Casual Contracts Climbing

Thursday 17 February 2005

Researchers at the University of Newcastle say that we are approximately five years ahead of the Australian Council of Trade Unions prediction that one in three workers will be casually employed by 2010.

Associate Professors Julia Connell and John Burgess from the Employment Studies Centre, Faculty of Business and Law, are the editors of a new book on casual work to be launched tomorrow.

"While the number of casual workers is increasing, 68 per cent of these workers said in a recent survey that they would prefer permanent to casual work," says A/Professor Connell.

"These changes to employment contracts are important as the average part time casual job attracted earnings that were only 30 per cent of the average full time permanent job in 2000, and this does not include the difference in employee benefits."

"While casual workers receive higher pay rates, they are not only ineligible for holiday and sick pay benefits, they are also more vulnerable with regard to irregular income, may have to work unpredictable hours and have limited access to education and training opportunities in the workplace and experience job insecurity."

"As a result we see the challenge of these increases in casual work contracts as a major issue for employees, employers and for Australia as a whole," says A/Professor Connell.

These issues are discussed in the new book, International Perspectives on Temporary Agency Work, edited by John Burgess and Julia Connell. This book examines the situation regarding temporary agency work in seven countries.

International Perspectives on Temporary Agency Work is one of three books to be launched on Friday 18 February 2005.

Industrial Relations: a contemporary approach by Mark Bray, Stephen Deery, Janet Walsh and Peter Waring and Understanding Australian Industrial Relations by Robyn Alexander and John Lewer, will also be launched by University of Newcastle Vice-Chancellor, Professor Nick Saunders, on Friday 18 February 2005 at 5.30pm at the Coop Book Shop, Perkins St, Newcastle.

For interviews: Associate Professor John Burgess on (02) 4921 5028 or Associate Professor Julia Connell on (02) 4921 5011.