$50 pay cuts for young workers on the cards with Tony Abbott’s plan to bring back WorkChoices: new union ad campaign launched
Australian workers will suffer cuts to their pay and conditions and lose protection from unfair dismissal under Liberal leader Tony Abbott’s plan to bring back WorkChoices, warns a new national union TV ad campaign launched on the weekend.
08 March 2010 [full story]
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Employers should not use the new award system as an excuse to cut pay
Employers should not use the new award system as excuse to rip off workers and cut their pay and conditions, say unions. Unions are concerned that some unscrupulous employers are gearing up to cut pay and conditions following the introduction of the modernised award system.
19 February 2010 [full story]
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New Liberal plan to scrap minimum hours of work will hurt more than 2 million casuals
More than two million Australian workers would face major pay cuts and lose their job security under a new Liberal plan to scrap the requirement to pay casuals for minimum hours of work. Liberal leader Tony Abbott announced on radio (3AW Neil Mitchell Show, 17 February 2010) that he will scrap the requirement for casuals to be paid for a minimum shift and that he couldn’t guarantee other basic employment standards would not be axed.
18 February 2010 [full story]
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A quarter of workforce to lose unfair dismissal protection under Liberals’ new WorkChoices
More than 2.3 million workers - almost one in four - will lose protection from unfair dismissal under the Liberals’ WorkChoices Mark II. ACTU President Sharan Burrow said the Liberals’ plan, which is confirmed by the Opposition’s Workplace spokesman Eric Abetz, in media reports today would exempt 9 out of 10 businesses from unfair dismissal laws.
17 February 2010 [full story]
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Workers stand to lose $$$ under Liberal plan to scrap penalty rates and bring back WorkChoices
Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party will scrap penalty rates and unfair dismissal protection and reintroduce individual contracts for Australian workers if they are elected later this year, say unions. In the latest sign of the Liberals’ deceptive plan to reintroduce WorkChoices, deputy Opposition leader Julie Bishop has confirmed penalty rates would be targeted by a Liberal Government.
16 February 2010 [full story]
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Liberals will bring back WorkChoices to cut wages and conditions at next election: new poll
A majority of Australians believe a Liberal Government led by Tony Abbott-led will bring back WorkChoices, a new national opinion poll released today shows.
15 February 2010 [full story]
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Liberal plan to cut industry support would cost hundreds of thousands of jobs
A Coalition proposal to cut industry support to manufacturing would put the jobs of hundreds of thousands of hard-working Australians at risk and undermine the domestic economy, say unions.
21 January 2010 [full story]
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Tasmanian Senator shares views on Fair Work
Senator for Tasmania Catryna Bilyk, was recently present during Fair Work Week in Tasmania which launched the full commencement of Australia’s new Fair Work system. As a former ASU Industrial Officer and Trainer, we asked Catryna to share some of her thoughts with ASU members in relation to the new industrial relations system.
19 January 2010 [full story]
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Growing number of employers are recognising workers’ rights under new IR system
Rio Tinto’s decision to negotiate a new collective agreement for train drivers in the Pilbara iron ore region is a welcome sign that the Rudd Government’s Fair Work laws are working, say unions. The decision is a shift from more than a decade of obstinate and aggressive tactics by Rio Tinto to prevent its employees from having the right to be represented by a union in wage negotiations.
13 January 2010 [full story]
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New protections and minimum standards will be better for all Australian workers
New minimum employment standards that come into effect on New Year’s Day will be good for all Australian workers and represent a major step forward from WorkChoices.
01 January 2010 [full story]
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IR zealots Abbott and Abetz plan to bring back WorkChoices, remove No Disadvantage Test
Liberal Leader Tony Abbott’s failure to rule out scrapping the No Disadvantage Test is a warning to working Australians that their pay and conditions will be at risk under a Coalition Government, say unions.
08 December 2009 [full story]
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State referrals Bill must be passed - Joint statement from ACTU, ACCI and NFF
Australia’s peak worker and business organisations have today made a united call on the Senate to pass legislation allowing the creation of a single industrial relations system for the private sector in most Australian States.
