The Albanese government’s industrial relations reforms enacted between 2022 and 2024 will go some way to addressing inequality in Australia if they are implemented over a significant period of time.

The reforms are designed to rebalance industrial relations in Australia and shift precarious workers to more secure work.

Taken together, precarious workers comprise at least a third of the workforce, which means their low wages and insecure conditions are a key reason for stark social inequalities manifesting in the cost-of-living crisis.

The effect of Labor’s reforms, however, is yet to be fully realised because most rely on giving the Fair Work Commission time to formulate new work standards, and improve existing ones, while giving unions and workers time to organise around them.

Yet a Dutton-led Coalition has stated its commitment to dismantling some or all of these laws before even giving them a chance to succeed.

Precarious workers are those involved in temporary, casual or part-time jobs, agency work, labour hire, multiple jobholding, contracting/self-employment and gig/platform work.

These forms of........

© InDaily