SA nurses fear penalty rates proposal

South Australia's nurses' union is worried the Productivity Commission proposal to reduce Sunday penalty rates could affect personal care workers.

A draft report into Australia's workplace relations framework has suggested keeping penalty rates for essential services while cutting Sunday rates for the hospitality, entertainment and retail sectors.

But Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation SA chief executive Elizabeth Dabars said there is a risk personal care work will not be considered an essential service, costing the workers vital penalty rates.

"Personal care workers are among the most dependent of all workers on penalty rates, with 22 per cent of their take-home pay supplemented by shift penalties," Ms Dabars said in a statement.