Casual workers poorer by $350 a week due to insecure work

If not having access to sick leave, annual leave or other basic entitlements wasn’t already bad enough, the Morrison Government seems determined to make the lives of causal workers worse.  

Casual workers in Australia are earning on average $350 less each week than their permanent full time or part time counterparts, according to a report released by the ACTU. 

The report: ‘Missing in Action on Secure Jobs’ reveals there are an estimated 4.15 million workers in insecure work.  

This figure has increased by half a million since the Coalition came to power in 2013 and includes workers in casual work, labour hire, in the gig economy, and on rolling fixed-term contracts.  

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus knows this is no coincidence. The Morrison Government is maintaining the Coalition tradition of cosying up to big business at the detriment of workers.  

“This report makes clear what millions of Australian workers already know – insecure workers are being ripped off, and the Morrison Government is doing nothing to stop it,” she says.  

Morrison could change laws to make jobs more reliable and secure. But instead, he chooses to support big business without requiring them to create secure jobs with fair wages in return. 

Cost of living worsening for insecure workers

The report shows 3 out of 4 insecure workers are straining under worsening living costs and overwhelmingly feel the Morrison Government has let them down. 

More than 80% of workers in unreliable jobs are dissatisfied with the Morrison Government’s failure to reduce childcare costs. Unaffordable childcare particularly affects working women who are also more likely than men to be in precarious working positions. 

Morrison has also left insecure workers behind when it comes to housing affordability.  

With so many of insecure workers struggling to keep up with rent, all Morrison says is: “buy a house”.  

If it takes a couple on a stable average income more than a decade to save up for their own home, how can workers who don’t know when their next shift will be purchase a roof over their heads? 

Workers in unreliable jobs can’t afford to plan that far ahead thanks to the Morrison Government’s inaction on wage increases, says Ms McManus. 

“Insecure work gives employers the upper hand in pay negotiations with more than four million workers. This often results in underpaid workers trapped in a deepening cost of living crisis,” she says. 

Your union is always there for you

We are calling on the Morrison Government to act on the recommendations in the report including tightening laws around what constitutes a casual worker and closing the loopholes on ‘sham contracting’.  

We need the Government to act on stronger workplace rights for gig workers and give fixed-term contract workers the opportunity to move to permanent jobs.  

“Insecure work doesn’t just strip workers of their wage and conditions. As this report shows it takes away their health, their time with family and friends and their overall well-being,” Ms McManus says.  

Insecure workers have access to universal superannuation, Medicare, and penalty rates because union members have been standing up for workers for more than a century.  

Even if you work multiple jobs and bounce between industries, there’s always a union there to support you.