Casualisation Concerns

Date: 26 November 2009

Casual employees working regular hours should have the opportunity to convert to permanent status after six months, Unions NSW Secretary Mark Lennon said, as a major study revealed a disturbing rate of casualisation during the economic downturn.

The trend has been revealed in phase three of the Australia at Work report, a five year study of 8000 Australian workers, undertaken by the University of Sydney's Workplace Research Centre.

The study shows that 34 per cent of people who changed jobs in 2008-09 moved into positions with no paid leave.

That compares with 30 per cent for 2007-08.

"The clear message from this report is a disturbing increase in the number of working Australians who lack job security and paid leave," Mr Lennon said.

"Casual employment makes it much harder to deal with many of life's basic issues, like looking after children, getting a mortgage and planning holidays."

"We accept some people appreciate casual employment, but they should have genuine choice in the matter. All industrial agreements need to provide a conversion mechanism for casual workers."

MEDIA ALERT
Australia at Work Research Launch
Mark Lennon, Secretary Unions NSW
Dr John Buchannan, Workplace Research Centre
Details of the launch are as follows:
Time: 11:30 am Thursday 26 November 2009
Venue: Trades Hall Atrium, 4 Goulburn Street Sydney

The research shows casual jobs have grown faster than all other forms of employment in the last 15 years, giving employees far less certainty over their work and leisure time.

In total, one fifth of employees have not reported a job with paid leave in the last four years.

Until WorkChoices, casual conversion was covered under many federal awards.

"While we have certainly moved a long way since the dark days of WorkChoices, we still need clear action to reverse the alarming trend of casualisation," he said.

Mr Lennon said casual employees also needed training and skill development opportunities to act as a bridge to the permanent workforce.

"Employers should invest in all employees working regular long term hours," he concluded.

For further information

Contact:	Mark Lennon
Union:	Unions NSW
Phone:	0427231800
WWW:	www.labor.net.au

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