Queensland Unions launch tour of Central Qld at Gladstone Power Station speaking against Coalition Government and insecure work

Almost 40 per cent of Central Queenslanders are employed in casual and insecure work as Queensland Unions launch ‘secure jobs’ tour. Here’s what they say needs to change.

Central Queensland’s workforce is among the most casual and insecure in Australia, unions claim, as a truck tour of the region gets underway in Gladstone.

A mobile truck with large digital screens slamming the Prime Minister’s record on wage growth and secure jobs will be seen by residents at industrial hubs such as Gladstone, Rockhampton, Gracemere, Emerald and Blackwater this week.

It comes as ABS data reveals that just under four in 10 Central Queenslanders are in casual work and cannot access benefits such as sick pay, annual leave, or guaranteed hours.

Queensland Unions began its tour Tuesday morning outside the Gladstone Power Station alongside ETU State secretary Peter Ong who labelled the Coalition government’s industrial relations policies an “absolute disgrace”.

ETU State Secretary Peter Ong standing outside Gladstone Power Station campaigning against insecure work in Queensland following consecutive Coalition government. Picture: Nilsson Jones

“It used to be that when you had a job your wages and conditions were high enough that you didn’t have to worry about working up to 70 hours a week to feed your family, that you didn’t have to worry about losing your job on the hour every hour,” Mr Ong said.

“As a casual employee or labour hire worker if you raise those issues (workplace health and safety), the next thing you know you’re being told to pack your tools up and there’s no work for you here.

“Through the coal fields, the disparity I’ve seen in wages between a labour hire and a permanent worker are up to $40,000 or $50,000, it’s unbelievable … different wages and conditions but the same job.”

The QU tour will also seek to address issues of inflation and stagnant wage growth which they claim is impacting the hip pocket of many Central Queenslanders.

The QU campaign began in Flynn, outside the Gladstone Power Station but will also tour industrial hubs including Emerald, Blackwater, Gracemere and Rockhampton. Picture: Nilsson Jones

“Wages are growing at just over two per cent while inflation is currently running at 3.5 per cent annually,” the QU spokesman said.

“That means workers saw their wages go backwards $800 on average last year and will lose another $400 in the first half of this year.”

The tour will visit worksites, parks, and pubs across the region and is part of a wider campaign to ‘remind’ voters of Scott Morrison’s ‘failure’ to act in the interest of workers and their families, according to QU.

LNP candidate for Flynn, Colin Boyce says the Coalition’s recent budget is easing the burden of cost of living with tax offsets for people on low income, as well as halving the fuel excise and additional one-off payments to pensioners.

He says this is in contrast to Labor who can’t say how they’ll pay for their promises.

Colin Boyce (left) says the Fair Work Bill strengthened existing conversion rights, and extended casual conversion rights to thousands of casual employees industries like coal mining. Picture: supplied

Mr Boyce also said unions knew ‘full well’ the rate of casual employees as a proportion of all employees had remained steady for two decades.

“Earlier this year the Fair Work Amendment Bill passed the parliament, giving casual workers stronger rights to convert to permanent employment if they want to,” Mr Boyce said.

“And the most recent (casual) rate was actually lower than at any time under the former Labor Government’s time in office,” he said.

The tour will moves to Rockhampton on Wednesday ahead of the release of a national report into workplace health and safety.