The ACTU welcomes the appointment of Tony Burke as minister for employment and workplace relations and looks forward to working with him to improve the lives of working people.

Minister Burke has worked hard in opposition to resist attacks on Australian workers such as the Ensuring Integrity Bill and the IR Omnibus Bill.

The pay and conditions of millions of working people are stronger today than they might have been without his work during the term of the last government.

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus said: “After almost a decade of attacks on their rights, working people finally have a minister for employment and workplace relations who will fight for them.”

“We welcome Minister Burke’s appointment and look forward to working with him and his team in line with the strong mandate for action on job security and wage growth that the Albanese Government has secured,” she added.

“The Australian people have been clear that they want a government which will restore balance to our industrial relations system.

“Strong wage growth and increased job security is desperately needed to ensure that the recovery from the pandemic extends to the workers who carried this country through the crisis.”