![Greens leader Adam Bandt. Picture by Keegan Carroll Greens leader Adam Bandt. Picture by Keegan Carroll](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/128375134/3f92b768-6723-4225-a25b-78911cde1bfe.jpg/r0_400_5000_3222_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Greens leader Adam Bandt is not waiting for Labor's second tranche of workplace reforms and - eyeing ALP support - is pressing ahead with his party's key IR demand of a legislated "right to disconnect".
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Getting in ahead of the government, Mr Bandt will on Monday introduce a private member's bill in a bid to give Australian workers the right to disconnect, particularly when they work from home.
"Workers should have the right to switch off when they clock off," the Greens leader said.
"Technology has seen work creep into personal time. If you're not getting paid for it, you should be able to ignore the work texts and emails that arrive after hours."
The Greens negotiated changes to Labor's Secure Jobs, Better Pay bill late last year in return for its support, and flagged it would pursue an added protection of the right to ignore calls or emails from their bosses after hours in the expected second tranche of Labor's IR reforms in 2023. Multi-employer bargaining and other measures then became law after a deal was struck with independent ACT senator David Pocock.
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Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has flagged Labor's next round of workplace reforms will be tackled in the second half of this year, including tough regulations to improve the rights of gig workers and casuals.
Getting in ahead of the government, Mr Bandt will on Monday introduce a private member's bill in a bid to give Australian workers the right to disconnect, particularly when they work from home.
"The Greens will fight to get the government to lock in this right as part of their plans to update the industrial relations system," Mr Bandt said.
The right to disconnect from work outside paid hours, a feature in some European nations, was one of the main reform recommendations of the final report, released this month, from the Greens chaired Senate Select Committee on Work and Care.
Labor members were among committee members who supported major changes to help workers with caring responsibilities. Separately, Labor's Tony Sheldon, who was not on the committee, is keen on the policy as "part of the mix" in the workplace conversation.
Under the committee's proposal, employers would be restricted from contacting employees outside of work hours unless it's an emergency.
The senate select committee, chaired by Greens senator Barbara Pocock, also backed a national trial of the four-day work week to see how it improves the lives of those juggling work and caring responsibilities. As well, it examined paid sick, carers and holiday leave for casuals, a right to predictable, stable rosters, and a move towards 52 weeks of paid parental leave.