6247.1 - Part-time, Casual and Temporary Employment, New South Wales, Oct 1997  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 30/03/1998  Ceased
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MEDIA RELEASE

March 30, 1998
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
37/98
One in four NSW workers now employed on a part-time, casual or temporary basis - ABS

One in four NSW workers aged 15 years and over worked on a part-time, casual or temporary basis in their main job in October 1997, according to survey results released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Since 1991 the number of NSW workers employed under these arrangements has increased by more than 50 per cent, reaching 685,000 workers in 1997. By far the main increase was in people working casual full-time, up 900 per cent since 1991. People working temporary part-time increased almost 280 per cent over the same period.

More part time, casual or temporary workers were female (68 per cent) than male in October 1997. This compares with 78 per cent six years earlier. Most female part time, casual or temporary workers (36 per cent) worked as regular part-time casuals.

An increasing number of males are undertaking part time, casual or temporary employment. Since 1991, the number of males in this group has more than doubled, from 100,900 to 221,800. The major part of this increase was in casual full-time work.

Conditions of workers in part time, casual and temporary employment have changed in the last 6 years. The percentage of workers with superannuation cover and access to formal training and study leave has risen, however a lesser percentage of part time casual and temporary workers now have award coverage and access to overtime. The proportion of part time casual and temporary employees that are members of trade unions has also fallen.

Workers in part time, casual and temporary jobs were fairly evenly spread throughout different industries. The Retail trade sector accounted for the most with 24 per cent of all these employees. The occupation of about half of all part time, casual and temporary workers was classified as clerical, sales and service workers.

The survey showed that 59 per cent of part time, casual and temporary workers gave the main reason for choosing to work on this basis as being for either personal or family reasons. The most common of these reasons given were personal choice, study and child care. Thirty-two per cent gave employment reasons as the main reason, the majority of whom stated that this work was "the only type of work available".

Details are in Part-time, Casual and Temporary Employment, New South Wales, October 1997 (cat. no. 6247.1) available from ABS Bookshops at $16.00 a copy. A summary of findings of this publication is available from this site.