Workers need roster justice: predictable, reliable hours of work

Has your shift been cancelled without notice? Maybe you’ve been asked to work last minute, and had to say no because of caring responsibilities, and found you’ve lost shifts as a consequence?

Roster changes makes it impossible for workers to plan – how can you balance caring responsibilities with work if you don’t know when you’re going to be working or how much you’re going to earn?

Unfair rostering disadvantages workers in insecure work: unions are calling for for roster justice.

Workers should be able to have predictable hours of work, rosters and shifts – and those things shouldn’t be able to change just because an employer wants them to change, without the agreement of a worker.

Employers are seeking ‘flexibilities’ that give employers ultimate scheduling control, while taking away important protections, rights, and entitlements from workers, which undermines their job security. Bosses just want to have the power to force workers to turn up at any point they want, regardless of the disruption that causes to their lives.

Flexibility should not come at the cost of workers’ rights.

Workers need roster justice: predictable, reliable hours of work that workers can financially rely on, with genuine consultation about the impacts when changes occur.

Unions have submitted a reply to the Fair Work Commission’s review of work conditions, calling for roster justice and highlighting the impact that unfair rostering has on workers.