The ‘right to disconnect’ debate continues in Canberra

REPORTER: Flexible working hours could be under threat as proposed right to disconnect laws come to a head…

LAURA TINGLE: Employers immediately made their displeasure with the proposed reforms clear, and the Senate crossbench also made clear it did not want to be railroaded into dealing with what was going to be a massive omnibus bill. Perhaps a little strangely, an issue that had received virtually no attention, although it had been on the radar for 12 months, suddenly gained all the interest, leaving the huge issues of addressing workforce casualisation and the gig economy largely ignored.BARBARA POCOCK: So the right to disconnect is something we're seeing around the world. New technology, and a new kind of workforce means we have to face up to new challenges in our labour law.

LAURA TINGLE: Barbara Pocock is part of a Senate crossbench that has been central to long and detailed negotiations with the government, unions and employers about all aspects of the new laws. LAURA TINGLE: Independent senator for the ACT, David Pocock, has played a pivotal role in the Senate negotiations.LAURA TINGLE: He says casual employees should benefit from a significant difference in their position as a result of this legislation.

If you're trying to get a mortgage, or even get a rental these days, without that secure contract for work, it's very hard.DAVID POCOCK: You had the vast majority of gig platforms saying we agree. We want some sort of minimum standard, and I think that's probably good for them, because it stops them from trying to undercut each other when it comes to wages. It means that there will be a minimum standard that they have to pay people.

Source: News Formal (newsformal.com)

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