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Published in The Australian (July 13, 2006)

More than eight-in-ten (83%) employed Australians are satisfied with the way they are currently employed, with just 11% saying they are dissatisfied and 6% unable to say, a special Roy Morgan telephone survey finds. Among those who believe they are employed under an AWA, satisfaction is 8% lower at 75%.

The most common reasons for satisfaction amongst employees are “good terms and conditions”, “my boss treats me well” and “happy with pay rates”. Common themes amongst the dissatisfied included “low/reduced wages” and a “lack of opportunities to further career.”

Seventeen per cent of workers believe they are employed under an AWA (3% individual workplace agreement; 13% collective workplace agreement; 1% can’t say what kind of AWA). However, official estimates suggest that just 4% of the working population is employed under an AWA. This implies that a major proportion of the Australian workforce is confused about what type of workplace arrangement they’re under.

Thirty-five per cent of workers believe they are employed under an industry based contract (19% union based; 9% non-union based; 7% couldn’t say what type); 30% an individual contract; 6% were not employed under any arrangement; 2% other; while 10% can’t say what type of employment arrangement they were currently under.

A greater proportion of workers in Tasmania (26%: 8% individual; 16% collective; 2% can’t say) and Western Australia (22%: 4% individual; 16% collective; 2% can’t say) believe they are employed under an AWA.

Gary Morgan says:

“The main finding of this research among Australian employees is that most Australian employees are satisfied with their current employment arrangements, but there is a lack of knowledge and understanding about what their contractual arrangements are.

“Roy Morgan Research will continue to provide measures of Australian employees satisfaction with their employment arrangements and conditions as the different kinds of employment arrangements become better known, and the impact of the new IR legislation is experienced.”

Respondents gave reasons for why they were satisfied/dissatisfied with their current employment arrangement as part of special Roy Morgan Qualitative Research.

Good terms and conditions:
“My employers are open to negotiating conditions — we’ve done it for years before the IR reforms were introduced — they’re just nice people. I won’t vote for Liberal because I don’t think these new agreements will benefit people who do not have skills.”
“I’m in a position where I can work the hours I want to fit in with childcare as there is a lack of teachers — the education department is currently quite flexible.”
“I work in a small family business where I’m treated with respect for my ability and integrity. I think I am one of the fortunate ones.”

My boss treats me well:
“I have no hassles and no worries with my pay. My employer is flexible in terms of time and is supportive of my learning.”
“I work for nice people. I get good wages, flexible working times and can even work from home sometimes.”
“I’m particularly satisfied with my employer as they provide a good deal of freedom, choice and opportunities.”

Happy with pay rates:
“The award sets out clearly what we are, and are not, entitled to. The union provides a resource to ensure compliance with the award.”
“I work with good people; there are opportunities for advancement, combined with excellent wages and conditions.”
“Under the award I have been treated fairly, my wages are good and my bosses listen to my concerns.”

Low/Reduced wages combined with a lack of bargaining power:
“Sometimes the boss doesn’t pay us on time if she doesn’t have money — she is pretty dodgy.”
“AWA’s have been thrust upon us. They don’t give any leeway and they weigh heavily in the employer’s favour. The employer can force us to work at any site they want — we’re expected to sell our homes and move our families — and either you go or your service is no longer required. I find that is very detrimental to my family and social life.”
“I would like to be in a position where I had someone behind me — like union backing.”
“The Peter Beattie Government doesn’t fund police enough — lowest paid police officers in Australia.”

Lack of opportunities to further career:
“I’ve been working for more than three years for the same money — there’s no annual increase and if you ask for one they just say no.”
“I’ve been with the company for five years and been on the same pay — if a person starts tomorrow they will earn the same pay. No matter how many years you’ve been with an AWA, you will still get the same pay and that’s what angers me.”
“I’d like more hours, but they give them to the young ones. When you get older you only get a certain amount of hours and you never get overtime or anything like that.”

This special Roy Morgan telephone survey was conducted on the evenings of June 19/20, 23/24 & 27/28, 2006, with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,047 full-time and part-time employees aged 14 and over.

1. What type of arrangement are you currently employed under?

Respondents who said they were either employed full-time or part-time were asked: "Are you employed under an…?”

Those who said they were employed under an AWA were then asked: “Is that an individual workplace agreement, where you negotiated your own terms and conditions, or a collective workplace agreement?”

Those who said they were employed under an Industry based award were then asked: “Is that a union based industry award, or not?”

