Workers facing penalty rate cuts won't get any joy from the Turnbull government.
The Fair Work Commission has recommended cuts in Sunday penalty rates for workers on modern awards in the hospitality, retail, fast food and pharmacy sectors, to boost jobs for the unemployed and under-employed and help small businesses in particular.
However, it is still considering how the transition to the new rates can be made, while minimising the hardship for affected workers.
The government has told the commission, in a submission released on Friday, it should make its own independent decision.
The arrangements should ensure the cuts come into force in a timely way, while "taking into consideration the potential economic impact and effects on employees," the government submission said.
However the government offered a view on "take home pay orders" - which have been used in past to minimise hardship in changes to modern awards - saying they were "not available" in this case.
The federal opposition said in its submission the penalty rate cut decision should be set aside and laws changed to ensure such a decision can never again be made.
It argued up to 700,000 people who rely on Sunday and public holiday penalty rates will be directly hit by the decision, which could also flow on to other workers in time.
No transition process could be devised which would protect wages, Labor said.
The government has estimated 300,000 to 450,000 workers will be affected.
Opposition employment spokesman Brendan O'Connor said the government's submission was hostile to affected workers.
"The government has not argued against these cuts extending to further awards covering restaurant and hair and beauty workers," he said in a statement.
Two independent bodies proposed ways to ease the pain of the cuts.
Small business ombudsman Kate Carnell said any changes should coincide with annual increases in modern award minimum wages, with a transition period of two to three years.
This would ensure there was no substantial decrease in take home pay when the penalty rate reduction takes effect.
Fair Work Ombudsman chief counsel Janine Webster agreed with the changes coinciding with July 1 adjustments to modern award minimum wages.
