Labor to take action on penalty rates

Labor would take take action in the parliament and the courts to counter a decision to cut penalty rates, says Bill Shorten.

Bill Shorten says Australian workers have been "kicked in the guts" by a Fair Work Commission decision to cut some penalty rates.

The Labor leader said the decision meant no penalty rates were safe under the Turnbull government.

"We will do everything in our power in the parliament and the courts to remedy this bad decision," Mr Shorten told reporters in Sydney on Thursday.