2026-03-25
Across the country, essential workers are taking industrial action fed up with job insecurity and threats of job cuts from AI and inadequate wages that haven’t kept up with inflation in a cost of living crisis and fuel crisis.
The Greens say Labor, which claims to be the party of workers, must prioritise wage justice for workers who are being left behind as the wealthy 1% continue to profit.
Lines attributable to Greens spokesperson for finance, workplace relations and employment Senator Barbara Pocock:
“Just three months into the year and we’ve already seen teachers, journalists, nurses, early childhood educators and maritime workers take significant industrial action across the country.
“Labor needs to wake up. Essential workers are reaching breaking point.
“Working people are seeing their real wages go backwards, while interest rates rise and Labor lets the cost of housing, fuel, groceries and healthcare surge out of control.
“Working Australians have had enough. They’re fed up with seeing the 1% and big corporations profit from the war and housing crisis, while wages aren’t keeping up and workers are going backwards.
"Wages aren’t keeping up with inflation. Our essential workers deserve their fair share.
"Labor must back in unions' and workers' calls for pay increases and improved working conditions.
“AI is changing the way we work and our economy but we can't let AI run rampant and undermine workers’ skills and cost the jobs of real people. We must protect workers' rights and job security from a robot takeover.
“The cost of living and housing crisis are being felt across the country. When national rents have risen 2.5 times faster than wages over the past five years, working households fall further behind through no fault of their own."
MEDIA CONTACT:
Charlotta Lomas – 0466 339 862