Prime Minister Anthony Albanese insists the controversial “right to disconnect” laws will boost productivity because workers will be more focused, flatly rejecting the main concern from bosses about Labor’s latest industrial relations changes. Source: The West Australian.
Business leaders and the Opposition are warning that the new right allowing staff to ignore after-hours calls and emails will “crush” productivity and create mass confusion in workplaces.
There is particular concern about what it will mean for WA-based companies with staff on the east coast, especially with the three-hour time difference during daylight savings.
Mr Albanese brushed off the criticism, arguing that the “commonsense” changes would create more productive workplaces.
“The idea that you should be on call at 10 o’clock at night if you work a nine-to-five job isn’t reasonable and that will lead to better relations in the workplace.”
The new laws came into effect yesterday for businesses with more than 15 employees.
Shadow finance minister Jane Hume reiterated the Opposition’s commitment to reviewing the industrial relations changes if it wins government.
She dismissed Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt’s claim that all the right to disconnect would do was start a conversation between employers and staff.
“It isn’t going to spark a conversation. It’s actually wrapping employers up in additional red tape and making some jobs completely unworkable,” she said.
Senator Watt visited a Catholic high school in Canberra that already offered its staff a right to not respond to late-night emails or messages from parents and students, even before the new laws started.
“I’ve seen a lot of scare campaigning already from some of the employer groups and Coalition figures who are saying that this will be the end of the world, it’s too complex, it doesn’t recognise the benefits of technology,” he said.
“Well, here is a school in Canberra that is already adopting it, and I just saw kids and staff walking around getting ready for the school day. The world has gone on and actually workplaces that are adopting these types of practices are reaping the benefits in happier employees.”
FULL STORY
Anthony Albanese says new ‘right to disconnect’ industrial relations laws will keep workers focused (By Katina Curtis and Dan Jervis-Bardy, The West Australian)
