1. Enrol or update your enrolment: URGENT if you are not enrolled, you have until 8pm today (Monday 19 July) to get your form in to the AEC. If you need to make a change to your enrolment, you have until 8pm on Thursday 22 July. Click here for everything you need to enrol or update on the AEC website. 2. Vote to protect your rights at work: With the Liberal-Nationals flip-flopping all over the place, we're advising ASU members and friends that the risk of a return to unfair workplace laws is just too great with an Abbott Government.
Now that an election has been called, Tony Abbott's position appears to have changed, again! What he was saying to the media this morning, was different to what he was saying last week and different to his Budget reply speech.
We've heard Mr Abbott say that WorkChoices is dead and buried, but we've also heard him say that he wants to introduce more "flexibility". Over the weekend he promised to do nothing to workplace laws for three years, while Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations Eric Abetz was in another part of the country talking about "tweaking" the laws. And then today on 3AW Abbott admitted that the workplace regulations (that are in addition to laws) would still be open for change - own goal, Mr Abbott!
Tony Abbott on the Channel 9 Today Show this morning said he has "an election to win" by way of explaining his flip-flopping. And this is someone we are supposed to trust? It's the same person who told Kerry O'Brien not to take as gospel everything he says. If you'd like to hear his remarkable admission again:
It's pretty clear to us that when Tony Abbott is safely ensconced in the Lodge, "tweaking" and providing "flexibility" will see a return of the Draconian workplace environment we suffered under with Howard - it just won't be called WorkChoices. Sorry, Mr Abbott, that's just not good enough. We won't be hoodwinked by your rhetoric!
And workplace relations is just one of many policy areas that will be decimated by an Abbott Government. We encourage ASU members and friends to get informed before voting. We will provide resources and links over the next many weeks to help.
As a union, the ASU advocates on behalf of workers. On that basis, our advice is put the Liberals last on August 21.
Abbott is changing his tune on WorkChoices just to "win an election"
Liberal leader Tony Abbott's stated position on the reintroduction of WorkChoices changes from minute to minute and shows working Australians cannot trust anything he says.
19 July 2010 [ full story ]
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Rights for working Australians is key issue for 2010 election
This federal election is about the rights of all working Australians and the threat of a future return to WorkChoices under the Coalition, say unions.
17 July 2010 [ full story ]
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Qantas Holidays EBA meetings continue separately
The ASU Qantas Holidays reps met with the Qantas Holidays management on 17 and 30 June 2010.
09 July 2010 [ full story ]
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Toll Dnata Ramp and Cargo Agreement out to vote
The Toll Dnata Airport Services Pty Ltd Ramp and Cargo Enterprise Agreement 2010 - 2013 has now been presented to you by management to consider prior to voting.
08 July 2010 [ full story ]
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Qantas tables a big EBA agenda
Since our last bulletin your ASU National Negotiating Team have met with Qantas management on 16 June and 1 July.
05 July 2010 [ full story ]
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Congratulations to Sharan Burrow on her election to head the global union movement
Australian unions warmly congratulate ACTU President Sharan Burrow on her election as the General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC). Ms Burrow was elected to head the global union body at its Congress in Vancouver overnight.
26 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Unions pledge to work closely with Julia Gillard, acknowledge Labor's achievements under Rudd
Australian unions have pledged to work closely with Julia Gillard as Prime Minister and are united in preventing a return to the Coalition and its disastrous WorkChoices policy.
24 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Here's the truth on mining: profits have grown by more than eight times wages
Big mining companies have not been telling the Australian public the truth and should admit that they are making astronomical profits and can afford to pay more tax.
24 June 2010 [ full story ]
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International Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights - 101 trade unionists murdered in 2009
The ITUC's Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights has documented a dramatic increase in the number of trade unionists murdered in 2009, with 101 killings - an increase of 30% over the previous year. The Survey, released earlier this month, also reveals growing pressure on fundamental workers' rights around the world as the impact of the global economic crisis on employment deepened.
23 June 2010 [ full story ]
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NAIDOC Week 2010: Unsung Heroes - Closing the Gap by Leading Their Way
NAIDOC Week 2010 is being held 4-11 July. It is a time to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by Australians from all walks of life and the ASU encourages members to take part.
23 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Agreement over broadband network roll-out is good for jobs and national infrastructure
The Heads of Agreement signed yesterday between Telstra and the National Broadband Network Company is good news for jobs in Australia's communications industry and good news for our national infrastructure says the ACTU and the CEPU.
21 June 2010 [ full story ]
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ASU thrilled at Victorian Brumby Government announcement for SACS workers
After years of campaigning, the Australian Services Union is thrilled at today's announcement of the Victorian Brumby Government's support for the Equal Pay claim for social and community services (SACS) workers across Victoria.
