E tū is condemning the Government’s new employment law proposals as the worst attack on workers’ rights in a generation, warning they will entrench low pay and precarious work across many industries.

The most dangerous change is a rewrite of the law that determines whether a worker is an employee or a contractor. E tū says this would make it harder for exploited workers to challenge unfair contracts and win the rights they are legally entitled to.

“This is a blatant attempt to tilt the playing field even further towards the already powerful,” says E tū National Secretary Rachel Mackintosh.

“It looks like it could have been written by Uber’s lawyers. It threatens the rights of thousands of people in gig work, across industries like courier delivery, cleaning, security, construction, and labour hire.”

Under the current law, workers can challenge their employment status in court. That means if someone is treated like an employee but labelled a contractor – to avoid paying them sick leave and the minimum wage, for example – they can have that arrangement overturned.

E tū and Workers First Union previously used this process to win a landmark court case proving Uber drivers are employees. Rachel warns the proposed changes will slam the door shut on similar cases in future.

“This bill turns the clock back. It gives employers more power to dictate terms, and denies workers a fair shot at justice.”

Rachel says the proposed changes could have devastating consequences for a growing group of vulnerable workers.

“We have members who work regular hours, wear a company uniform, drive a branded van, and answer to a manager – but they’re told they’re not employees, so they miss out on basic rights like holiday pay and protection from unfair dismissal.”

Rachel says the proposal reflects a dangerous ideological agenda.

The bill also attacks other long-standing protections. It removes the right for new workers to automatically be offered union-negotiated terms for their first 30 days. It puts a cap on remedies for personal grievances, meaning even serious mistreatment might attract only a token payout. And it waters down the definition of unjustified dismissal, making it easier for employers to sack workers without proper process.

“These aren’t minor tweaks – they are a systematic dismantling of rights that generations of workers have fought for,” Rachel says.

“E tū will be fighting every step of the way to stop this bill. Every worker deserves a fair go, and the ability to stand up against exploitation when it happens.”

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