Australian workers will see some major changes if Anthony Albanese win the election and becomes prime minister in May.
The Labor leader announced several policies designed to make workers better off, including cheaper childcare and improving the rights of casual staff.
Mr Albanese, who needs to gain eight seats to form a majority government, will campaign hard on these issues in the hope of turfing out Scott Morrison.
Here Daily Mail Australia takes a look at what he’s announced so far.
Childcare
One of Labor’s most significant policies is to increase childcare subsidies for all families earning less than $530,000.
Mr Albanese would remove a cap that prevents families earning more than $189,390 from receiving more than $10,560 a year in subsidies.
A family on $189,390 that uses childcare five days a week would instead get $21,608 in subsidies, more than double the current allowance.
One of Labor’s most significant policies is to increase childcare subsidies for all families earning less than $530,000. Pictured: A mother with her two children
Lower income families would also benefit from increased subsidies. For example, a family taking home $80,000 a year would get an extra $2,389 a year for full-time care.
The move is designed to encourage more second income earners – mostly women – into the workforce.
Casuals
Labor has a range of policies to improve working conditions for casuals and gig workers such as Uber drivers, food delivery workers, hospitality, and retail staff.
It wants to extend the powers of the Fair Work Commission to include ’employee-like’ forms of work.
This would allow the tribunal to cover app-based gig jobs even when workers are technically self-employed.
Labor would also cap the number of consecutive fixed-term contracts employers can offer to four within two years.
Labor has a range of policies to improve working conditions for casuals and gig workers such as Uber drivers, food delivery workers, hospitality, and retail staff
After that employers must offer the worker a part-time or full-time permanent position.
Labor wants to make sure workers employed through labour hire companies receive no less than workers employed directly.
It will also work on plans to allow casuals to take their accrued annual leave and sick leave with them when they change jobs.
Labor will also criminalise the underpayment of wages. Wage theft is so far only a crime in Queensland and Victoria.
Gender pay gap
Australian men earn 13.4 per cent more than women, according to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency.
This is due to several factors including women taking more time out of the workforce for caring responsibilities, impacting career progression and opportunities.
Labor has proposed several policies to reduce this gap.
Labor wants to ban pay secrecy clauses and give employees the right to disclose their pay, if they want to. Pictured: A maintenance engineer
Firstly, it will force employers with more than 250 staff to report their gender pay gap publicly.
Companies will have to share their company-wide gender pay gap, managerial level pay gap, and non-managerial pay gap.
The hope is they will be shamed into making changes.
Labor also wants to ban pay secrecy clauses to give employees the right to disclose their pay if they want to.
This would make it easier for employees to talk about how much they earn and realise if they are being paid less than someone doing a similar job.
Additionally, Mr Albanese wants to give more powers to the Fair Work Commission to order pay increases for workers in low-paid, female-dominated industries.
He would also provide 10 days paid family and domestic violence leave to every employee.
Apprentices
Labor will guarantee that one in 10 workers on federally funded projects will be an apprentice, trainee or cadet.
It will also encourage apprentices to train in renewable energy jobs by handing them cash totalling $100 million.
Apprentices who choose to train in new energy industries will receive up to $10,000 including $2,000 when they start and $2,000 a year for up to four years afterwards.
Examples of eligible industries include rooftop solar installation and maintenance, large-scale renewable projects, energy efficiency upgrades to homes and businesses, green hydrogen, renewable manufacturing, and relevant agricultural activities.
Mr Albanese (centre on Wednesday) wants to give more powers to the Fair Work Commission to order pay increases for workers in low paid, female dominated industries