19 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Correction: Passage of amended paid parental leave scheme is one step closer to historic achievement for Australia's working mums
The passing of an amended parent leave scheme by the Senate today is another step closer to the culmination of a 30-year campaign by working women and their unions, say unions.
17 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Dispute to be heard by Fair Work Australia on Canon subcontracting to CSG Communications Pty Ltd
A dispute has been lodged with Fair Work Australia regarding the transmission of Technicians from Canon Australia Pty Ltd to CSG Communications Pty Ltd (CSG). ASU Delegates and officials have been seeking all of the necessary information from Canon to determine whether the jobs they will be transmitted to are of a similar or not less favourable nature.
15 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Australia needs a robust tax system with fair and efficient taxation of mining super profits
National organisations representing social and community sector, unions, environmental and consumer groups have called for the voices of ordinary Australians to be heard in a tax debate that has been dominated by powerful vested mining interests. [Joint statement by ACTU, ACOSS, ACF, CFA]
15 June 2010 [ full story ]
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25,000 Australians call on Senate to make history this week with a final vote for paid parental leave
More than 25,000 Australians have signed a community petition urging the Senate to vote this week in support of the nation's first Paid Parental Leave scheme, so it can be up and running by the start of next year.
15 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Myer Stores Enterprise Agreement Survey
Myer staff would be aware that the Myer Stores Agreement 2007 will expire on 31 July 2010. Over the next few weeks the Australian Services Union (ASU), as the recognised bargaining representative for ASU members under the Fair Work Act, will be consulting with Myer members to assist with a survey in preparation for the bargaining process.
11 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Biggest action on equal pay since the Seventies
Thousands of equal pay supporters will rally across the country at 11am today to take part in Australia's biggest equal pay march since the 1970s.
10 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Virgin Blue Ground Crew Agreement 2010 approved
Fair Work Australia (FWA) approved your agreement on the 1 June 2010.
08 June 2010 [ full story ]
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ASU-PSI Utility Bulletin - May 2010
The current edition includes the following items: International Solidarity Levy; Indonesian PLN Union campaigning against a new law on electricity privatisation; PSI Gives ADB 'Very Poor' Score in Madya Pradesh Power Project; ADB loan to Cambodia Power Transmission Lines; Intelligent Infrastructure; United Utilities agrees to sell United Utilities Australia to a Consortium led by Mitsubishi Corporation; plus more.
08 June 2010 [ full story ]
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More Qantas ASU EBA claims tabled
The ASU national negotiations team met again with Qantas management in Sydney on 4 June 2010 for Day 3 of our EBA 9 negotiations. At this meeting we tabled almost all of our remaining detailed claims. Qantas Holidays EBA representatives also met the Qantas Holidays / Jetset Travelworld Group management on 2 June 2010 in Sydney.
08 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Compulsory wearing of lifejackets will save rock fisher lives
The Australian Professional Ocean Lifeguard Association (APOLA), whose members are council employees that protect our local government beaches (the ASU is the Union for these professionals), has provided the following advice to the ASU. We are now re-circulating their media release as a community announcement.
07 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Historic day of action for Equal Pay
Thousands of equal pay supporters will rally across the country at 11am this Thursday June 10 to take part in Australia's biggest equal pay march since the 1970s.
07 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Working Australians get a $26 a week dividend for end of WorkChoices
Today's pay decision from Fair Work Australia for 1.4 million award-dependent workers breaks the drought after a wage freeze of almost two years under the Howard Government's wage-setting tribunal.
03 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Auscript Agreement 2010 - your VOTE your say
The Auscript Draft Agreement has been finalised by management and will soon be subject to a ballot of Staff. The offer is for a three year agreement. The ASU sought to negotiate the best outcome possible but now it is time for you to decide.
03 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Free our water
Last year, the ASU called for local councils throughout Australia to provide greater public access to free water facilities to encourage less dependence on water sold in plastic disposable bottles. An entertaining and enlightening online video published this year is helping to tell the story of why saying "no" to bottled water is a good idea.
03 June 2010 [ full story ]
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ASUnet news ... all the news from April-May 2010
It's been an interesting few weeks in politics with some extraordinary statements being made and a lot of mud slinging going on. At the ASU, because our job is advocating for workers, we're listening intently in the lead up to the federal election so we can advise you of what's on offer to best protect your rights at work. Stay tuned...
02 June 2010 [ full story ]
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Coalition forced to accept Paid Parental Leave scheme, ending decades of opposition
Australian families will be relieved by Tony Abbott's decision to drop his long-held opposition to a universal paid parental leave scheme which will provide 18 weeks support for working mums from the start of 2011, say unions.
02 June 2010 [ full story ]
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10 facts on NCR & the Fair Work Act
NCR would have you think that they are above the law. NCR says they do not want to bargain with Customer Engineers. The Fair Work Act says otherwise.
02 June 2010 [ full story ]
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