Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese REPORT
30 Apr 2012
On the Eve of the Feast of St Joseph the Worker, Bishop Christopher Saunders has called for a new approach to the Australian workforce and an end to poor pay and conditions for the men and women who labour to feed, clothe, clean and teach us, and selflessly tend to the sick and those in need.
"It is unacceptable such a low value is placed on their work," says Bishop Saunders, Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council in a pastoral letter to coincide with the Feast Day of St Joseph the Worker's Feast Day tomorrow, 1 May.
"In a developed nation such as Australia, one would imagine our wealth and the organisation of our labour market would ensure low paid, vulnerable workers and their families could live in basic dignity. Sadly, this is not the case," the prelate says.
Bishop Saunders believes one of the key issues is the increasing number of Australians employed on a casual basis.
"Over the past three decades, the nation has witnessed monumental changes in the labour market which have included increasing risks of unemployment and insecurity. While Australia boasts an unemployment rate of around 5%, this masks a significant rise in casual and insecure work. Up to one quarter of employees today are in casual jobs, without many of the normal entitlements of paid leave, penalty rates, regular hours or notice of termination," he says.
But Bishop Saunders believes the number of insecure workers is far higher than this, particularly with the increasing use of fixed term contracts, independent contractors and labour hire agencies, and quotes from an inquiry currently being conducted by the Australian Council Trade Unions which estimates 40% of the nation's workforce are now employed as casuals or on short term contracts, and do not enjoy the rights and entitlements of secure employment.
Bishop Saunders reminds us of Pope Benedict XVI's 2009 Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, where the Holy Father reaffirmed the Church's call for "decent work."
According to this important Encyclical, decent work means "work that expresses the essential dignity of every man and woman in the context of their particular society: work that is freely chosen, effectively associating workers, both men and women, with the development of their community; work that enables the worker to be respected and free from any form of discrimination; work that makes it possible for families to meet their needs and provide schooling for their children without the children being forced into labour; work that permits the workers to organise themselves freely and make their voices heard; work that leaves enough room for rediscovering one's roots at a personal, familial and spiritual level; work that guarantees those who have retired a decent standard of living."
But in Australia today this is often not the case, says Bishop Saunders and points out the casualisation of work over the past 30 years is not confined to a few sectors of the labour market but now ranges across the retail, accommodation, hospitality, health and social services, education, transport, construction and manufacturing industries.
"Casual work has become so widespread that it may be time to question the common wisdom that this type of work provides a stepping stone to more secure permanent work," he says and describes the increasingly close relationship between high rates of casualisation and high unemployment, especially in the retail and accommodation sectors where almost one third of casual workers want and are willing to work longer hours but are unable to obtain the shifts needed to give them a living wage.
In a submission to this year's Annual Wage Review by Fair Work Australia, the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations revealed that for many families the wages safety net has not kept pace with rising costs of living, and that the wages safety net for all families had fallen well behind average weekly earnings.
"It is estimated families relying on the minimum wage of $589.30 per week are living in deep poverty, with the likelihood of poverty increased where casual workers with irregular hours cannot gain the hours of work needed to earn even the minimum," Bishop Saunders says.
But the insecurity suffered is no longer confined to sectors such as retail and accommodation but now also affects many highly skilled professions such as university staff where 65 percent of those employed are now on a casual or short term basis.
The vital work carried out by nurses also suffers with 65% employed part time or in casual positions with almost half of these wanting to work full-time hours.
"A new approach to Australia's labour policy is urgently needed to ensure the dignity of the workers at the centre of deliberation on pay and conditions," the Bishop says. SOURCE: ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY RELEASE
30 Apr 2012
Many families on the minimum wage living in poverty
"It is unacceptable such a low value is placed on their work," says Bishop Saunders, Chairman of the Australian Catholic Social Justice Council in a pastoral letter to coincide with the Feast Day of St Joseph the Worker's Feast Day tomorrow, 1 May.
"In a developed nation such as Australia, one would imagine our wealth and the organisation of our labour market would ensure low paid, vulnerable workers and their families could live in basic dignity. Sadly, this is not the case," the prelate says.
Bishop Christopher Saunders
"Over the past three decades, the nation has witnessed monumental changes in the labour market which have included increasing risks of unemployment and insecurity. While Australia boasts an unemployment rate of around 5%, this masks a significant rise in casual and insecure work. Up to one quarter of employees today are in casual jobs, without many of the normal entitlements of paid leave, penalty rates, regular hours or notice of termination," he says.
But Bishop Saunders believes the number of insecure workers is far higher than this, particularly with the increasing use of fixed term contracts, independent contractors and labour hire agencies, and quotes from an inquiry currently being conducted by the Australian Council Trade Unions which estimates 40% of the nation's workforce are now employed as casuals or on short term contracts, and do not enjoy the rights and entitlements of secure employment.
Bishop Saunders reminds us of Pope Benedict XVI's 2009 Encyclical, Caritas in Veritate, where the Holy Father reaffirmed the Church's call for "decent work."
New approach to labour policy desperately needed
But in Australia today this is often not the case, says Bishop Saunders and points out the casualisation of work over the past 30 years is not confined to a few sectors of the labour market but now ranges across the retail, accommodation, hospitality, health and social services, education, transport, construction and manufacturing industries.
Most retail workers are casually employed
with no entitlements, holiday pay or sick leave
with no entitlements, holiday pay or sick leave
In a submission to this year's Annual Wage Review by Fair Work Australia, the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations revealed that for many families the wages safety net has not kept pace with rising costs of living, and that the wages safety net for all families had fallen well behind average weekly earnings.
"It is estimated families relying on the minimum wage of $589.30 per week are living in deep poverty, with the likelihood of poverty increased where casual workers with irregular hours cannot gain the hours of work needed to earn even the minimum," Bishop Saunders says.
More than 65% of nurses are now employed
as part timers or casuals
as part timers or casuals
The vital work carried out by nurses also suffers with 65% employed part time or in casual positions with almost half of these wanting to work full-time hours.
"A new approach to Australia's labour policy is urgently needed to ensure the dignity of the workers at the centre of deliberation on pay and conditions," the Bishop says. SOURCE: ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY RELEASE
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