The system is broken. What is the fix?

There is a growing recognition across the community that the workplace relations system is broken.

Large scale exploitation, low wage growth and declining levels of unionisation point to the system failing workers.

Business, particularly small business, finds the system too complicated and cumbersome.

There are also growing challenges ahead with the changing nature of work. Our system is currently unable to deal with modes of work utilising new technologies such as the growing ‘gig’ economy, let alone technological challenges such as intensifying automation, increasing surveillance and artificial intelligence.

AIER has released our Discussion Paper for this year’s debate, exploring all the issues mentioned above and the various approaches to fixing the system.

Join representatives from the union movement, business, academia and the community as we discuss and debate the future of how we regulate work. A free public event.

The Debate is on Wednesday 25 October, 4pm – 6pm,

Auditorium in UTS Building 8, Level 2, Dr Chau Chak Wing Building, 14-28 Ultimo Road, Ultimo Sydney

To ensure a place please RSVP at admin@aierights.com.au

The debate will be moderated by former FWA and AIRC President the Honourable Geoffrey Giudice AO, with the following amazing  speakers:

  • Emeritus Professor Ron McCallum AO
  • Jo-anne Schofield, National Secretary of United Voice, a union whose members work in some of the lowest paid and insecure jobs;
  • Stephen Cartwright, Chief Executive Officer of NSW Business Chamber, bringing the voice of business to the discussion; and
  • Dr Sarah Kaine, Associate Professor at UTS, whose work includes a focus on the transformation of employee relations in the digital economy.
  • Lina Cabaero-Ponnambalam, Coordinator of Asian Women at Work and human rights activist.

Don’t miss what is sure to be a compelling debate, RSVP today!

  1. Executive Member, AIER
  2. Sean Scalmer is Professor of Australian History in the School of Historical and Philosophical Studies at Melbourne University. Sean studied political economy and political science at the University of Sydney, before undertaking a PhD on intellectuals and class in the Australian labour movement. He worked as a research fellow in the Department of Politics, Macquarie University (1998-2004), then as a Lecturer in Sociology (2004-2006) at the same University. He joined the School of Historical Studies at the University of Melbourne in 2007. Sean’s major interests are in the histories of social movements, class, and democracy. orders for food delivery platform workers. [Bio from Sean Scalmer’s Melbourne University webpage]