Low-paid workers in Canberra are going to be hit harder than public servants by paid parking and face the double whammy of the possible loss of penalty rates.
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The introduction of paid parking in the parliamentary triangle will wipe 8 per cent from the wages of key workers such as cleaners, childcare workers and security guards, their union says.
Last month ACT Shelter warned that low-paid workers in key areas such as aged care may be forced out of the ACT because they are not able to afford housing.
Lyndal Ryan, ACT secretary of United Voice, said small wage increases through national wage cases had not kept pace with inflation, squeezing lower-paid workers out of the housing market.
"It hasn't kept up with the cost of living, particularly housing," she said.
"Any increases they get are being quickly eaten up with other things … and housing is right at the top of that list."
In a national survey conducted by the union, housing was the main concern of members in the ACT.
Ms Ryan said the introduction of paid parking at Barton would badly affect her union's members.
"There are childcare workers in Barton, there's security officers and cleaners, all servicing the buildings in Barton," she said.
"Most of the discussion about paid parking has been around public servants, not surprisingly, but for our members on the minimum rates, the paid parking is 8 per cent of their wages – that's a huge bite."
Ms Ryan said United Voice covers workers in many of Canberra's service industries, including childcare, security, cleaning, hospitality – industries where many jobs are low paid.
Union members are becoming concerned about real wages dropping while costs are increasing, along with the push by employers to reduce penalty rates.
"This is a huge worry in industries where workers rely on penalty rates just to get by," Ms Ryan said.
"They are very anxious about the federal budget, especially the Medicare co-payment and increased cost of medicines.
"If workers abandon these industries, it will be a huge problem for the community. These are essential services on which we all rely.
"There are already difficulties attracting and retaining workers in some of these industries.
"In childcare, for example, educators are leaving because they can get better pay doing less demanding work – they don't want to leave, but they can't afford to stay.
"If housing is out of their reach while they do these jobs, more will walk."
United Voice will appeal against the Fair Work Commission's controversial decision in May to cut Sunday penalty rates for tens of thousands of casual restaurant, cafe and catering staff by 25 per cent.
Brian Kidman, an inspector at Canberra Casino, said he was very reliant on penalty rates and fears he could lose them.
"Probably 30 per cent of my wages are made up of penalty rates so if I lose them, it will become very serious," he said. "They have started nibbling away at the edges of them, they are on the way down, I think."
Mr Kidman said although he was a full-time worker, it was ominous that casual workers in hospitality had lost part of their penalty rates for Sunday.
"We're in hospitality and that's the first one they've targeted," he said.
"If we didn't have the penalty rates, I would lose probably one third of my wage."
Mr Kidman lives in Queanbeyan to take advantage of cheaper housing.
"When I first came to Canberra, Queanbeyan was cheaper but I don't think that's the case any more," he said.
"Housing is just getting dearer all the time, the mortgage takes up a hell of a lot of my budget."
Dr Kim Houghton, a private sector economist who has done research for United Voice, said the financial pressures on low-paid workers in the ACT were quite significant.
"Clearly, the cost of housing in particular in the ACT is fairly high," he said.
While incomes are high in the ACT, expenses are higher than other capital cities.
"If you are not one of those households who have a high income then you do struggle," he said.
Low-paid workers would face dire financial hardship if they lost penalty rates, he said.