A quick thread on #COVID and casualisation.

The trend towards a casualised workforce has to date largely been framed as an issue of worker/employer choice, flexibility & economic security.

However, the collective v individualisation of risk aspect has been largely ignored 1/ https://twitter.com/LizHcks/status/1287932572312322048

In permanent employment, with proper sick leave, the employer bears the risk of illness. This is proper, as they have obligations to provide a safe workplace.

With casualisation, that risk is borne by the worker AND society. 2/

We have been alert for a while as to the burden of the risk on the worker. Without a sick leave safety net, many workers have long been forced to choose between working while sick or losing significant income (noting that casualisation disproportionately affect lower incomes) 3/

This is an economic unfairness for the worker, that is *supposed* to be compensated for by higher pay rate. But the reality the casual/permanent balance largely favours the employer in most instances. 4/

In part, this may be because we have largely ignored the collectivised risk aspects of casualisation. This is now becoming painfully apparent. The employer is not required to bear the risk of illness. The individual cannot. And so the State ends up bearing that risk. 5/

The current outbreak in Victoria is a illustration of when this goes catastrophically wrong. But current casualisation practices have probably been causing a background level of community transmission of illnesses (& collective assumption of burden) for some time. 6/

This collectivisation/socialisation of (health) risk, with the privatisation of (financial) benefit is a perverse outcome of increasing casualisation.

Rationally, it would call for SIGNIFICANTLY higher payroll (or other) tax rates for employing casuals. 7/

Framing the need for reform in this way may make it much more likely to get community support.

If we allow a system that favours casualisation, we favour the collectivisation of health risks and the privitaisation of financial benefit. This reeks of unfairness. END