It's not often we see eye to eye with the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, but as Covid-19 hit Australian shores, both workers and bosses knew that without urgent intervention, Australia faced mass unemployment and the collapse of many businesses.
Unions and employers demanded the sleepy Morrison Government introduce a guaranteed wage subsidy to save our jobs and save local businesses.
When the Federal Government did act, the response was inadequate. The wage subsidy was low, and millions of workers on visas were excluded, causing massive hardship. The union movement continued to campaign for an expansion of the scheme.
Advocacy from workers in union meant that at the state level, workers who couldn't attend work due to needing to isolate were paid isolation payments. But again, the Morrison Government failed Victorians by refusing broader pandemic leave payments.