Latest news with #AustralianCouncilofTradeUnions
The Age
12 hours ago
- Business
- The Age
Unions to demand employers be forbidden from using AI for ‘mass redundancies'
The Australian Council of Trade Unions will demand that employers guarantee workers' job security before introducing artificial intelligence into their businesses in a bold proposal that will inflame tensions before the Albanese government's productivity roundtable next month. The council's assistant secretary Joseph Mitchell will use a speech on Tuesday to send a message that the union movement expects Labor to push through legislation to bar the use of AI at businesses that cannot reach agreements with their employees. 'It is necessary to have a comprehensive AI act to ensure that such bad-faith uses of this technology are protected against,' Mitchell will say in a speech to the Melbourne University Productivity Flash Forum, according to draft speech notes seen by this masthead. 'Workers will be all in if they know doing so will not cost them their jobs.' Business groups have argued that artificial intelligence presents a multibillion-dollar opportunity for Australia to improve its productivity, arguing it will allow workers to be redeployed to higher-skilled jobs and calling for any safeguards not to impede the uptake of the technology. Treasurer Jim Chalmers will host the roundtable from August 19 to 21 to address Australia's flatlining productivity, hoping it will generate ideas for economic reform. Loading A similar summit hosted by the Albanese government at the start of its first term contributed to the legislation of key union priorities such as letting labour organisations bargain across multiple employers, upsetting business groups. Mitchell will argue that the biggest productivity gains come from businesses that use AI in a consultative way and respect workers' skills. 'Employers should be required to reach AI-implementation agreements with their staff before new technologies are introduced into workplaces,' Mitchell will say, saying agreements should include requirements on job security, privacy and retraining.
Sydney Morning Herald
12 hours ago
- Business
- Sydney Morning Herald
Unions to demand employers be forbidden from using AI for ‘mass redundancies'
The Australian Council of Trade Unions will demand that employers guarantee workers' job security before introducing artificial intelligence into their businesses in a bold proposal that will inflame tensions before the Albanese government's productivity roundtable next month. The council's assistant secretary Joseph Mitchell will use a speech on Tuesday to send a message that the union movement expects Labor to push through legislation to bar the use of AI at businesses that cannot reach agreements with their employees. 'It is necessary to have a comprehensive AI act to ensure that such bad-faith uses of this technology are protected against,' Mitchell will say in a speech to the Melbourne University Productivity Flash Forum, according to draft speech notes seen by this masthead. 'Workers will be all in if they know doing so will not cost them their jobs.' Business groups have argued that artificial intelligence presents a multibillion-dollar opportunity for Australia to improve its productivity, arguing it will allow workers to be redeployed to higher-skilled jobs and calling for any safeguards not to impede the uptake of the technology. Treasurer Jim Chalmers will host the roundtable from August 19 to 21 to address Australia's flatlining productivity, hoping it will generate ideas for economic reform. Loading A similar summit hosted by the Albanese government at the start of its first term contributed to the legislation of key union priorities such as letting labour organisations bargain across multiple employers, upsetting business groups. Mitchell will argue that the biggest productivity gains come from businesses that use AI in a consultative way and respect workers' skills. 'Employers should be required to reach AI-implementation agreements with their staff before new technologies are introduced into workplaces,' Mitchell will say, saying agreements should include requirements on job security, privacy and retraining.
The Advertiser
3 days ago
- Health
- The Advertiser
I have a bit of a cold. Am I sick enough to take a day off work?
