The Prime Minister’s projection of 280,000 jobs being created by Christmas – if proven correct – is a hollow promise if they follow current workforce trends with 60 per cent of post-pandemic jobs being insecure and workers working two or more jobs at higher rates than any other time since the ABS began keeping records.
The Morrison Government has done nothing to address job insecurity and record wage stagnation – instead they have made it worse by legislating that any worker can be labelled as ‘casual’ irrespective of the true nature of their employment.
More than a million people are currently looking for work – even if the Prime Minister’s projections are accurate it will barely begin to address the underlying issues in the workforce.
To combat growing inequality where workers can no longer survive on just one job, the Government must take a stand and regulate the overuse of insecure work, including labour hire, casual employment, and the gig-economy.
Quotes attributable to ACTU President Michele O’Neil:
“Many of these Christmas jobs will not go to our unemployed, instead they will go to workers who are not getting enough hours in their current job to keep a roof over their heads.
“280,000 new jobs would be fantastic news if they were secure, reliable and wages were liveable.
“The Morrison Government has done nothing to address insecure work and persistent, record low wage growth, instead they have worsened the situation by attacking unions and entrenching casualisation through legislation.
“60 per cent of post pandemic jobs have been insecure. Instead of taking an opportunity to build a stronger, more equitable workforce the Morrison Government is doubling down on the failed policies which led to a third of workers suffering through a pandemic with no sick leave.”
