An exciting new campaign in Melbourne (based on a similar one in New Zealand) is beginning the task of fighting the exploitation of casual workers. Unite Co-ordinator Nicki Jonas reports…

With over 27% percent of the Australian workforce now employed as casuals, thousands of Australian families are now struggling to plan their future.

Casualisation has risen in Australia by 56% in the last ten years and the conditions are appalling.

Casual workers do not receive the basic entitlements granted to full time workers such as sick pay, holiday pay, or redundancy. The compulsory casual loading? is pitiful and often not applied. Temporary loss of work and unpaid holidays are financially crippling for casual workers and their families, especially over the Christmas break, with the irregularity of the work making it very difficult to save for these periods.

Bosses have the luxury of hiring and firing casual workers without warning making it nearly impossible for these workers to commit to regular payments for everyday needs, whether it?s for a long-term lease for renters or a standard bank loan for a mortgage.

What is even more shocking is that most casual workers in Australia are not even receiving their basic legal rights.
Unpaid trial work, unpaid super, and obscene health and safety standards are all common, everyday issues affecting casual workers, workers who risk losing their jobs by speaking up.

The Socialist Party has taken up the fight for casual workers by launching the Unite campaign, and has begun by targeting the highly casualised café strip on Brunswick Street.

Unite has sent a letter to every business on the street outlining the basic, legal rights for casual workers.

The strategy is very simple, those that look after their casual staff (confirmed by the boss and at least two staff members) will receive a bright blue Unite sticker to clearly display on their shop front.

With a little help from the local media, the Unite campaigners are going to every length possible to make sure that the Brunswick Street punters are aware of the sticker and can make an informed choice. Those businesses that are exploiting their casual workers will be isolated and forced to start making some positive changes for their staff.

Unite holds weekly Brunswick St. street stalls on Friday nights to provide a resource for casual workers to find out about their basic rights and entitlements and to publicly name and shame their local ?dodgy bosses?. These stalls have been an eye opener for the Unite campaigners with casual workers from all over Melbourne dropping by - glad for the opportunity to share their horror stories and to join a campaign focused on improving the conditions for all workers trapped in the casual workforce.

Casual workers need your support! Do your bit, look out for the Unite sticker and support the businesses thatsupport their casual workers!

Contact the Unite office: (03) 96399111 or drop by the Unite Street Stall: Fridays 6pm, cnr Brunswick St and Johnston St, Fitzroy, Melbourne
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