Easter Public Holidays Were Already Having Huge Negative Impact on Our Business (Have Been

Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing in regards to the newly appointed Public Holidays, being Easter Sunday and Grand Final Eve and how they have and will impact on our Business.
We are a family owned and operated independent supermarket which currently employs 87 staff made up of 20 Full-Time, 15 Part-Time and 52 Casual employees.
Over the past two years we have had to cut our staffing numbers from where they sat from approximately 100 employees to where they sit now due to rising rent, overhead and employment costs and reduced customer numbers due to intense competition from the big chains and their ever increasing stronghold in the supermarket industry.
Our family have owned this business since January 2000 and we have made many improvements to our business during the past 15 years to help us to survive, however, it is now becoming harder and harder for us to keep our heads above water and we are considered to be one of top 40 independent supermarkets in the State.
Up until this year, the only days our store was closed were Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day until1pm. However, with the announcement of Easter Sunday now being classified as a Public Holiday, we made the decision to close our store on that day.

Easter Public Holidays were already having huge negative impact on our business (have been for several years) and this further day would send us even further into the red.

This now means that approximately 30 of our Casual staff lost a regular shift - a Sunday shift with Sunday penalty rates because of the Governments newly appointed Public Holiday - which was apparently designed to 'help employees?'
The Grand Final Eve Public Holiday is absolutely ridiculous in my opinion. In fact, I have had one of my Part Time employees come to me stating that if this goes ahead, she wants me to only pay her regular rates for her work that day because she finds it absurd this Government could even consider imposing such a ridiculous reason to have a Public Holiday - and this is her way of objecting. She tells me there are other staff who feel the same.

In my opinion, clearly this has been a pay-off to the Unions for the loss of the Show Day Public Holiday years ago. I have spoken to many who feel the same. In fact I haven't heard one person think either of these Public Holidays are a smart idea. It's certainly not helping employees because you're killing the businesses that are employing them.
Going forward, our Business is now reevaluating all Public Holidays throughout the year. We have already made the decision we will now not be opening Boxing Day, New Years Day and Easter Sunday next year, as well as Christmas Day, Good Friday and Anzac Day until1pm.

As the largest employer in Warrandyte, this will impact on our community and our staff - who are predominantly Warrandyte locals.
I am passionate in my beliefs that if businesses can't survive then how can this be helping employees?
Thank you for taking the time to read this email.
Julie Quinton

Quinton's SUPA IGA