1. ‘Mediating the Work/Life Collision: Some international policies and practices that work over the life course’ Barbara Pocock School of Social Sciences, University of Adelaide www.barbarapocock.com.au Work/Life Association Annual Conference, Wednesday 19th October, 2005

2. Comparing…  Why do it?  The Australian industrial and social tradition  Which comparator countries?  Which Policies?

3. Key elements   Working Time Regime   Leave for working parents   Childcare   Family payments and taxation   Distribution of Domestic Work   Gender Cultures

4. Why does reconciliation matter?  The fertility argument  Capitalising on fertility alarmism..  The opportunity of labour market tightening?  Health and welfare of children  Of men and women  Productivity?  Gender equity

5. Potential Instruments   Substantive rights   Procedural Rights   Social supports   Firm level arrangements

6. Long Hours   Reductions in total working hours - grounds of employee health and safety;   And to better reconcile work and family – the conformation of hours, avoid unsocial hours, and adequate notice of working time;   The threshold health and safety: 48 hours overall cap;   Accompanied by rights that confer negotiating scope for employees, adequate periods of notice, as well as protection from unsocial working time;   Short reference period   No ‘Opt out’   Low pay, insecure work and individual bargaining?   Enterprise consultative structures?   Bargaining and industry and enterprise initiatives to reduce the length of ordinary hours to 35 a week without loss of pay.

7. Measures to facilitate hours flexibility for workers   Effective anti-discrimination measures in relation to working time   Removing triggers that work against part-timers eg hours eligibility thresholds   Rights to request changes in hours with clear bases of refusal clear procedures and timelines available to all employees as work/life not 'carers' or 'women's' measure

8. Measures to facilitate hours flexibility for workers   Access to paid annual and sick leave   pro rata but no longer 'cashed out'   Facilitation of transfer to permanent 1. 1. where a period of temporary work has been served 2. 2. Limitation on successive contracting

9. Prospects?  Fat chance.  But no plan, no chance.  Political prospects?