Pressure is mounting to allow Aussie employees to work from home as fallout from the Iran war and resulting oil crisis grows.
The Finance Sector Union – which represents roughly half a million workers at financial institutions across the country, including the big four – said on Tuesday it had written to employers urging them to allow staff to “determine their own flexible working arrangements”.
“We’re hearing from our members about all the cost of living pressures — fuel, rent and mortgages,” Finance Sector Union National Secretary Julia Angrisano told news.com.au.
“This is a really sensible, easy way that the employers in the finance industry can ease some of that pressure.”
Ms Angrisano said workers should have the ability to choose which days they worked from home themselves, rather than having mandated WFH days.
“We’re hoping to see employers step up and take a really cooperative, collaborative approach,” she said.
“We know flexible work works. The sector delivered through the pandemic and continues to do so.”
It comes amid a growing push for companies to loosen working arrangements as high petrol prices and fuel shortages bite as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.
Energy Minister Chris Bowen said on Sunday that Aussies should WFH where possible.
“Well, I think that’s a sensible thing to do in any environment, really, you know, work from home has become an important part of Australian working life,” Mr Bowen told ABC’s Insiders.
The world’s energy watchdog, the International Energy Agency, issued 10 recommendations over the weekend in response to the global oil shock, which included “work from home where possible” at the top of the list.
Other recommendations included reducing speed on the roads, car pooling and avoiding air travel.
Meanwhile, some businesses have already enacted new WFH policies.
Sydney-based SEO agency UR Digital on Monday announced a weekly WFH day for all staff.
The move was described as a proactive response to the recent doubling in Australian petrol prices and a bid to “alleviate the financial and mental burden on team members before any official government mandates are issued”.
The company estimated it would save employees living in Greater Sydney $35 per week.
“For our staff who live further from the CBD or rely on toll roads, costs add up quickly,” said UR Digital Founder Pulkit Agrawal.
“By working from home one day a week, we are effectively putting around $1680–$1820 back into an employee’s pocket annually.”
According to the federal government’s Minimum Stockholding Obligation, Australia’s petrol reserves are sitting at 38 days’ worth, while diesel and jet fuel supplies are at 30 days.
Mr Bowen on Sunday said fuel rationing was not expected in the short term.
“The National Fuel Emergency Act of 1984 has never been invoked — not through the first two Gulf Wars or Covid,” he said.
“It’s not designed to be invoked lightly. It primarily has powers related to defence and health, in the first instance, to ensure that those key areas are getting the diesel that they need, but also other forms of fuel.”
He explained that any decision to trigger the act would require strong advice.
“I wouldn’t exercise those quite remarkable powers unless I had pretty strong advice that it was necessary in the circumstances,” Mr Bowen said.
Mr Bowen said that invoking the act would also involve consultation with states and territories.
“Obviously, it’s something I would work through with the states. I’m not envisaging needing that.”