Australia to Introduce Gig Worker Protections in Food Delivery and Rideshare Sectors

In a move set to bring reforms to Australia’s rapidly evolving economy, the government will legislate new protections for gig workers in the food delivery, rideshare, delivery driver and truck driver sectors. This comes as part of an effort to modernize industrial relations laws that have not kept pace with changes in the labor market.

Currently, gig workers face significant challenges, including the lack of minimum pay rates, employment conditions, unfair dismissal protections and access to an independent industrial umpire. These are safeguards that most employees and employers take for granted.

Utilizing the established powers under the Australian Industrial Relations Act, the upcoming reforms aim to extend these essential protections to gig workers. Key aspects of the reforms include:

• Empowering the NSW Industrial Relations Commission: This body will be tasked with setting minimum pay and conditions for gig workers in the transport sector.
• Mediating and Arbitrating Disputes: The Commission will have the authority to mediate and, if necessary, arbitrate disputes between platforms and gig workers, providing a pathway for workers to appeal deactivations from apps or platforms.
• Preventing Exploitative Redefinitions: Companies will be barred from redefining gig workers’ roles in ways that would circumvent these new protections.

These changes will extend the same legal protections currently available to couriers, taxi drivers and owner-driver truck drivers under Chapter 6 of the Industrial Relations Act to gig workers.

Read more: European Commission Pushes for Compromise on Gig Worker Rights

The Industrial Relations Commission will hear from platform companies, their drivers and representative organizations before making decisions, ensuring a balanced approach.

The development of these reforms will involve consultation with industry and stakeholders, honoring a pre-election commitment to ensure the changes are appropriate for the gig economy.

Source: Mirage News