Jobs, Rights and the Global Financial Crisis Unions have a fundamental role to play in protecting the jobs and rights of workers through the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) and in coming with solutions and a vision for a better economic system. The Global Financial Crisis that has spread from the US to the rest of the world poses the biggest threat to the jobs and living standards of Australian working families in several generations. The shockwaves of the GFC have taken longer to reach Australia than it has many other parts of the world, and the impact to date has been less than that experienced in the United States and parts of Europe. But for working Australians and their families, the situation will get worse before it gets better. The victims of this downturn will be ordinary Australian workers, who through no fault of their own find themselves fighting to preserve their jobs, their incomes, their homes and their livelihoods. As the crisis worsens, working Australians are turning to unions for help to protect their jobs, their conditions, and their living standards. Protecting jobs & rights Unions have been at the forefront of the push to protect jobs from the earliest signs that Australia would not be immune from the Global Financial Crisis. We have argued for stimulus measures, proposed innovative ways of preserving jobs while retraining and reskilling the workforce, and called for a set of national interest expenditure guidelines to give Australian industry a fair go in bidding for the billions of dollars of taxpayer funds to be spent on stimulus projects. Unions have also been the leading voice in articulating the anger of workers at the flawed thinking and corporate greed that was at the root of this crisis. There cannot be a return to the business as usual of crony capitalism and the short-term greed, bonus-fuelled risk-taking and “let the markets rip” attitude that caused so much hardship. Unions believe the true benchmarks of economic recovery are not so-called ‘green shoots’ on the stock market, but sustainable jobs growth in the real economy. Along with its role of advocating on behalf of working Australians, the ACTU has fostered debate and new thinking with a recent Jobs Summit, Pathways to Recovery, and an action plan for the crisis and the recovery, Jobs and Rights Charter for Working Australians. Key facts 50 million workers around the world are estimated to lose their jobs in 2009, while another 200 million will join the 1.4 billion already subsisting on less than $US2 a day. Unemployment in Australia has risen from 4.3% a year ago to 5.8% in the most recent labour force data (Oct 2009) and is forecast to peak at 6.75% next year. Already there are around 180,000 more people out of work than a year ago and a further 100,000 Australians are expected to be out of work by the middle of next year. The average length of unemployment has stretched to 33.5 weeks in May, from 26.5 weeks at the start of the year. And about 870,000 Australians are seeking more working hours. More information International Labour Organization Summit on the Global Jobs Crisis Manufacturing Alliance Make It Here Australian Government economic stimulus plan More video Sharan Burrow speaking at G20 (Pittsburgh)