundays and he goes from one job to another."
Workers at Coles on Sundays are paid double time from 9pm to 11pm and time and a half from 6am to 9pm.
Dan Murphy's employees and Myer personnel are on time and a half on Sundays.
The SDA has argued if penalties were cut there would be a drop in the Border economy, however Mr Foley pointed to a study that showed if more firms opened on Sundays there would be a multiplier effect benefit.