The federal government will limit the scope of its controversial labour hire laws to fend off a fierce campaign from business groups to scuttle the changes in the Senate, citing new figures to claim the looming changes will affect only about 67,000 workers.
Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke argues that workers need protections such as a “same job, same pay” regime to ensure fairness.The promise takes on business fears that the impact could cascade throughout the economy by capturing companies that use outsourcing or smaller firms that rely on labour hire when they do not use the enterprise agreements in place at bigger companies.
“These changes will affect a small number of workers. But for the workers this affects, closing this loophole will be life-changing.”