<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national" rel="" target="" title="Australians"><span>Australians</span></a><span> could get up to one-and-a-half months of leave per year under a new plan launched by the largest trade </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/unions" rel="" target="_blank" title="union"><span>union</span></a><span> in the country.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) have announced their bid to increase the annual leave given to working Aussies to five to six weeks, claiming Australians carry out over a month of unpaid work a year, citing figures from the Centre of Future Work.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They argue this leads to a higher rate of stress and burnout, which should be addressed.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>LIVE+BLOCKED:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-attack-iran-live-updates-donald-trump-latest-world-news-headlines/94a5cc0c-0369-44b9-8765-70bb2633e2bd" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Iran made chilling nuclear threat, US claims</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Currently, many working Australians have four to five weeks of annual leave per year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Getting back one of these weeks is fair and reasonable. It will mean a better rested and happier workforce," ACTU Secretary Sally McManus said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The majority of European countries have already moved beyond four weeks," she claimed, naming several European countries like France, Germany and Austria.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/australians-extra-week-of-leave-per-year/3f69eacf-298c-411f-8a61-0e7cc1c35af6" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/us-israel-strike-iran-australian-in-dubai-the-reality-of-being-caught-during-middle-east-war/f24cef0b-6d70-4d5c-8255-5bcdee133a9a" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>The reality of being an Aussie stuck in Dubai during the Middle East crisis</span></strong></a><strong><span></span></strong></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ACTU will table the plans to the National Employment Standards (NES) as part of a parliamentary enquiry into the NES.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>They say if the changes are approved, it will be the first increase in the minimum standard of annual leave since the 1970s.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>McManus claims younger workers are doing the most unpaid work, and will benefit more from the changes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE: </span></strong><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australian-girl-chloe-jeffries-killed-at-japanese-ski-resort/937a08fa-025e-4a1b-84eb-18c973716597" rel="" target="_blank" title=""><strong><span>Eight-year-old Australian girl dies at Japan ski resort</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Younger workers – from 18 to 24 years old – most urgently need to see this burden start to lift. They are the ones doing the most unpaid work," she said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The ACTU also claim the gap between productivity and real wages has widened, but concede increasing annual leave by a week will add an extra two per cent to employment costs.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>However, they claim it would not have a negative impact on the overall economy, because workers would be more to stay in their jobs and would be more productive due to a lower rate of burnout and other fatigue factors.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The Business Council of Australia has been contacted for comment.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><ul><li><em><strong><span>NEVER MISS A STORY: Get your breaking news and exclusive stories first by following us across all platforms.</span></strong></em></li><li><em><strong><span>Download the 9NEWS App here via</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://apps.apple.com/au/app/9news/id1010533727" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Apple</span></strong></em></a><span> </span><em><strong><span>and</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nineNewsAlerts.nine.com&amp;hl=en_AU&amp;pli=1" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>Google Play</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Make 9News your preferred source on Google by</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://9.nine.com.au/8x987w" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>ticking this box here</span></strong></em></a></li><li><em><strong><span>Sign up to</span></strong></em><span> </span><a href="https://login.nine.com.au/edm?client_id=nineatnine" rel="" target="" title=""><em><strong><span>our breaking newsletter here</span></strong></em></a></li></ul></div></div>