A major retail company is considering sweeping changes to employee entitlements. As the proposal gains traction, industry experts are weighing in on how this could reshape the workplace landscape.
In a move that could redefine the structure of work breaks across the nation, Kmart, one of the country’s major employers, has sparked a debate that could see the end of the traditional 10-minute ‘smoko’ or work break for workers.
This proposal, part of a broader push for changes to employee entitlements, has been presented to the Fair Work Commission and is stirring up a mix of reactions from various stakeholders.
Kmart, which boasts a workforce of approximately 38,000, has argued that the concept of a 10-minute break is outdated, especially among their younger employees. According to reports by the Australian Financial Review, the retail giant claims that these workers prefer to forgo the break, as they often ‘carry water’ with them and smoking is not as common as it once was.
The retail giant’s proposal is in support of the Australian Retailer’s Association (ARA), which applied for 17 amendments to industry awards.
Among these proposed changes, the ARA suggests that employees should have the option to take their 10-minute rest break at the end of their shift. Additionally, the ARA is advocating for the elimination of unpaid meal breaks for shifts up to six hours and is calling for more flexibility in scheduling breaks without the need for advance rostering.
They are also pushing to reduce the mandatory gap between shifts from 12 hours to 10 hours and to remove the requirement to pay loading to full-time staff for overtime, evening, and weekend work, provided they are compensated with a salary of at least 25 per cent above the standard rates.
Chris Melton, Kmart’s head of supply operations, has voiced support for these changes, emphasising the shift in workforce demographics and the decline in smoking rates as key factors in reevaluating break times.
However, not everyone is on board with these proposed changes. Unions have expressed strong opposition, warning that ARA’s push could lead to the complete eradication of rest breaks, which are crucial for worker wellbeing.
Bona criticised the proposal as a ‘smokescreen’ for larger intentions, adding, ‘This is about the Australian Retailers Association going into bat with a number of big retailers.’
‘What they want to do is they want to get rid of awards and they are saying, ‘OK, we will pay you an extra 25 per cent if we get rid of the penalty rates, Sundays, public holidays and those breaks for people.’ It has nothing to do with smoko. It is about getting workers to do away with their entitlements and saying, we will pay you an extra 25 per cent if you actually do away with them.’
He continued, ‘Read between the lines with this. There is more to this than meets the eye, trust me.’
Webber echoed these sentiments, highlighting the importance of laws that protect vulnerable workers and cautioning against the potential for exploitation by unscrupulous employers.
‘On face value, I would be the person to say I want to work through and get to the end and go 10 minutes early, but the reality is most common sense Aussies and employers and employees can work it out. It is the dodgy employers you are trying to protect people from. When you were young in our day you smoked so you genuinely could get a break,’ she said.
‘Everyone was out there. You felt sorry for people who didn’t smoke.’
The 10-minute break has long been a staple of the Australian workday, offering a brief respite to recharge and refocus. The question now is whether this tradition will stand the test of time or if the nation is on the cusp of a significant shift in workplace culture.
We at YourLifeChoices understand the importance of staying informed about changes that could impact your work life. How do you feel about the possibility of these breaks being phased out? Do you believe that the proposed changes are beneficial or not? Your insights are valuable, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Also read: Right to disconnect: Why workers still can’t switch off
I suppose they want to remove toilet beaks as well. Some employees are on their feet for the whole shift so without a break it puts a real strain on their body. I think it should be up to an individual to decide if they need a break not the employer.
Breaks not beaks. Sorry.
Haha let them do it and nobody will choose to work outside of normal Monday to Friday hours any more. The main reason people choose to work at night and on weekends is because of the extra money from penalty rates.
What does the EBA say? If it says that there’s to be a 10 minute break (other than for a smoke), then the break is to be used, for example to go to the loo, have a drink, and to rest the tired bones if the person is standing for most of their shift.
The unions & FWA won’t be happy if these rules are flouted and the employee not given their break.
Workers aren’t meant to be standing ALL shift!
It’s up to the workers to actually read what is being proposed and oppose it. Smoko used to be, many decades ago, a break to have a smoke. This turned into having a drink and possibly a snack – time to step away from what you were doing so you could be refreshed to get on with the next part of your day. Unfortunately, I see things turning into an Americanized working environment. Young people, plus older people who are in the workforce need to think long and hard about this as it is the tip of a very slippery slope into loss of workers rights and money.
I was working in retail (power tool sales) in 1997 and my employer did not pay overtime, but paid 25% above award which was termed supervisor’s rate as per the Retail Award.
We, the salespeople worked from 7am to 5:30pm daily plus 8am to noon on Saturdays.
We were happy enough with this arrangement as the owners allowed us a Weekly Bonus based on total weekly sales above a set dollar level and above a set sliding scale percentage profit margin. The incentive was to on-sell as a team as we all benefitted. On some weeks it was possible to have a bonus of a couple of thousand dollars each.
We worked hard and were paid appropriately!!