Necessary trade offs

Half the country is now approaching the end of a four day week, meaning the memories of a glorious long weekend have been almost completely forgotten in the rush of trying to cram the usual amount of work into fewer hours.

For many, Labor Day was a handy opportunity to get started on their summer tan. But it’s also worth considering its actual purpose - to celebrate the fight for equitable working rights.

Around the world, trade unions are having a moment. In France, two days of widespread strikes saw hundreds of thousands of workers take to the streets to protest austerity and spending cuts.

Here in Australia, trade union membership is showing signs of growth after plummeting from 40% of employees to 13% since 1992. 

The uptick has been driven by rapidly shifting models of work. The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) recently proposed implementing a four day work week, a proposal backed by both academic research and a population already eyeing an extra day at the beach. Alas, they were unsuccessful.

This week, the ACTU sought to protect overtime and penalty rates for those working from home, marking the first truly meaningful piece of news around WFH since March 2020.

And, of course, unions are heavily involved with nascent regulation governing how AI is used across industries, with the ACTU and others taking on the role of King Canute.

After decades of culture defined by individualism, rapid shifts in the structure and meaning of work may be opening the door for the return of trade unions as a club people actually want to join. Especially if it means a few more Mondays off.