The South Australian Business Chamber is calling on the State Government to not give in to union demands to classify Easter Sunday as a public holiday.
Yesterday, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees Association (SDA) demanded that Easter Sunday become a public holiday, but in a challenging economic climate, businesses disagree.
The South Australian Business Chamber’s Chief Executive Andrew Kay expressed concern that the continual push for additional public holidays place increased cost pressures on businesses already grappling with rising energy prices, freight and supply chain issues and interest rate rises.
“South Australia already has 12 full public holidays, as well as two additional half days. This request for Easter Sunday as a public holiday follows a move by the government to designate Christmas Day as a public holiday regardless of which day it falls.
“Already the legislation creates additional public holidays when certain public holidays fall on a weekend – that’s why we often have several days in a row at Christmas time. Over time these extra days add up – with an additional eight public holidays created every seven years on average.”
As part of the government’s review of public holidays, the South Australian Business Chamber also highlighted a discrepancy that will see NDIS recipients lose out.
“NDIS recipients are funded for 12 public holidays per year, so they are already in deficit in South Australia. Every time an additional holiday is added, both recipients and providers lose, and that is something this sector simply can’t afford”, Mr Kay added.
The South Australian Business Chamber proposes an alternative. Should the government capitulate to the SDA and add Easter Sunday as a public holiday, then they must scrap the half-day holidays on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve.
“It’s not an argument about whether an employee who serves you drinks on Easter Sunday should be paid more or less, it’s about the increasing costs that will affect many sectors, especially those who do not have a choice as to whether they trade or not on a public holiday,” said Mr Kay.
The South Australian Business Chamber encourages the State Government to undertake a complete review of the Holiday Act, created in 1910, to strike a happy medium for employers and employees and ensures South Australia remains competitive in attracting business and workers.
MEDIA CONTACT
Anthony Caldwell, Manager – Marketing, Media, Communications
Phone – 0421 508 075
Email – anthony.caldwell@business-sa.com
