About 50 union protestors marched on Civic on Wednesday, rejecting a proposed agreement which could cut penalty rates awarded to workers at Canberra Southern Crosss Club
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Next week all of nearly 500 workers at the club are expected to vote on a new enterprise bargaining agreement put forth by management which includes penalty rate reductions.
But Ian Mackay, chief executive of Southern Cross Club, said United Voice was being misleading, arguing penalty rates were only being kept in line with existing award rates.
United Voice ACT branch secretary Lyndal Ryan said the move was morally it's reprehensible and threatened the weekends of workers.
According to a copy of the new agreement, casual employees at the club are currently paid double time on Sundays but would be have their Sunday pay reduced to 1.75.
"Workers [should] have the notion that they should have a break, that their whole lives don't have to be work," Ms Ryan said.
She said the union had other issues with the agreement put forth by CSCC.
Mr Mackay defended the proposal as a way to help the club stay competitive and keep costs for customers low. He said two locations under the chain were trialling a weekend surcharge.
"We think it's reasonable and will then be competitive with other hospitality providers," Mr Mackay said.
"We're happy to pay penalty rates, we just want to pay the penalty rates that are in the award."
The potential new rate is the minimum rate set by the Fair Work Commission.
Laura Dymock, 25, who attended on Wednesday, has worked in hospitality for six years.
She said a reduction of penalty rates would see her unable to afford repayments on her house she bought with her partner.
"Working on the weekends ... you are missing out just so you can get the extra pay," Ms Dymock said.
A 22-year-old Arts student, who asked not to be named as he was currently looking for work, said working in hospitality was tough.
"Hospitality workers deserve to have enough money to get by on and penalty rates allow that," he said.
"Businesses that want penalty rates to be gone, they're making a lot of money. ."
Those gathered played a mock game of Deal of No Deal where the prizes included 'no holidays' before being asked to write 'no' on their hands as a symbol of the ballots being cast by CSCC employees.
