The Greens say they will work to increase the family friendliness of the country’s workplaces and provide flexible and considerate working arrangements to employees, correcting an imbalance which sees a lower workforce participation rate among women and older Australians.

The Australian Greens believe that robust and effective occupational health and safety laws and practices are vital for the social and economic health of our workplaces and, more importantly, for Australians and their families.

The Australian Greens have consistently demonstrated our commitment to the abolition of the ABCC over the last 5 years, including through the following actions inside and outside the parliament:

How the Greens secured fairer workplace laws

The Australian Greens consistently and vigorously opposed Work Choices and we were pleased to have played our part in ensuring the passage of the Fair Work legislation.

The Greens secured important improvements to the Fair Work Bill, including:

The Australian Greens believe that:

The Australian Greens are fully supporting calls from construction unions around Australia for the removal of the undemocratic building and construction laws, as a worker faces goal for taking a stand against the ABCC.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson for Employment and Workplace Relations says the Building Construction Industry Improvement legislation has now been in operation longer under the Labor Government that it was under the Howard regime.

The Australian Greens are extremely concerned about the widening gap in employment rates between Australia’s Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson Employment and Aboriginal Issues says the latest ABS figures show the unemployment rate among Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander population increased alarmingly from 13.8% in 2007 to 18.1% in 2009, a loss of around equating to around 2000 jobs.

The Australian Greens have today welcomed Fair Work Australia’s decision to increase the nation’s minimum wage by $26 a week.

Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens Employment and Workplace Relations spokesperson says the announcement represents a much needed increase in light of last year’s decision not to increase the figure.

“Raising the minimum wage is essential in easing the financial burden for over 1.5 million Australians and their families,” Senator Rachel Siewert said today.

"Today, around Australia, workers are commemorating the International Day of Mourning and remembering colleagues, friends and family who have died from work-place incidents."

"It is also a time to reflect on how as a society we can work together to prevent such deaths," said Senator Rachel Siewert, Australian Greens spokesperson on workplace relations.

"The statistics on workplace injury and illness in Australia make for sober reading and hide many personal tragedies", said Senator Siewert.