Government Must Lead on Casual Leave

Date: 15 February 2001

The Federal Government's failure to support an ACTU test case to extend unpaid maternity leave to casual workers is denying Australia's 2 million casuals the security of knowing they can have a family without the fear of losing their job ACTU President Sharan Burrow said today.

In the first day of hearing of the ACTU's case before the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in Melbourne today, major employer group the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry indicated that they would support the ACTU's push to establish maternity leave rights for casuals.

However, the Australian Hotels Association said that they will oppose the application and the Federal Government indicated that it had not ye6t made up its mind whether to oppose or support the application.

"This is a case of the Howard Government and workplace relations minister Tony Abbott again lining up with the radical minority.

"Instead of pandering to recalcitrant employer groups like the AHA, Tony Abbott should show some leadership and support basic rights for casual workers," said Ms Burrow.

If successful, the ACTU application would give unpaid maternity leave rights to all casual workers who have 12 months regular and systematic
employment with the same employer.

Casual workers now make up 27% of the Australian workforce up from only 13% at the beginning of the 1980's.

Under the Federal Government's workplace laws casual workers are specifically excluded from accessing maternity leave despite the fact that 60% of casual workers have worked for the same employer for more than a year.

"Mr Abbott says he wants to be minister for employees as well as employers.

"Well he can't sit on the fence on this one. He either supports improved rights and security for casual workers and gets behind the ACTU's test case, or he sides with the recalcitrant minority of radical employers who are opposing it," said Ms Burrow.

For further information

Contact:	George Wright
Union:	Labor Council of NSW
Contact Mobile:	0419 556 616
WWW:	http://www.actu.asn.au

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]