The Federal GovernmentÕs Closing Loopholes legislation gave United Workers Union members a range of reforms that would allow them to boost their wages and gain job security Ð with the passage marking a Christmas surprise.
The Albanese Labor GovernmentÕs second landmark Industrial Relations package offered workers key reforms including tougher penalties for wage theft, same job, same pay, better pathways for casual workers to become permanent, better definitions of what it means to be a casual, better delegate rights and better protections for gig economy workers.
Once again United Workers Union members made their voices heard in direct lobbying with Senators. In a forum with Senator David Pocock, members Choying and Snihit spoke about the wage theft and exploitation they faced with the cleaning contractor at IKEA Canberra, and how new workplace laws would give workers a fairer go. And Canberra workers Irene and Delo Be spoke out about the terrible process they had faced in securing justice against their employer, Canberra Foot & Thai, in one of AustraliaÕs worst cases of wage theft. When it seemed there would be another down-to-the-wire fight for crossbench Senate support, enough Senators supported the first half of the legislation for a pre-Christmas surprise for workers, and again supported the second half in February. The reforms set the foundations for wage growth, job security and better