Pharmacy Daily | Sunday penalty transition

THE new arrangements for the Pharmacy Industry Award for employees' Sunday remuneration involve a multi-year transition phase during which the penalty rates will progress from 200% on Sundays down to 150%.

The Fair Work Commission (FWC), in announcing the transitional arrangements yesterday, said that the transition for the pharmacy sector would be implemented in four stages over 48 months.

A spokesperson for the Guild said the proposed transitional arrangements "reflect a balanced approach and are a reasonable outcome...the Guild accepts the umpire's decision.

"As advocates for pharmacy small businesses, the Guild had sought a shorter transition period with two stages, Jul 2017 and Jul 2018."

The Guild went on to say it believed the FWC had weighed the evidence and submissions and taken a conservative, balanced approach to the transition to cushion the impact of the penalty rate reductions by spreading them over a prolonged period.

"This is a reasonable approach to what is an important long-term structural reform to our labour market," the Guild said.

"This transition will enable community pharmacies to consider opening longer hours on Sundays, providing enhanced access to medicines and pharmacy services for patients, and more job opportunities for their staff."

The FWC will commence the transition from 01 Jul moving full-time and part-time employees from 200% to 195%, then annually 195% to 180%, 180% to 165% and finally in 2020, 165% to 150%.

Casual employees have a similar 15% per year reduction over the four year period from 225% down to 175%.

Union group Professional Pharmacists Australia said it "does not agree with this decision and will continue to campaign to attempt to get politicians to legislate to restore the current existing penalties."

"We will continue to campaign with pharmacy owners to remind them that they don't have to apply this decision and that they should continue to pay existing penalties to their employee pharmacists."