The Same Mistake Twice
New research from the Australia Institute’s Centre for Future Work reveals the consequences of freezing public service pay, both for public sector workers and for the broader economy.
The Long-Term Consequences of Wage Freezes for Real Wages, Lifetime Earnings, and Superannuation
New research from the Centre for Future Work has dramatised the lasting consequences for workers’ lifetime incomes – even after they retire – of wage freezes. A wage freeze is often described as a “temporary sacrifice,” that supposedly ends once normal annual wage increments are restored. However, this report confirms that the legacy of even a…
Needle in a Haystack
The latest economic statistics have confirmed that Australia’s economy is barely limping along – with quarterly GDP growth of just 0.4%. One of the weakest spots in the report was consumer spending, which recorded its weakest performance since December 2008 (amidst the worst days of the Global Financial Crisis). This was despite the supposed benefit…
Under the Employer’s Eye: Electronic Monitoring & Surveillance in Australian Workplaces
Each year the Centre for Future Work at the Australia Institute conducts a public survey of Australian working hours, as part of our annual ‘Go Home on Time Day’ (GHOTD) initiative.
The Future of Transportation Work: Special Series, WA Transport
A special 6-part series of short articles from WA Transport Magazine: Researchers have identified the transportation industry as one of the sectors likely to be most affected by the coming implementation of new technologies: such as self-driving vehicles, artificial intelligence, and automated logistics systems. How will transportation workers fare as these technologies are rolled out, and…
The future of transportation work: Technology, work organization, and the quality of jobs
Workers in all parts of the economy are confronting twin threats from accelerating changes in technology and automation, and the ongoing shift toward more precarious and irregular forms of work — including “gigs” on digital platforms. The transportation sector is widely acknowledged to be one of the most susceptible to both of these trends. The…
The Future of Work Is What We Make It
In October the Senate of Australia launched an important new inquiry into the Future of Work and the Future of Workers. The terms of reference for the inquiry include: 1. The future earnings, job security, employment status and working patterns of Australians; 2. The different impact of that change on Australians, particularly on regional Australians,…