New report into the digitisation of workplaces recommends stronger protections for workers
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 130 No 2, 11 April 2025, page no 22.
The House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Education and Training has released its report “The Future of Work: Inquiry into the Digital Transformation of Workplaces”.
The committee calls for stronger protections against intrusive employer surveillance, new worker consultation measures, and improved rights for workers to control their own data.
Like the QTU’s Artificial Intelligence Decision Making Framework, the report recognises the potential benefits of artificial intelligence (AI) but also highlights the risk of employers exploiting new technologies to undermine wages and conditions. In common with the QTU’s framework, the committee also found that digital transformation has exposed significant risks, including gaps in Australia’s regulatory frameworks and workplace protections, and that this is especially the case with data and privacy.
The QTU position is that a commonsense approach is required by members and their employer. At its heart, our AI framework urges Queensland’s teaching profession to:
STOP CONSULT BE SAFE
We believe there is an urgent need for the teaching profession to adopt this decision-making framework and to ensure consultation takes place that addresses the full suite of legal, industrial, professional, and educational issues.
The committee largely supports this approach, and The Future of Work makes an additional 21 recommendations. For example, the Committee recommends that the Australian Government takes the following actions.
Worker protections
- Classify AI systems used for employment-related purposes as high-risk, including recruitment, referral, hiring, remuneration, promotion, training, apprenticeship, transfer, or termination.
- Review the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) to ensure decision making using AI is covered under the act and employers remain liable for these decisions.
- Work with states and territories to ensure greater consistency and modernisation of relevant legislation to enhance employee protections regarding the use of emerging technologies in the workplace.
Worker privacy
- Review the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) to protect workers, their data, and privacy.
- Work with states and territories to develop greater consistency and better protections against excessive and unreasonable surveillance in the workplace.
Worker safety
- Work with Safe Work Australia to develop a code of practice that identifies and addresses specific work health and safety risks associated with AI and that mitigates psychosocial risks.
Working ethically
- Require platform developers to demonstrate that AI systems have been developed using lawfully obtained data that does not breach Australian intellectual property or copyright laws, and create explicit protections for IndigenousCultural Intellectual Property.
Worker consultation and change management
- Strengthen obligations on employers to consult workers on major workplace changes before, during, and after the introduction of new technology. This should include consideration of whether the introduction of a technology is fit for purpose and does not unduly disadvantage workers.
Other recommendations include permitting greater transparency and ensuring clarity on employer liability for decisions made with AI and automated decision-making (ADM) tools.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) made a submission to the inquiry on behalf of Australian workers and has welcomed the report.
With the federal election fast approaching, the report provides further evidence of the risks posed by the Coalition’s commitment to repealing workplace rights and protections.
The QTU’s Artificial Intelligence Decision Making Framework is available to members here (https://www.qtu.asn.au/joint-ieu-qntqtu-ai-position-paper)
The Future of Work report is available here (www.aph.gov.au/The_Future_of_Work_Report_Released)