The length of the working week and the flexibility of working time are
two aspects which impact on the international competitiveness of Aust
ralian industry. The popular view of the Australian worker is often co
uched in terms such as ''lazy'' and ''slack'', and the ''sickie'' appe
ars to have gained a permanent place in Australian vocabulary. Present
s evidence, however, which tends to suggest that the lazy ''tag'' may
be somewhat inappropriate. Comparison of the Australian estimates on h
ours of work with international data obtained from the OECD and the IL
O indicates that Australian full-time workers are working more hours t
han most other OECD countries. Also, full-time employees are working c
onsiderably longer hours than they did a decade ago. Puts forward four
primary reasons for this increase in hours worked by full-time employ
ees: (1) a substantial increase in the proportion of employees working
in excess of 48 hours per week; (2) a decrease in absence rates over
the last ten years; (3) a decline in the amount of annual and long ser
vice leave taken by full-time employees; and (4) a significant decreas
e over the last decade in time lost owing to industrial disputes. Of g
reater concern is the flexibility of working time. Evidence suggests,
for example, that penalty rates of pay and working time restrictions h
ave tended to spread through the award system to an extent that is not
healthy for Australian industry. While there has been some relaxation
of these rigidities, it is thought that there is considerable scope f
or further moves in this direction.