Click here for our 2020 Election Priorities for Workplace Rights


Decent pay, stable jobs, and safe working conditions are hallmarks of a fair society. The state sector should lead the way modelling good employment practices.

Wages should be higher and not differentiated based on gender, age, or ethnicity

  • Employers should be required to audit and report their gender pay gaps.
  • The Equal Pay Act should recognise equal pay for work of equal value.
  • All working people should have a legislated right to minimum redundancy compensation of four weeks’ pay for the first year employed and two weeks for each subsequent year.

Contractors and temporary workers deserve a fair go

  • Legislative protection should be provided to labour hire working people to ensure their workplace rights are maintained.
  • Improve workplace protections for casual, fixed term, and piece-rate working people, including dependent contracters and migrant workers. 

Working people’s rights to organise should be protected

  • Unions should have access to worksites. Employers who block union access and communication should be penalised.
  • Legislation should enable multi-employer collective bargaining and collective bargaining for contractors.
  • The right to organise and strike for political and social issues should be restored.
  • Unionised workers should have the ability to prevent freeloading by non-unionised workers.

People deserve work life balance

  • Parents should be able to request flexible working arrangements and employers should be required to consider requests in good faith.
  • Moving to a 35-hour standard working week should be investigated.
  • 13 months of parental leave should be available, paid at 100% of the average male wage.
  • A new public holiday should be created between Queen’s Birthday and Labour Day.

Workplaces should be safe and healthy

  • Working people are entitled to fair and reasonable breaks, including for breastfeeding.
  • Where employers are fined for breaches of health and safety laws, workers should receive a portion of the fine.
  • Workplace health and safety training should include unions and other participatory arrangements for working people.
  • Regulations and codes of practice should be developed across a wide range of issues including harassment, stress, and toxic fumes and particles in the workplace.
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