Prior to the recent Federal election, the Labor Party announced some major industrial relations changes that it intends to introduce, particularly around the topic of “insecure work”.
Policy proposals announced by Labor include:
- Including job security as a new object in the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) (FW Act).
- Redefining a “casual employee” to restrict ongoing, regular casual employment.
- With reference to labour hire firms - ensuring that employees who do the same job receive the same rate of pay.
- Public reporting on the gender pay gap by large companies.
- 10 days paid domestic and family violence leave.
- Making wage theft a crime.
- Giving the Fair Work Commission the power to set minimum pay and conditions for gig workers.
- Prohibiting fixed-term contracts for the same role being extended beyond 24 months or two consecutive contracts, whichever comes first.
- Abolishing the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
- Abolishing the Registered Organisations Commission.
- Improving job security through Government procurement policies.
Additional policy announcements during the Federal election campaign include:
- An additional $2.5 billion to fund wage increases for aged care workers.
- Making gender pay equity an object of the FW Act.
- Setting up two expert panels – one on pay equity and the other for the care and community sector, to help improve pay and conditions for women. Each of the panels would have dedicated research units. The pay equity panel will hear equal remuneration cases and the care and community sector panel will handle award cases relating to this sector.
Members of Ai Group are able to access a recording of Ai Group’s recent Post-Election Workplace Relations Policy Update webinar here in which Stephen Smith, Ai Group’s Head of National Workplace Relations Policy comprehensively discussed the industrial relations policies and plans of the new Labor Government.