Whether it's your first or fourth cold of the season, many Australians are waking up at the moment with a sniffle, a sore throat or feeling more tired than usual. June to August is peak flu season in Australia. There are also high rates of COVID circulating, along with other respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus. Sometimes it's clear when you need to spend the day in bed: you have a fever, aches and pains, and can't think clearly. If it's the flu or COVID, you'll want to stay away from others, and to rest and recover. But what about if your symptoms are mild? Are you sick enough to take the day off, or should you push through it? And what if you feel pressured to work? Here's what to consider. If you are in a client-facing role, such as a teacher or a salesperson, you may also infect others like students or customers. The risks may be even greater for those working with vulnerable communities, such as in aged care work, where the consequences can be severe. From an organisational perspective, you are likely less productive when you are not feeling well. So, whenever possible, avoid going into work when you're feeling unwell. The COVID pandemic normalised working from home. Since then, more people work from home when they're unwell, rather than taking sick leave. Some employees join Zoom or Teams meetings out of guilt, not wanting to let their co-workers down. Others - and in particular, some men - feel the need to maintain their performance at work, even if it's at the expense of their health. A downside of powering through is that workers may prolong their illness by not looking after themselves. Employees in Australia can take either paid or unpaid time off when they are unwell. Most full-time employees get ten days of paid sick leave per year, while part-time employees get the equivalent pro-rata. Employers can ask for reasonable evidence from employees to show they are unwell, such as asking for a medical certificate from a pharmacy or GP, or a statutory declaration. The type of evidence required may differ from organisation to organisation, with some awards and enterprise agreements specifying the type of evidence needed. While taking a sick day helps many workers recuperate, a significant proportion of workers engaged in non-standard work arrangements do not receive these benefits. There are, for example, 2.6 million casual employees who don't have access to paid sick leave. Similarly, most self-employed people such as tradies and gig workers do not have any paid leave entitlements. Although these workers can still take unpaid leave, they are sacrificing income when they call in sick. Research from the Australian Council of Trade Unions has found more than half of insecure workers don't take time off when injured or sick. So a significant proportion of workers in Australia simply cannot afford to call in sick. "Presenteeism" is the phenomenon of people reporting for work even when they are unwell or not fully functioning, affecting their health and productivity. While exact figures are hard to determine, since most organisations don't systematically track it, estimates suggest 30 per cent to 90 per cent of employees work while sick at least once a year. People work while sick for different reasons. Some choose to because they love their job or enjoy the social side of work - this is called voluntary presenteeism. READ MORE: But many don't have a real choice, facing financial pressure or job insecurity. That's involuntary presenteeism, and it's a much bigger problem. Research has found industry norms may be shaping the prevalence of "involuntary presenteeism", with workers in the health and education sectors more likely to feel obligated to work when sick due to "at work" caring responsibilities. Leaders set the tone, especially around health and wellbeing. When they role-model healthy behaviour and support time off, it gives others permission to do the same. Supportive leaders can help reduce presenteeism, while pressure from demanding leaders can make it worse. Your co-workers matter too. When teams step up and share the load, it creates a culture where people feel safe to take leave. A supportive environment makes wellbeing a shared responsibility. But for some workers, leave isn't an option. Fixing this requires policy change across industries and society more broadly, not just inside the workplace. Whether it's your first or fourth cold of the season, many Australians are waking up at the moment with a sniffle, a sore throat or feeling more tired than usual. June to August is peak flu season in Australia. There are also high rates of COVID circulating, along with other respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus. Sometimes it's clear when you need to spend the day in bed: you have a fever, aches and pains, and can't think clearly. If it's the flu or COVID, you'll want to stay away from others, and to rest and recover. But what about if your symptoms are mild? Are you sick enough to take the day off, or should you push through it? And what if you feel pressured to work? Here's what to consider. If you are in a client-facing role, such as a teacher or a salesperson, you may also infect others like students or customers. The risks may be even greater for those working with vulnerable communities, such as in aged care work, where the consequences can be severe. From an organisational perspective, you are likely less productive when you are not feeling well. So, whenever possible, avoid going into work when you're feeling unwell. The COVID pandemic normalised working from home. Since then, more people work from home when they're unwell, rather than taking sick leave. Some employees join Zoom or Teams meetings out of guilt, not wanting to let their co-workers down. Others - and in particular, some men - feel the need to maintain their performance at work, even if it's at the expense of their health. A downside of powering through is that workers may prolong their illness by not looking after themselves. Employees in Australia can take either paid or unpaid time off when they are unwell. Most full-time employees get ten days of paid sick leave per year, while part-time employees get the equivalent pro-rata. Employers can ask for reasonable evidence from employees to show they