PVCA TO URGE PUSHBACK ON CASUALS

Print industry employers’ association PVCA is waiting for the detail on the contentious change to the status of casuals in employment law, but says it will urge members to push back against it, if the reported changes are indeed put into the bill.

Tony Burke, minister for Employment and Workplace Relations in the Albanese government, says casuals need to have the right to become permanent employees if they have received regular rostered hours for just six months. At present the legislation allows conversion on 12 months. Burke has signalled that the amendments will be introduced by the end of the year.

The print industry uses large numbers of casuals, given the peaks and troughs nature of the business, and PVCA says the existing situation provides both protection for workers and flexibility for businesses.

Charles Watson, policy, IR and governance manager at PVCA, said, “There are enough protections for casuals in the current legislation. Amending it will muddy the waters, and make it difficult for print business, most of whom do not have their own HR departments, to manage the changes."

Watson says the legislation is unnecessary as, "There would be very few, if any, print businesses that are not currently doing the right thing by casuals.”

PVCA says the motivation for moving to a six-month crossover is flawed, and will leave printers guessing on whether it is worth it or not. It says workloads can vary dramatically over a year.

Watson said, “Small business needs the flexibility that casuals provide. The 12-month arrangement gives employers the vision of a year, six months is just not long enough to judge if a role is viable to be converted to permanent.

“The current legislation serves both employers and casuals well. Changing it will only lead to confusion, and perhaps hesitation in employing casual staff, many of whom enjoy the benefits they have in being casuals, which includes the wage loading, and the flexibility to work or not, according to their own circumstances.”

PVCA has been in contact with the department and the minister, and is waiting for the actual legislation to be tabled before making further comments, however Watson said, “If minister Burke does proceed with a six month conversion proposal PVCA will be lobbying against it, and will be encouraging all members to do the same.”

The government is also proposing ‘same job, same pay’ legislation, which is aimed to ensure workers taken on a temporary basis through labour hire companies are paid the same as permanent experienced qualified staff. Watson says although the related legislation has not yet landed, should it be drafted according to the statements espoused by the minister, the effects on the industry should be minimal.