Secure Employment Case About Choice

Date: 18 December 2003

The Howard Government's decision to oppose a test case giving casual workers the right to secure jobs once again shows it is a government for employers not workers, the NSW Labor Council said today.

The NSW Labor Council will tomorrow oppose the Federal Government's intervention in its Secure Employment Test Case which seeks to set minimum standards that would give casual workers the right to transfer to secure jobs after six months.

The Test Case is the first attempt to create basic rights for the growing number of casual and labour hire workers.

The Case has three main objectives:
- Casual workers who receive regular work of six or more months should have the option to convert from casual to permanent.
- Companies using labour hire should ensure that workers are paid no less than the company's own employees.
- Employers should consult with their workers and unions before contracting out, ensuring employees and contractors receive the same pay and conditions for similar work.

NSW Labor Council Deputy Assistant Secretary Chris Christodoulou said unions would present evidence that shows workers in the same job working regular shifts for five years were still being classified as casuals and denied the benefits of permanency such as redundancy pay, paid holidays and sick pay.

"While there are workers who are suited to casual employment, there are many more who would take secure work if given the choice," Mr Christodoulou said.

"If you want to take out a loan for a car or home, for instance, you have no hope if you can't show you have secure work.

"In opposing our claim the Howard government is saying workers should have no say in their form of employment and are just cogs in the machine rather than human beings.

"Australia has one of the highest rates of casualisation in the developed world - and it is clear that the Howard Government wants to keep it that way. In contrast, unions believe workers deserve the real choice as to the form of their employment.

For further information

Contact:	Chris Christodoulou
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
Phone:	02 9286 1605
WWW:	http://workers.labor.net.au/

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