Emerging inequalities: the erosion of quality work in regional Victoria

The Latrobe Valley region’s labour market has traditionally been more constrained than the labour market of metropolitan Melbourne. Across the Latrobe region there is less industry diversity, a narrower range of occupational options and a high level of gender segregation. In the context of this constrained labour market, the rising levels of contract employment and other forms of insecure employment have serious implications for both the quality of work and for increasing social inequality within the region. This paper examines the experiences of a number of contract workers employed in occupations affiliated with the coal-powered power generators. It argues that not only have the individuals experienced significant erosion in the quality of their jobs, but that the power generators’ reliance on contracts and other insecure forms of employment has been detrimental for the development of skills across the region. The contractors are also amongst the most vulnerable workers in the transition to a low-carbon economy as they are less likely to be considered in the contract for closure process. The high incidence of contract work and insecure employment has major implications for social inequality within the Latrobe region and could result in rising levels of disadvantage within a region that has already experienced significant levels of disadvantage.