Federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten says his party will fight the government in parliament this week to push back on cuts to Sunday penalty rates.
The Labor leader gave an energetic speech at a rally in Melbourne on Sunday where he told a faithful crowd that stripping back penalty rates was part of a wider attack on the living standards of ordinary Australians.
He told them to hold neighbourhood events to gather support for keeping weekend pay as it is.
The Fair Work Commission last month announced Sunday and public holiday rates would be reduced for workers in hospitality, retail and fast-food jobs and that this would lead to increased services and trading hours.
The federal government is supportive of the change.
"I and Labor will fight tooth and nail this week to ensure that we stop the cuts to penalty rates," Mr Shorten told reporters.
"If the Liberals and Mr Turnbull get away with cutting penalty rates, it is the thin edge of the wedge for the living standards and conditions of all working Australians."
A university student said at the rally that a cut to the Sunday pay she gets in hospitality would force her to choose between rent and transport, or healthy groceries and cheap take-away.
University lecturer Doris Testa told AAP she attended the event on behalf many of her students who needed Sunday pay rates to finance their living expenses and therefore keep themselves in university.
"It's particularly dire for international students who pay upfront fees ... who have to deal with that, as well as live, as well as send money back home," she said
