The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is urging changes to workplace laws that should improve job security, rights and protections for the millions of people in Australia in insecure work.

 

In its submission to the Fair Work Act, the ACTU has proposed reforms within the framework of existing legislation to improve collective bargaining rights and build a more secure safety net for insecure workers.

 

The ACTU’s has announced its research is in line with the majority of Australians’ views on workplace legislation.

 

The survey of more than 2000 people found that 57% believe that any new workplace laws should aim to give employees more reliable work. Just 14% said new laws were needed to give businesses greater flexibility in how they employ people.

 

“There is no public mood to hand over increased power to employers, but more importantly, there is no credible evidence or rationale in the way the Fair Work Act is operating to justify this either,” said ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence.

“Our submission will clearly demonstrate that the contrary to the myths being perpetrated by employers, the Fair Work Act has been irrefutably good for workers and good for the economy.

“The facts show that a record number of collective agreements are being made, industrial disputes are down, the economy is growing at a steady pace, unemployment and inflation are low, and wage growth is solid and sustainable. Profits are close to all-time record highs, while wages’ share of national income is at a 40-year low, so business has nothing to complain about.