World Day for Decent Work highlights plight of insecure workers
October 7 2011 - World Day for Decent Work is a poignant reminder of the number of workers who do not have secure employment across the globe and in Australia’s own backyard.
ACTU President Ged Kearney said the annual milestone was this year focusing on insecure employment, which was more prevalent in Australia than almost anywhere in the OECD.
"The number of Australians employed in insecure work ranks as the second highest in the OECD - an appalling statistic in an era in which our economic state is among the world’s best," Ms Kearney said.
"Australia moved through the Global Financial Crisis in better shape than any other developed country, yet 40% of our workforce is engaged in insecure employment.
"Given the strength of the Australian economy and decades of sustained economic growth, there is no justification for why the proportion of the workforce with insecure jobs is so high. This is an appalling statistic for Australia to own and there is absolutely no economic justification for it."
Ms Kearney said workers in insecure employment were either employed as casuals, contractors, fixed term or labour hire.
"They do not have all the same rights as the rest of the workforce and cannot plan for the future," she said.
Ms Kearney said unions were pleased the Government had shown it was committed to listening to workers’ concerns, through yesterday’s Jobs Forum, but now action is needed.
"It is important that we now see action that delivers more support for local jobs and industries through local content rules, and stronger enforcement of labour rights, which are essential to ensure Australians continue to have secure jobs with good pay and conditions well into the future," she said.
"We released the Unions’ Action Plan for Jobs at the forum to navigate Government, industry and workers through the challenges faced by the economy now and into the future.
Ms Kearney said the action plan was a starting point towards solutions to meet challenges within the labour market.
"According to the ILO, across the world at least half the workforce is engaged in various forms of vulnerable work," she said.
"In a 2010submission to the UN Special Representative for Business and Human Rights, the IMF and IUF (global unions) argued that precarious work is ‘rapidly becoming the biggest obstacle to the respect of workers’ rights’.
"In Australia, millions of workers have no certainty about their income, or even if they will have work, from week to week and that is building a fragile house of cards in the economy. It is time we stop the exploitation in Australia and give workers the security and fair conditions they deserve. Australia can afford it.
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