The ACTU today has welcomed the passing of the Closing the Loopholes Bill passing the senate.
The new laws will give new rights to casual and gig workers, protect road transport workers, and provide new rights for workers to be able to disconnect from work when they are not being paid.
The passing of the Closing the Loopholes Bill fulfils a core election commitment from the Labor Government to give casual workers more rights and choices, and to protect gig workers and truckies.
These changes will further assist workers feeling the strain and will build on cost-of-living bonus that the Albanese government delivered during the rebalancing of the stage 3 tax cuts.
Casual workers can now have hope that their futures will be more secure and stable.
The Government's bill was passed with the support of The Greens, Lydia Thorpe and David Pocock.
Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:
"This is a great day for Australian workers.
We believe the new rights won in this legislation will deliver on the Government's promise to take action to improve job security for all workers.
Not only will casual and gig workers have more rights, protections, and choices, but all workers can look forward to a better working life.
For the first time, all Australian workers will have the right to refuse unreasonable, unpaid work such as the expectation they will monitor and respond to emails out of hours in which they are being paid.
The right to disconnect is fair and essential to maintaining a balance between work and personal time. We thank, in particular, Senator Barbara Pocock from the Greens for her work on this issue.
Workers know that rights are hard to win, and very important to protect. These new rights build on those rights at work that are essential to Australia's claim to a fair and equal society and a strong economy.
The union movement thanks the Albanese Government and Minister Burke for delivering on their commitments, as well as The Australian Greens, Lydia Thorpe and David Pocock for their support of working people and their rights."
