A shocking 67% of injured or ill insecure workers reported not taking time off because they feared it would negatively impact their job, and 60% reported not taking time off because they had no paid leave available.
According to a recent ACTU survey, only a quarter (25%) of insecure workers felt that they had adequate support to return to work after an injury, compared to 61% of permanent employers.
Fear of reprisal from employers creates an environment where insecure workers compromise their health and safety to keep their jobs. Half (50%) of insecure workers – compared to only 32% of permanent workers – did not report a workplace sexual harassment incident because they were worried about negative consequences for themselves.
This new research confirms that insecure work is hazardous to workers’ health and safety. The union movement vows to fight all forms of insecure work, and ensure that all working Australians can rely on secure, safe employment with decent pay and conditions.
The USU has launched our How healthy is your workplace? campaign. You can find out more here: https://usu.org.au/healthy/
