Belly; I am talking about QLD. As for NSW I don't know, but if they don't have to trade on BD, well that's great for them.

As for what you say with the new award, or what every you are saying, I am sorry, but I don't understand you.

What I do know is that while many may claim to work 'un paid overtime', they fail to acknowledge the times that they 'don't work' but get paid for. Checking and forwarding personal emails, sending texts, hanging around shop/office fronts having a smoke break.

Anyway, this is off track. My beef is that my staff only get Xmas day off this year becasue some 'toss' has decided to throw a stick in the works, which, by the way, won't effect him/her.

rehctub: << All shopping centres today have what is refferred to as 'core trading hours' and, as a retailer, you must trade these hours or face fines. >>

That's not "law", rehctub. It's a contractual condition of the lease that you entered into. Your problem is with your lessor, not the Fair Pay Commission.

Of course, you do have the choice of working yourself instead of taking the day off, or giving yourself and your staff the day off and paying the penalty to your money-grabbing landlord.

CJ Morgan covered it well rechtub but make an effort to understand.
The long term future is annualized salary's.
And I have given you an idea how it works, it however is much more complex, answers to your problems can be found.
Not the wet cheeks about workers being human, maybe if it is that bad you should sack your manager.
Look at the way I said, take a worker you do not want ever, to work extra hours, or outside normal hours, they would be paid normal rate.
Those you want to be flexible in hours days worked get paid a single loaded rate all hours worked.
This gives higher super and long service payments and other benefits.
It is my view in time, this system will be used by most, with the safety net that extreme or excessive overtime will bring extra payments.
This system is in place, it compels some workers to work one in two Saturdays, a few Sundays, and a given amount of hours outside normal a year.
Excessive hours are paid as Christmas payment.
Or taken as paid leave 8 hours Sunday becomes 16 hours paid leave.
Again average worked overtime over a period of years is said to be the new standard, paid and expected to be worked at the new rate.
I know of such schemes workers and bosses would fight to keep, it works for both sides.

Ok Belly and CJ, we will agree to disagree on the laws of boxing day trading. The fact remains that boxing day has been decaired as 'a normal trading day', you are welcome to look that up if you wish.

What I want to know is what is happening to the traditions in this country.

Go back 20 years, nothing was open Xmas day. Every retail shop was closed for three or four days over Xmas, depending on the day it falls.

Slowly we have seen these family values errodded, all in the name of increased competition and extended trading hours.

Why do we need this?

As for belly's suggestion of IR laws, this has been done in many hospitality areas and has worked well. So why change it?

This industry faced ruin under the new IR laws until they took their case further and won an exemption. I assume that cost the industry millions, but why did they have to go down this road in the first place?

On another note I see Krud has finally decided to tackle the wasted billions from welfare with a 'debit card scheme'. Three cheers Mr Rud!

You would not be compelled to trade in NSW on boxing day.
I spoke not about the new IR laws but an existing and growing way to pay workers, annualized salary's, the future is this way.
The betraying, no other words explain it, of hospitality workers by my team shows a clear lie from Julia Gillard.
She said at state conference the ALP, her and Rudd no longer listen to the loudest voice.
A clear reference to unions in my view.
She and he however heard the mining lobby loud and clear and Queensland tourism.