Casuals are more likely to be getting paid less than permanent employees, according to a new research released by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). 

Casual workers are employees without access to leave entitlements, but instead receive a 25 per cent ‘causal loading’ on their hourly wage. 

However, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 34.3 per cent said they didn’t receive any casual loading at all. 

“This research shows what people who are being ripped off in casual work already knew- that our work rules are unfair and we need to change them,” ACTU secretary Sally McManus said. 

“Casual pay on average is actually around two to five per cent more in similar occupations, and many people get paid less than permanent staff, particularly in lower-paid work- not the supposed 25 per cent premium,” she added. 

In 2016, ABS showed that school teachers receive the closest rate of standard casual premium of 22 per cent, while other casual workers in the hospitality, labour, personal care, sales, cleaning and food industry only receive approximately two to five per cent. 

Casual workers with negative wage premiums included general clerks, sport and fitness staff, and packers and assemblers. 

Australia has the highest number of casual workers in accommodation and food services at 65.4 per cent, followed by agriculture, forestry and fishing, retail trade, and administration and support services at 39.8 per cent. 

Australia has recorded the highest rate of temporary labour among OECD countries, 5 times more than the United Kingdom. 

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