27 November 2009 [full story]
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Casualisation concerns
Casual employees working regular hours should have the opportunity to convert to permanent status after six months, Unions NSW Secretary Mark Lennon said, as a major study revealed a disturbing rate of casualisation during the economic downturn.
27 November 2009 [full story]
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New report confirms GFC has worsened job fears; greater rights are needed for casual workers
The Global Financial Crisis has worsened fears about job security and caused a widening chasm between Australians who are underemployed and those who are working excessive hours, say unions.
26 November 2009 [full story]
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Reminder: Go Home On Time Today!
We hope you're gearing up to go home on time today, if you haven't already. We hope you're able to postpone all last minute tasks/meetings/emails/calls and enjoy the free time, whatever you choose to do.
25 November 2009 [full story]
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Turn the nation’s unpaid overtime into jobs for casuals
The 2.14 billion hours of unpaid overtime Australians work each year should be turned into fulltime employment for casual workers, says one of Australia’s largest unions the Australian Services Union.
18 November 2009 [full story]
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Executive pay outrage as company CEOs pocket millions while slashing jobs
New data showing the average CEO earned more than $2 million last year at the same time as thousands of Australians lost their jobs is an outrage, say unions.
11 November 2009 [full story]
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Big CEO and director payouts are greedy & hypocritical as workers suffer pay cuts
Greedy, hypocritical and unjustified is the only way to describe the $11m termination pay for outgoing Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon and the $4m paid to outgoing Boral CEO Rod Pearse says ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence.
22 September 2009 [full story]
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Unions push for action on job security, support for families and better workplace rights
Securing jobs, supporting families, protecting workplace rights and sustaining economic growth are at the heart of a new action plan for working Australians launched today by the ACTU.
28 July 2009 [full story]
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Job Summit warns recovery is a long way off: unions urge action to protect workers’ entitlements
With forecasts of 5,000 workers to lose their jobs each week over the next 12 months, unions are calling for urgent action to protect workers’ entitlements and more support for working families to survive the economic downturn.
20 July 2009 [full story]
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Time to celebrate new IR laws - stronger rights and protections for Australian workers
New industrial relations laws, which begin today, represent an historic step forward for the rights of working Australians and their families. The new laws mark a turning point and will provide workers with a raft of stronger rights and protections in the current economic downturn, and in better times ahead, says the ACTU.
01 July 2009 [full story]
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Equality before the law is the heart of the matter
Contrary to much of the media coverage of the event, most of our time at ACTU Congress was spent not on the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) or workplace laws but on discussing the broader agenda of unions about jobs and the economic crisis facing Australia.
11 June 2009 [full story]
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Save jobs by making police, fire-fighters, and defence uniforms in Australia, say unions
All uniforms and clothing for essential services and government workers such as police, firefighters, ambulance officers and Defence Force workers should be made in Australia, say unions.
06 May 2009 [full story]
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Award modernisation "soul destroying", says ASU
The ASU has used the Senate inquiry into the transitional IR legislation to argue that the AIRC has made modern awards that clearly disadvantaged whole classes of employees, predominantly women.
06 May 2009 [full story]
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Workers stuck on WorkChoices job contracts are $7500 a year worse off: call for Govt to act
Hundreds of thousands of Australian workers need an exit strategy from WorkChoices agreements that have locked them into sub-standard pay and conditions for years to come, say unions.
26 April 2009 [full story]
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New IR laws are a major step forward for Australian workers
New industrial relations laws passed by the Federal Parliament on Friday 20th March are a major step forward for working Australians and the nation.
23 March 2009 [full story]
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Senate IR change will put more workers at risk of unfair sackings during the downturn
The vote late yesterday by Coalition and cross-bench Senators to amend the definition of a small business is a major change to Labor’s Fair Work Bill that would leave more than a million workers with less protection from being unfairly sacked.
