’ARCHAIC’ PAY DEAL SCRAPPED

A Two-decades-old “zombie agreement’’ that deprived employees of Queensland’s largest hospitality group of penalty rates, has been described as archaic and unconscionable by a Fair Work Commissioner.

Commissioner Jennifer Hunt on Thursday ordered Mantle Group Hospitality’s 22-year-old staff services agreement to be terminated from June 9.

She said the effect of the employer having the benefit of an agreement made in 1999, without paying employees penalty rates, at least in the last decade, was “a disgrace’’.

“I consider it necessary for a light to be shone on these kinds of archaic arrangements,’’ Commissioner Hunt said, in a decision scathing of MGH’S agreement.

The hospitality group, owned by millionaire Godfrey Mantle, will now have to pay award penalty rates to its employees.

“For more than two decades the employer has had the benefit to it, and to it only, in depriving employees of payment of penalty rates for work performed at night, on weekends and on public holidays,’’ Commissioner Hunt said.

She said it provided “no benefit to employees at all’’.

“The effect of employees working without payment of penalty rates is staggering,’’ Commissioner Hunt said.

She said casual level one employees lost more than $11 an hour for working on Sundays, compared with the award rate.