Women were marginally more likely than men (18% cf 16%) to believe they are employed under an AWA. Analysis by age shows that young Australians — those aged 14-17 — are the most likely (24%) to be employed under an AWA. It is interesting to note that 37% of 14-17 years olds and 22% of 18-24 year olds can’t say what type of arrangement they are employed under.

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Sex, Age & Work Type
	July 2006	Men	Women	14-17#	18-24	25-34	35-49	50+	Full-Time	Part-Time
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Individual AWA	3	4	2	6	3	4	3	2	3	3
Collective AWA	13	11	15	15	10	16	12	14	13	14
Couldn’t say Ind. or Coll.	1	1	1	3	1	1	-	2	1	1
TOTAL AWA	17	16	18	24	14	21	15	18	17	18
Union based	19	17	20	5	8	13	23	26	20	16
Non-union based	9	9	10	5	8	10	11	6	9	9
Couldn’t say union or non-union	7	7	7	14	7	8	8	5	7	8
TOTA Industry based award	35	33	37	24	23	31	42	37	36	33
Individual contract	30	35	25	11	35	35	28	29	33	24
Other	2	3	2	2	1	1	2	4	2	2
None	6	5	5	2	5	5	6	7	6	5
Can’t say	10	8	13	37	22	7	7	5	6	18
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

A greater proportion of workers in Tasmania (26%: 8% individual; 16% collective; 2% can’t say) and Western Australia (22%: 4% individual; 16% collective; 2% can’t say) believe they are employed under an AWA.

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Region and State
	July 2006	NSW (incl. ACT)	Vic	Qld	SA	WA	Tas#
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Individual AWA	3	4	4	1	4	4	8
Collective AWA	13	13	12	13	14	16	16
Couldn’t say Ind. or Coll.	1	-	-	1	1	2	2
TOTAL AWA	17	17	16	15	19	22	26
Union based	19	21	19	17	16	17	11
Non-union based	9	12	6	13	8	2	4
Couldn’t say union or non-union	7	5	8	9	9	7	13
TOTAL Industry based award	35	38	33	39	33	26	28
Individual contract	30	27	33	26	37	32	41
Other	2	3	2	2	2	2	-
None	6	5	6	6	6	6	2
Can’t say	10	10	10	12	3	12	3
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

2. Satisfaction of current employment arrangements

All respondents, regardless of whether they worked full or part-time and what type of work arrangement they were under, were then asked: “Are you satisfied, or dissatisfied, with the way you are employed?”

Men and women were equally likely (both 83%) to be satisfied with the way they are currently employed. Analysis by age shows that younger Australians are the least satisfied with the way they are employed, although 19% of 14-17 years olds can’t say whether they are satisfied or dissatisfied.

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Sex and Age & Work Type
	July 2006	Men	Women	14-17#	18-24	25-34	35-49	50+	Full-Time	Part-Time
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Satisfied	83	83	83	79	78	83	84	83	84	80
Dissatisfied	11	10	11	2	15	11	10	11	9	13
Can’t say	6	7	6	19	7	6	6	6	7	7
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

Australians employed under an Individual AWA are the most dissatisfied (17%) of all AWA employees with the way they are employed. The satisfaction level of AWA employees is 8% below the 83% satisfaction of all full-time and part-time employees.

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Employment Arrangement (AWA)
	July 2006	Total AWA	Individual AWA	Collective AWA	Can’t say whether Ind. or Collective#
	%	%	%	%	%
Satisfied	83	75	71	77	77
Dissatisfied	11	12	17	11	-
Can’t say	6	13	12	12	23
Total	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

Australians employed under an individual contract are 6% more likely to be satisfied with their current working arrangements than those employed under an industry based award (87% cf 81%). Whether an industry award is union based or non-union based has no effect employment satisfaction (81% cf 80%).

	Total All People 14+	Analysis by Employment Arrangement (Industry Based Award & Individual Contract)
	July 2006	Total Industry based award	Union based	Non-Union based	Can’t say whether union or non-union#	Individual Contract
	%	%	%	%	%	%
Satisfied	83	81	81	80	82	87
Dissatisfied	11	11	10	11	14	11
Can’t say	6	8	9	9	4	2
Total	100	100	100	100	100	100

# Sample sizes less than 50 should be treated with caution

This special Roy Morgan telephone survey was conducted on the evenings of June 19/20, 23/24 & 27/28, 2006, with an Australia-wide cross-section of 1,047 full-time or part-time employees aged 14 and over.

Morgan Poll Detailed Analysis
A detailed analysis of this special Roy Morgan survey can be purchased for $6,800 plus GST (which includes the data loaded in Roy Morgan’s Asteroid Software).

For further information:

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