One million Australians have to work two jobs, new figures reveal   

New figures reveal that one million Australians are working two jobs to cope with rising livings costs and stagnant wages   .

news.com.au March 14, 2019


A record number of Australians need a second job to survive accelerating living expenses which are outpace growth in the size of pay packets.

More than one million clock on to two workplaces, according to a Labor analysis of official figures.

In the December quarter the number of secondary job holders rose by 3.3 per cent according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics labour force figures, opposition employment spokesman Brendan O’Connor said today.

That would mean close to eight per cent of the 12.7 million working Australians need two wages.

The figure comes on top of ABS findings that more than one million people are underemployed - they want more work but can’t get it.

“It’s clear that for too many people everything is going up except for their wages,” said Mr O’Connor today.   

The dual job holders might be getting an extra wage for a special project, such as saving for a home deposit.

But the need for two jobs is being linked to a cost of living rise of around 2.5 per cent while pay is going up by 2.27 per cent, and fears most households are spending their savings to maintain living standards.


The analysis underlines the Opposition’s warning that wages need a boost, and questions the Government’s boasts of improving employment numbers.

Labor leader Bill Shorten had made wages the centrepiece of the party’s election campaign and has given in-principle support to establishment of a living wage.

Business has argued faster wage rises would kill off jobs and said economic productivity has to be boosted first. However, over recent years productivity has risen while wage growth has dipped and unemployment has stuck at five per cent.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has added to those business warnings and demanded Mr Shorten detail how it would push up pay.

“He’s saying to coffee shop owners and small businesses around the country: Sack someone,” he told reporters yesterday.

“That’s his policy - that people should be sacked. Bill Shorten wants to sacrifice jobs for his politics of envy.”

Mr Shorten said today: “This (two jobs finding) just shows the lengths that Australians are being forced to go to make ends meet. 

“Australia is seeing record lows in wages growth, stagnant real wages and cuts to penalty rates — at the same time as household budgets are being stretched by soaring energy bills, health costs, child care costs.   

“The economy isn’t working in the interests of everyone. While the balance is tipped away from working Australians, we are going to see more people forced into situations where they will have to take a second job.”

Opposition finance spokesman Jim Chalmers last night told Sly News the proposals had been released.

“We’ve already announced that we’ll restore penalty rates, which is important,” said Mr Chalmers.

“We’ve already announced that we would crack down on sham contracting and dodgy visas and the use of labour hire to undercut wages and conditions. “

He said Labor was working on ways to “lift the minimum wage in this country, because the gap between the minimum wage and a living wage, or the average wage, has been growing over time. And that’s a big problem”. 

crocodile wrote on Mar 14^th, 2019 at 3:12pm:


Yeh especially for CEO's. That's right CEO's do the work of 100 workers or work 100 jobs LOL

The Coalition keep telling us the economy has never been stronger....Accept if you are on the minimum wage and have not had a decent pay rise in 6 years....Business has already threatened people with job losses if wages are increased despite record profits....Obviously businesses would rather go to the wall than pay more for Labour....The economy is not working for those on minimum wages with sham contracting, dodgy visas and the use of labour hire to undercut wages and conditions....This rabble must go!!!



Quote:

And the dirty, slimy mongrels in the grubberment will only allow someone to have one job before the serious tax cuts in.
Your second job is taxed at the highest rate, close to 50%

So some poor sod works one job getting minimum wage or 40k a year
Gets a job on the side and earns say 20k, but pays tax on that at 48%.

Yep, the grubberment are the consummate thieves.

No wonder cash work is favored by many people.
And I'm quite happy to pay cash to any tradesman,
even if it's the same cost, I never ask for discounts on cash jobs.
I willingly pay that way so the grubberment gets nuffink.
To me, that's the bonus.

crocodile wrote on Mar 14^th, 2019 at 6:36pm:


You get no tax allowance on a second job.
You cannot use your tax file number legally on more than 1 job.

As a result, the second job is taxed at the max rate.

Check it up

CEO's don't have to work two jobs do they cockadile although they work the equivalent of 100 jobs according to their pay scales and bonuses

crocodile wrote on Mar 15^th, 2019 at 10:14pm:


and what does your rubbish economics text say about that ?

Requiring to work two jobs - especially if one is a full-time job to make basic ends meet would be wrong.  Although every one of those people's circumstances can be quite different.