Regulating for Fair Platform Work: Does the Closing Loopholes Bill do enough for gig workers?
with Professor Andrew Stewart, University of Adelaide – 2 November, 2023
This event is part of CDWI’s Public Seminar Series.
Abstract
The Albanese Government’s Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023 proposes to create new rights and protections for ‘employee-like’ freelancers engaged through digital labour platforms such as Uber or Mable. The Fair Work Commission will be able to set minimum standards for such work, review the fairness of contract terms, and hear claims of ‘unfair deactivation’ from a platform. Trade unions will be able to negotiate collective agreements with platform operators. And some gig workers may even be able to argue that they are really employees, under an amendment designed to reverse the effect of recent High Court decisions on the determination of employment status. But how will these changes operate in practice? And will they do enough to ensure decent pay and working conditions in the gig economy?
About the presenter
Professor Andrew Stewart
is the John Bray Professor of Law at the University of Adelaide, Adjunct Professor with QUT’s Centre for Decent Work & Industry, and a consultant with the national law firm Piper Alderman. A pre-eminent expert on employment law and workplace relations, he has decades of experience in advising employers, trade unions and governments at all levels on legal and policy issues.
His recent research has focused, among other things, on wage stagnation, digital platform work, child employment, and work-based training.
Event details
Date: Thursday, 2 November 2023
Time: 3pm to 4.30pm AEST
Location: Z Block (level 11), GPZ-1124, Gardens Point Campus, Brisbane
Cost: Free
We look forward to seeing you there.