are unwell, such as asking for a medical certificate from a pharmacy or GP, or a statutory declaration. The type of evidence required may differ from organisation to organisation, with some awards and enterprise agreements specifying the type of evidence needed. While taking a sick day helps many workers recuperate, a significant proportion of workers engaged in non-standard work arrangements do not receive these benefits. There are, for example, 2.6 million casual employees who don't have access to paid sick leave. Similarly, most self-employed people such as tradies and gig workers do not have any paid leave entitlements. Although these workers can still take unpaid leave, they are sacrificing income when they call in sick. Research from the Australian Council of Trade Unions has found more than half of insecure workers don't take time off when injured or sick. So a significant proportion of workers in Australia simply cannot afford to call in sick. "Presenteeism" is the phenomenon of people reporting for work even when they are unwell or not fully functioning, affecting their health and productivity. While exact figures are hard to determine, since most organisations don't systematically track it, estimates suggest 30 per cent to 90 per cent of employees work while sick at least once a year. People work while sick for different reasons. Some choose to because they love their job or enjoy the social side of work - this is called voluntary presenteeism. READ MORE: But many don't have a real choice, facing financial pressure or job insecurity. That's involuntary presenteeism, and it's a much bigger problem. Research has found industry norms may be shaping the prevalence of "involuntary presenteeism", with workers in the health and education sectors more likely to feel obligated to work when sick due to "at work" caring responsibilities. Leaders set the tone, especially around health and wellbeing. When they role-model healthy behaviour and support time off, it gives others permission to do the same. Supportive leaders can help reduce presenteeism, while pressure from demanding leaders can make it worse. Your co-workers matter too. When teams step up and share the load, it creates a culture where people feel safe to take leave. A supportive environment makes wellbeing a shared responsibility. But for some workers, leave isn't an option. Fixing this requires policy change across industries and society more broadly, not just inside the workplace. Whether it's your first or fourth cold of the season, many Australians are waking up at the moment with a sniffle, a sore throat or feeling more tired than usual. June to August is peak flu season in Australia. There are also high rates of COVID circulating, along with other respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus. Sometimes it's clear when you need to spend the day in bed: you have a fever, aches and pains, and can't think clearly. If it's the flu or COVID, you'll want to stay away from others, and to rest and recover. But what about if your symptoms are mild? Are you sick enough to take the day off, or should you push through it? And what if you feel pressured to work? Here's what to consider. If you are in a client-facing role, such as a teacher or a salesperson, you may also infect others like students or customers. The risks may be even greater for those working with vulnerable communities, such as in aged care work, where the consequences can be severe. From an organisational perspective, you are likely less productive when you are not feeling well. So, whenever possible, avoid going into work when you're feeling unwell. The COVID pandemic normalised working from home. Since then, more people work from home when they're unwell, rather than taking sick leave. Some employees join Zoom or Teams meetings out of guilt, not wanting to let their co-workers down. Others - and in particular, some men - feel the need to maintain their performance at work, even if it's at the expense of their health. A downside of powering through is that workers may prolong their illness by not looking after themselves. Employees in Australia can take either paid or unpaid time off when they are unwell. Most full-time employees get ten days of paid sick leave per year, while part-time employees get the equivalent pro-rata. Employers can ask for reasonable evidence from employees to show they are unwell, such as asking for a medical certificate from a pharmacy or GP, or a statutory declaration. The type of evidence required may differ from organisation to organisation, with some awards and enterprise agreements specifying the type of evidence needed. While taking a sick day helps many workers recuperate, a significant proportion of workers engaged in non-standard work arrangements do not receive these benefits. There are, for example, 2.6 million casual employees who don't have access to paid sick leave. Similarly, most self-employed people such as tradies and gig workers do not have any paid leave entitlements. Although these workers can still take unpaid leave, they are sacrificing income when they call in sick. Research from the Australian Council of Trade Unions has found more than half of insecure workers don't take time off when injured or sick. So a significant proportion of workers in Australia simply cannot afford to call in sick. "Presenteeism" is the phenomenon of people reporting for work even when they are unwell or not fully functioning, affecting their health and productivity. While exact figures are hard to determine, since most organisations don't systematically track it, estimates suggest 30 per cent to 90 per cent of employees work while sick at least once a year. People work while sick for different reasons. Some choose to because they love their job or enjoy the social side of work - this is called voluntary presenteeism. READ MORE: But many don't have a real choice, facing financial pressure or job insecurity. That's involuntary presenteeism, and it's a much bigger problem. Research has found industry norms may be shaping the prevalence of "involuntary presenteeism", with workers in the health and education sectors more likely to feel obligated to work when sick due to "at work" caring responsibilities. Leaders set the tone, especially around health and