This workshop will attempt to cover quite different aspects of flexible work debates.

It will attempt to draw links to the global theme, by investigating employers' responses to the global financial crisis in the way of restructures which offer part time work to employees but in actual fact may add a sense of vulnerability rather than flexibility. The Australian Centre for Research in Employment and Work may have some preliminary results/trends from a survey they are conducting which tests this observation.

Dr Sara Charlesworth will provide an analysis of what quality part time work is, with the view to understand what employers should be offering, (if this is their preference to redundancies), and how unions could campaign for this.

In the education sector, flexible work and the ways this can be accommodated particularly at the leadership level is still a priority for the AEU, and the GFC is no reason for us to cease pursuing these conditions for our members. Lise Moody and Alana Kitson will provide a report on the SA Part-time Principals trials, with recommendations about best ways forward.

Women's Officers Tish Champion and Leah Mertens will assist in the running of this workshop.