Morrison’s dangerous IR bill takes aim at take-home pay and secure work

Part-time workers stand to lose thousands in personal income, while others may be denied secure work altogether under proposed industrial relations changes, warns independent think tank, Per Capita.

In a submission to the senate inquiry into the industrial relations omnibus bill, Per Capita has detailed the likely impact on take-home pay for part-time workers under the bill’s new ‘flexible part time’ work classification.

Their submission details how this fundamental change to our industrial laws will see part-time workers lose overtime pay entitlements, potentially costing them thousands in take-home pay – at a time when they need it most.

Per Capita warns the industrial law changes, “would not only fail to solve the problems it claims to address, but would actively entrench job insecurity and low wage growth for millions of working Australians.”

These devasting changes are being pushed through with little evidence to show how it will support businesses and despite business turnovers and profits holding strong in the aftermath of the pandemic.

“While the case is being made that these changes will help small business, there is little evidence to suggest that it will do anything other than cut wage bills for employers that were already offering overtime.”

The ‘flexible part time’ category could also eradicate permanent employment opportunities from sectors of the economy.

In the senate submission, Per Capita has outlined how a significant ‘power imbalance’ in the laws could see employers shifting entire workforces into ‘perma-flexi’ employment, instead of offering secure part-time jobs with leave entitlements.

By offering only ‘flexible part-time’ positions under new Enterprise Bargaining Agreements, workers, “would have lower incomes, no overtime, reduced worker power, reduced capacity for financial planning and would find it harder to secure bank loans.”

The Senate Inquiry into the omnibus bill has only just begun but it is already clear that this dangerous legislation must be stopped. You can download Per Capita’s full submission to read more on the risks of this extreme change to our industrial laws

You can download Per Capita’s full submission to the Inquiry to get all the facts on this dangerous and extreme legislation.

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