‘Uberisation’ of work as we burn candle at both ends

The number of Australians in two jobs has jumped 20 per cent over two years to more than 1 million.

Carmel Heinelt, 37, says her wages as an early childhood educator don’t cover living costs so she supplements her income by working as a nanny. Picture: Aaron Francis

The number of Australians working two jobs has jumped by 20 per cent over two years to more than one million, with the growth in workers taking on secondary jobs spiking in the health and educa­tion sectors.

The increase in workers taking on multiple jobs has coincided with a sustained period of flat wages growth, which the ACTU said was driving the decision by workers to juggle two jobs.

According to analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics data, the number of people working secondary jobs rose by 174,300, from 846,600 to 1.02 million, in the two years since December 2016, representing more than 7 per cent of all jobs in the economy. The incidence of secondary employment has risen from 6.4 per cent to 7.2 per cent.

Administrative and support services accounted for the largest share of secondary jobs, at 23 per cent. Since 2017, the number of secondary jobs in healthcare and social assistance has risen from just over 97,000 to 120,000, and in education and training from just over 107,000 to more than 126,000.

Carmel Heinelt, 37, said her wages as an early childhood educator did not cover her living costs and she supplemented her income by working as a nanny.

Ms Heinelt, who lives in Geelong­, 75km southwest of Melbourne­, is paid $28 an hour as an early childhood educator.

She said she loved working with children and her employer paid slightly above-award rates.

But to purchase a home, she had to borrow the deposit from a friend, who also went guarantor. She took on the second job to pay the mortgage.

“Everything is going up — health insurance goes up, bills go up,’’ Ms Heinelt said.

“You’ve really got to be on top of it. I budget. Even with Easter coming, I have to think ahead and start buying a couple of things each week just to make sure I don’t get stuck with a big … bill. You’ve always got to be thinking ahead, making sure you don’t get caught.”

The ACTU said the growth in secondary jobs had coincided with record high levels of under­employment. The underemployment rate stands at 8.1 per cent, with 1,093,800 Australians not working the full-time hours they would like. ACTU secretary Sally McManus said workers wanted secure, steady jobs, not casual, part-time work that barely covere­d the rent.

“Scott Morrison goes on about job creation but with the rise of insecure­ work, flat wages and high cost of living, the problem is people have to work two of these jobs just to make ends meet,’’ she said.

“With the Uberisation of the workforce, we’re fast heading down the American path where workers get the tips and scraps off the table, not a fair share of the revenue generated by their work.”