The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) is calling on Prime Minister Rudd to back up his pro-business and pro-productivity statements by defending retailers against the latest excessive union claims.

ARA executive director, Russell Zimmerman, said Prime Minister Rudd must oppose the latest attack on small business productivity through the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) claim against casual and part time work.

“Casual and part time employment options are needed for retail businesses to survive in today’s market. It is simply impossible to hire extra staff over busy periods in the year, such as Christmas, and keep all staff on full time contracts. In order to employ staff at all, retailers need to run a profitable business,” Zimmerman said.

“Retailers are already facing further changes to the industry around new consultation obligations whenever rosters or hours change, new obligations to consider family friendly rosters and new parental leave obligations.

“It is time for Prime Minister Rudd to prove he isn’t all talk and no action – he needs to give Australian retailers and small to medium businesses a boost by supporting them in a real world business outcome against the ACTU’s latest claim which would costs jobs and close businesses if successful,” he said.