Greens bill backs ACTU secure work push
Greens Deputy Leader and workplace relations spokesperson, Adam Bandt, has backed ACTU President Ged Kearney’s call for action on insecure work, made at the ACTU job summit in Old Parliament House today.
Mr Bandt said he expects further debate next week on the Greens' Fair Work Amendment (Tackling Job Insecurity) Bill 2012 and has called on Labor to back the bill.
“The Prime Minister will address the ACTU secure jobs summit tomorrow. I hope she gets behind the Greens' bill to address the growing problem of insecure work,” Mr Bandt said.
“This a big test for Labor. We will find out whether they will take real action to give people a pathway out of casual and insecure work and into permanent jobs.”
"A growing number of Australian workers find themselves in "insecure" employment, such as long-term casual employment or rolling contracts. Too many Australian workers have little economic security and little control over their working lives. This makes it harder for them to plan their lives or commit to long term arrangements like getting a mortgage.”
"This is a particular problem for women, who are more likely to find themselves in insecure employment.”
"The rates of temporary work in Australia are staggering, with around a quarter of employees having no paid leave entitlements. Spain is the only country in the OECD with a higher rate of temporary work than Australia.”
The Fair Work Amendment (Tackling Job Insecurity) Bill 2012 will implement a number of recommendations of the landmark ‘Lives on Hold' report, conducted by the former Deputy Prime Minister, Brian Howe, released by the ACTU. The Bill amends the Fair Work Act to provide a process for workers employed on an ‘insecure' basis to be moved to ongoing employment on a part-time or full-time basis overseen by the Fair Work Commission.