wellbeing. When they role-model healthy behaviour and support time off, it gives others permission to do the same. Supportive leaders can help reduce presenteeism, while pressure from demanding leaders can make it worse. Your co-workers matter too. When teams step up and share the load, it creates a culture where people feel safe to take leave. A supportive environment makes wellbeing a shared responsibility. But for some workers, leave isn't an option. Fixing this requires policy change across industries and society more broadly, not just inside the workplace. Whether it's your first or fourth cold of the season, many Australians are waking up at the moment with a sniffle, a sore throat or feeling more tired than usual. June to August is peak flu season in Australia. There are also high rates of COVID circulating, along with other respiratory viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and adenovirus. Sometimes it's clear when you need to spend the day in bed: you have a fever, aches and pains, and can't think clearly. If it's the flu or COVID, you'll want to stay away from others, and to rest and recover. But what about if your symptoms are mild? Are you sick enough to take the day off, or should you push through it? And what if you feel pressured to work? Here's what to consider. If you are in a client-facing role, such as a teacher or a salesperson, you may also infect others like students or customers. The risks may be even greater for those working with vulnerable communities, such as in aged care work, where the consequences can be severe. From an organisational perspective, you are likely less productive when you are not feeling well. So, whenever possible, avoid going into work when you're feeling unwell. The COVID pandemic normalised working from home. Since then, more people work from home when they're unwell, rather than taking sick leave. Some employees join Zoom or Teams meetings out of guilt, not wanting to let their co-workers down. Others - and in particular, some men - feel the need to maintain their performance at work, even if it's at the expense of their health. A downside of powering through is that workers may prolong their illness by not looking after themselves. Employees in Australia can take either paid or unpaid time off when they are unwell. Most full-time employees get ten days of paid sick leave per year, while part-time employees get the equivalent pro-rata. Employers can ask for reasonable evidence from employees to show they are unwell, such as asking for a medical certificate from a pharmacy or GP, or a statutory declaration. The type of evidence required may differ from organisation to organisation, with some awards and enterprise agreements specifying the type of evidence needed. While taking a sick day helps many workers recuperate, a significant proportion of workers engaged in non-standard work arrangements do not receive these benefits. There are, for example, 2.6 million casual employees who don't have access to paid sick leave. Similarly, most self-employed people such as tradies and gig workers do not have any paid leave entitlements. Although these workers can still take unpaid leave, they are sacrificing income when they call in sick. Research from the Australian Council of Trade Unions has found more than half of insecure workers don't take time off when injured or sick. So a significant proportion of workers in Australia simply cannot afford to call in sick. "Presenteeism" is the phenomenon of people reporting for work even when they are unwell or not fully functioning, affecting their health and productivity. While exact figures are hard to determine, since most organisations don't systematically track it, estimates suggest 30 per cent to 90 per cent of employees work while sick at least once a year. People work while sick for different reasons. Some choose to because they love their job or enjoy the social side of work - this is called voluntary presenteeism. READ MORE: But many don't have a real choice, facing financial pressure or job insecurity. That's involuntary presenteeism, and it's a much bigger problem. Research has found industry norms may be shaping the prevalence of "involuntary presenteeism", with workers in the health and education sectors more likely to feel obligated to work when sick due to "at work" caring responsibilities. Leaders set the tone, especially around health and wellbeing. When they role-model healthy behaviour and support time off, it gives others permission to do the same. Supportive leaders can help reduce presenteeism, while pressure from demanding leaders can make it worse. Your co-workers matter too. When teams step up and share the load, it creates a culture where people feel safe to take leave. A supportive environment makes wellbeing a shared responsibility. But for some workers, leave isn't an option. Fixing this requires policy change across industries and society more broadly, not just inside the workplace.
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Business
- Sky News AU
Australian Council of Trade Unions attacks businesses for employee burnout
The Australian Council of Trade Unions claims the nation's productivity crisis is being fueled from the top, singling out employers. The Albanese government is preparing to host an economic roundtable with businesses, unions, and policymakers over three days in August. The ACTU is blaming managers for employee burnout; they also claim there is not enough consultation with workers on company decisions. To lift the economy out of stagnation, the Productivity Commission is recommending the government overhaul company tax, speed up planning approvals for infrastructure projects, and embrace AI.
AU Financial Review
15-07-2025
- Business
- AU Financial Review
Directors with multiple strikes on unpaid wages ‘should be banned'
Directors whose companies repeatedly access the unpaid wages safety net should be automatically disqualified, the Albanese government has been urged, in consultations on tightening access to the scheme. The Law Council and the Australian Council of Trade Unions are among those who urged harsher penalties for directors for alleged misuse of the Fair Entitlements Guarantee due to concerns it is being used to shift costs from failing businesses onto taxpayers.
