This Month
Menulog warns of $15 price rise unless value of gig work enshrined
Managing director Morten Belling says the Closing Loopholes Bill does not recognise that workers prefer the “dynamic earnings” of gig work that lifts pay with demand.
- David Marin-Guzman
DoorDash fears food delivery prices could triple under gig worker laws
The on-demand delivery service claims “the sky is effectively the limit” under the government’s bill to set minimum conditions for gig workers.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- Industrial relations
Radical casual work overhaul will cost jobs
That is not just the belief of increasingly anxious big and small organisations across the country; it is the considered view of a leading industrial relations barrister.
- Bran Black
Uber warns of 85pc price rise under Labor’s gig economy laws
Modelling by the digital platform shows it may have to lift rideshare and food delivery prices by 60 to 85 per cent if it’s forced to pay gig workers penalty rates.
- David Marin-Guzman
September
Why this Newcastle doctor switched from scrubs to video games
Michael Pomroy made about $140,000 last year playing construction and building games online and posting videos about them after burning out as a doctor.
- Larry Schlesinger
- Opinion
- Industrial relations
‘Closing loopholes’ law opens minefields for freelancers
With no clear line defined between casual and permanent employment, the proposed legal framework will create new levels of uncertainty for businesses.
- Katie Sweatman and Brad Popple
- Analysis
- Industrial relations
Labor’s gig worker laws are far more radical than they look
It’s the gig worker laws that may have just opened the door for Labor to radically shape what an independent contractor looks like across the economy.
- David Marin-Guzman
Labor laws risk double standard for gig workers: experts
Gig economy workers who use platforms such as Uber eats could be treated differently to those who use traditional notice boards to pick up work under Labor’s new workplace laws.
- Tess Bennett and David Marin-Guzman
Airtasker may be caught in the gig economy laws
Airtasker’s apparent exclusion from Labor’s gig economy laws while other online marketplaces are included has sparked controversy.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- Tech Observed
Gig economy stoush shows government’s trouble fixing tech ‘disruption’
There is a lack of logic on both sides of the debate about planned changes to workplace rules for online service marketplaces.
- Paul Smith
August
Bosses slam ‘radical’ gig economy crackdown
Tony Burke has admitted the Albanese government’s next wave of workplace changes will increase prices for services such as UberEats.
- David Marin-Guzman and Phillip Coorey
Burke to exclude overtime, rosters from gig economy laws
The government will empower workers to challenge “unfair deactivations” and set minimum conditions, but its new laws will specify what is in and what is out.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- Industrial relations
Labor takes away the flexibility to cope with change
Most workplaces are stable, long-term relationships. But they need the ability to absorb shocks from their markets and from government policy.
- Michael Angwin
Labor to consider unionists for RBA board
Labor will consider appointing worker representatives to the Reserve Bank board as part of a final swathe of changes pushed by unions at party conference.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Opinion
- Industrial relations
Labor’s still searching for casuals problem
After ‘increasing casualisation’ was exposed as a myth, Labor and the unions have latched onto ‘the permanent casual worker loophole’. That’s just another myth.
- Innes Willox
July
Labor warned that gig worker laws will drive up NDIS costs
Tony Burke has signalled that the government’s gig economy laws will extend to carer apps such as Mable, despite exemptions for marketplace apps like Airtasker.
- David Marin-Guzman
Freelancer boss sounds AI warning
The online marketplace operator has broken even, with founder Matt Barrie telling investors artificial intelligence is poised to transform the way millions of unskilled workers operate.
- Jessica Sier
May
- Exclusive
- Uber
Uber warns Labor of ‘catastrophic’ job losses from gig economy reforms
Uber has told the Albanese government if broad employee-style conditions are imposed on gig workers it would lead to significant job losses and price rises.
- David Marin-Guzman
May
Business wants Labor’s gig economy laws to exclude leave, breaks
The Business Council of Australia will seek to limit the government’s laws to minimum pay, saying the reforms otherwise threaten to increase costs and push up prices for consumers.
- David Marin-Guzman
Tradies won’t be affected by ‘modest’ gig economy laws: Burke
The Albanese government has assured builders that proposed laws to set minimum pay for independent contractors will not extend to construction.
- Updated
- David Marin-Guzman
