There are 230,000 more workers in secure jobs due to the Albanese Labour government’s industrial relations (IR) law reform.
This includes our members in the non-government education sector.
Nine in 10 of all jobs created during this term of government have been permanent, according to a new report from the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU).
The rate of casual employment has dropped from 24.1 per cent, during the Coalition’s previous nine years in government, to 22.2 per cent.
Casualisation rates could drop even further with nearly 700,000 casual workers eligible, from 26 February 2025, to apply to switch to a permanent job under rights introduced by the Closing Loopholes reforms.
The ACTU said a federal government led by Peter Dutton, if elected, was committed to overturning these laws.
“Australians have more permanent jobs due to the government’s Closing Loopholes legislation, which cracked down on too many jobs being casualised,” ACTU Secretary Sally McManus said.
“Many casual workers also get stronger rights to convert to permanency if they want.
“While many people are happy with casual work, hundreds of thousands are not.
“Peter Dutton voted against all of these new rights for workers and has committed to repealing them if he is elected,” she said.
Laws end era of rolling contracts in schools
IEU-QNT Assistant Secretary Rebecca Sisson said the Albanese government’s IR reforms, beginning with the Secure Jobs, Better Pay laws in 2022, ended the era of unfair, rolling fixed-term contracts in schools.
“Under previous laws workers had weaker rights around secure jobs and some school employers took advantage by keeping employees on rolling fixed-term contacts – some of which rolled on for more than a decade,” Rebecca said.
“Employers can no longer hide behind vague justifications for unfair fixed-term contracts.
“Fixed-term positions must be justified by a reasonable short-term need and generally cannot exceed two years in duration, including extensions.
“As a direct result of these reforms, we’ve supported many IEU members to challenge unfair rolling contracts and transition into secure employment,” she said.
Secure employment must be defended
Rebecca said these groundbreaking IR reforms need to be defended.
“Amidst the worst cost-of-living crisis in a generation, secure employment is more important than ever,” Rebecca said.
“A secure job is often the cornerstone of many other important life milestones like purchasing a house or starting a family.
“Security of employment is a basic working right and clearly – in light of the Coalition’s attitude towards these game-changing IR laws – one we need to protect.
“IEU members who have concerns about their employment arrangements, including moving from a contract to a secure job, should contact our Industrial Team for support,” Rebecca said.
