SDA NSW, the union covering retail, fast food and warehouse workers has welcomed the scrapping of the liquid assets test for the COVID-19 disaster payment, but it says the JopKeeper scheme must be reinstated.
“The Morrison Government’s payment of up to $500 for workers is simply not enough,” said SDA NSW/ACT Secretary Bernie Smith said.
“Anyone who lives in Sydney knows that with $500 for the week you’ll be lucky to pay your rent and get food on the table for one. Let alone feeding a family.
“The reality is that Sydney is experiencing this ongoing lockdown because the Federal Government has failed to get our quarantine system and vaccination program right.
“Now this Government is leaving stood down workers and small businesses in the lurch by doing everything they can to avoid to reinstating JobKeeper.
“We saw how successful JobKeeper was in getting us through lockdowns in 2020 with most workers receiving enough money to get by, and businesses having the security they need.
“JobKeeper was essential in keeping workers, businesses and the economy on its feet then. Now it’s time to bring it back.
“The COVID-19 disaster payment simply isn’t good enough.”
The SDA NSW is also continuing its calls for retail workers to be given priority access to the vaccine.
“Retail workers are calling on the NSW Government to step up and give retail workers priority access to age-appropriate vaccines,” Mr Smith said.
“Retail workers have done an incredible job on the frontline of the pandemic, working day in and day out to keep up an essential service, and they need to be protected from the real threat of COVID-19 exposure.”
