Unions have launched a national campaign to restrict casual employment and press for big changes to federal workplace laws.

Around 2.5 million Australians are employed casually, but unions are pushing to force employers to hire casual workers on a permanent basis after six months of employment.

Mark Levy speaks with Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s acting CEO Jenny Lambert to hear her response to the campaign.

“We’re really disappointed.

“The unions make it sound like this is a massive shift in the workforce, but in fact, the number of casuals, the percentage of the workforce, has been pretty stable over the years.

“To question the role of the umpire… It really destabilises the whole system and it’s very disappointing.

“The workers need these jobs. They are seasonal jobs.”

Listen to the full interview below