The past three years have brought the most significant improvements to rights at work in more than a decade.
These new rights have made a difference to IEU members’ working lives and have delivered higher wages, more secure jobs, the right to disconnect, more balanced bargaining laws and fairer workplaces for women.
Because of these new rights:
- Wage growth has reached a 12-year high.
- Minimum super is about to hit 12%.
- Workers have the right to disconnect outside of work hours.
- Nine (9) in every 10 new jobs being created in Australia is a secure job.
- Union delegates have new rights to represent members’ (and eligible members’) industrial interests.
- It’s easier to access flexible work arrangements like part-time work and job share.
- Limits on fixed-term contracts have ended the era of unfair, rolling contracts in schools, particularly for school officers.
- There are more pathways to bargain for collective agreements that boost wages and working conditions.
- The gender pay gap is narrowing three times faster.
However, with an election called for 3 May, these rights are at risk if there is a change of federal government.
The Coalition of the Liberal and National parties has publicly pledged to scrap or wind back the gains workers have made over the last three years.
Visit the Protect Our Rights at Work online hub to find out more!
Why are we communicating with members about this issue?
Our union is not affiliated with any political party and does not make donations to political parties, but we have a responsibility to monitor the industrial landscape and advocate for the best outcomes for members.
We believe the best outcome for members is to protect and expand the rights at work introduced by the current Labor federal government.
We also believe a second term Labor federal government would work to expand workers’ rights to better address cost-of-living pressures facing members and their families.
