Rights at Work

Following the Federal Government's introduction of Paid Parental Leave and the Dad and Partner Pay schemes over recent years, we are surveying workers who have accessed or tried to access assistance from them, or plan to in the near future. This will help us respond to the upcoming Government review…

The ACTU has warned that Tony Abbott's proposed Productivity Commission inquiry into Industrial Relations will be used by business to try and impose extreme laws that limit workers' rights. ACTU Secretary, Dave Oliver said remarks today by business leaders and former IR Minister Peter Reith showed business groups wanted Mr…

The Coalition's IR policy is an attempt to return individual contracts to the heart of the IR system while trying to reassure workers that nothing will change, the ACTU said today. ACTU President Ged Kearney said the Coalition's attempt to expand the use of Individual Flexibility Agreements, and allow them…

ACTU president Ged Kearney said parents and especially women should be extremely wary of the Coalition's trumped up paid parental scheme policies, "This policy would dismantle well-functioning agreements between business and employees and create a one-strike-and-fold opportunity for the Coalition to dismantle the scheme should they come to power," Ms…

A new report by the Productivity Commission has confirmed that millions of Australians are in insecure work. The Forms of Work in Australia report shows that the proportion of the workforce employed casually doubled and has not fallen since it began rapidly rising two decades ago. ACTU President Ged Kearney…

Unions angry at Coalition leaked documents that show four key Workchoices policies - that the Australian public clearly voted against - would be resurrected if the Coalition wins government in September. The documents reveal 4 of the 15 industrial relations policies the Coalition says it is planning to implement. These…

New laws introduced today by the Gillard Government will improve fairness in Australian workplaces the ACTU said today. ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver said that the reforms would ensure workers could raise issues with union representatives in workplaces, have access to broader rights to request flexible work arrangements and protect workers…

If you care for a family member or loved ones, chances are that you rely on flexible employment arrangements. Research conducted with working Australians by the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) and ACTU, strongly supports the role of employment in caring responsibilities. Today we ask what role will business be…

Following yet more unacceptable cases of abuse of the 457 visa system, the ACTU is launching a Confidential Hotline to assist those who are being exploited by unscrupulous employers. ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver said some of the latest cases included a father of three, employed for painting and sandblasting, who…

Australian workers' right to be paid a decent wage for working unsociable hours has been reinforced with the Fair Work Commission today comprehensively rejecting an employer push to scrap penalty rates. ACTU President Ged Kearney said the decision in the retail, fast food and hairdressing sectors was a major win…