CASUAL workers earned about $350 a week less than their permanent or part-time working counterparts, according to a new ACTU report, Missing in Action on Secure Jobs.
The ACTU report says Australia's casual workforce has grown by almost 500,000 to more than 4 million since the Coalition was elected in 2013.
Hunter Workers secretary Leigh Shears said yesterday that the "upper hand insecure work gives to employers" was a key reason for the nation's stubbornly low wages growth.
Mr Shears said the government had refused to help university casuals during the pandemic and new workforce polling showed high levels of dissatisfaction with the government on childcare, wages and housing costs.
"This report makes clear what millions of Australian workers already know," Mr Shears said.
"Insecure workers are being ripped off, and the Morrison Government has done nothing to stop it.
"It's the reason why a record number of people are now forced to work more than one job. It's a huge problem that a record number of people now need more than one job to get by."
Mr Shears said that even though the federal government - using Australian Bureau of Statistics figures - is claiming record low unemployment rates, it's largely because so many people are working a variety of casual jobs to make ends meet.
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The ACTU report says all workers are going backwards.
"The rising cost of living is eating away at wages that have barely grown since the Coalition came to power back in 2013," the reports says.
"Because price rises for petrol, rent, childcare, fresh food, and other essentials have far outstripped wages growth, the average Australian worker on $68,000 has already lost over $800 in the last year in real terms and is now losing another $100 a month."
The report quotes a survey of some 3800 people to say that "three out of four insecure workers feel the cost of living has worsened in the past year, and are deeply dissatisfied with the Morrison government's response to it".
The ACTU says the government has had ample time to "counter the scourge of insecure work".
