The closure of ACM’s North Richmond printing press will leave more than 100 people without a job – and a number of long-term casual workers without proper support despite years of loyal service.

ACM’s plant is one of the largest private employers in the Hawkesbury and its closure is a terrible blow for these workers, their loved ones and the whole local community.

For some workers, it’s even worse. The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union has warned some of these workers are classed as casuals despite having worked regular days and hours at the plant for as many as 25 years, and are therefore being left without any redundancy payments.

These workers are clearly permanent employees but could lose out simply because they’re called casuals.

This is yet another example of the unfair nature of insecure work in Australia.

Labor understands the print media is under extraordinary pressure but loyal workers should not just be thrown on the scrapheap.

We call on ACM to do the right thing by these workers and ensure they are properly supported.

Labor has a plan to stop this sort of exploitation of casuals. Scott Morrison by stark contrast has just made it worse.

A few weeks ago Mr Morrison teamed up with One Nation in the Senate to extinguish the rights of casuals. It means employers can now classify workers as a casual even if they work regular, predictable and permanent hours.

That means employers can benefit from the certainty of a permanent worker but they don’t need to give them the benefits of permanent work like leave or redundancies. The change overturns multiple decisions by the courts.

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