20 March 2009 [full story]
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Senate must pass new IR laws or leave workers exposed to unfair sackings in the downturn
The Senate must pass the Fair Work Bill in the next 24 hours, or leave WorkChoices in place and millions of Australians without protection from being sacked unfairly as the economic downturn worsens, unions say.
19 March 2009 [full story]
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Red hot anger over job cuts while banks get taxpayer support for GFC
There will be red hot anger in the community over the latest banking job cuts by the ANZ, says the ACTU.
13 March 2009 [full story]
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Misleading ad shows Queensland Liberal-National Party can’t be trusted on jobs
The political advertisement in today’s Courier Mail newspaper by Lawrence Springborg is an attempt to con Queenslanders about the Liberal-National Party’s plan to cut jobs and slash services in the Queensland public sector says the ACTU.
05 March 2009 [full story]
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ASU members tell Senate of need for change
ASU members from Toll Dnata and from the community sector together with union officials from both Victorian Branches and the National Office fronted a Senate Committee hearing in Melbourne today, arguing for new work laws to improve collective bargaining, access to arbitration, a better award modernisation process and the need for a workable system of multiple enterprise agreements (MEAs) which can be used by SACS members.
17 February 2009 [full story]
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International unions deliver powerful jobs message to World Economic Forum
The global financial crisis threatens to become a social time bomb if the world's governments don't act together with unions to save and create sustainable jobs, according to global trade union leaders attending the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
30 January 2009 [full story]
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Employers must not use jobs market as an excuse to slash pay and conditions
Employers must not use the uncertain jobs market to pressure workers into accepting cuts to their pay and conditions, unions said today in response to new unemployment data.
15 January 2009 [full story]
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Government’s proposed IR legislation must go further to deliver ‘rights at work’, say unions
Labor’s proposed industrial relations legislation fails to fully deliver on the Rudd Government’s pre-election promise to scrap WorkChoices and restore workers’ rights, says the ACTU.
14 January 2009 [full story]
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Response to slowing economy must focus on jobs and skills, not attacks on rights at work
The prospect of an economic downturn must not be used by business as an excuse to delay or alter improvements to our industrial relations system that Australians voted for at the last election.
07 January 2009 [full story]
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Tell Telstra it's time to listen and act
Union members in Telstra have been fighting for almost 12 months for the right make a union collective agreement. Despite strong staff support for making a union collective agreement, Telstra management are ignoring their employees and refusing to negotiate with unions.
11 December 2008 [full story]
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Coalition is being loose with the truth over IR
The Coalition is trying to hold onto WorkChoices by engaging in a campaign of exaggeration and distortion over industrial relations, say unions.
05 December 2008 [full story]
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Australia-wide rallies on Dec 2 in support of equal rights for all workers
STOP PRESS: DPP drops charges against Noel Washington. More information at Rights on Site media release "ABCC laws in disarray as DPP drops charges against unionist"
Mass rallies will be held in cities and towns across Australia in support of Noel Washington, a CFMEU official facing the possibility of a six month jail sentence for refusing to attend an ABCC interrogation about a union meeting. Noel faces court in Melbourne 2 December 2008.
26 November 2008 [full story]
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STOP PRESS - Charges against Noel Washington dropped
The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has dropped charges against the CFMEU official Noel Washington today. This is a great victory for commonsense and a blow to the draconian ABCC. A new rally has been organised for Melbourne on December 2, details below. Check with your local labour council for other events around the country.
26 November 2008 [full story]
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Victorian Government issues death warrant to Workplace Rights Advocate
The Victorian Government’s decision to axe the Office of the Workplace Rights Advocate was a loss for Victorian workers, particularly private sector employees, ASU branch secretary Ingrid Stitt said today.
26 November 2008 [full story]
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Take action to say that all workers should have the same rights
On the 2nd December, union official Noel Washington is facing jail. If you thought that union officials in Australia couldn't go to jail for doing their job, in a few days you might be proven wrong.
18 November 2008 [full story]
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Telstra workers let down by an industrial umpire that lacks dispute settling powers
Telstra’s workforce needs a strong industrial umpire with dispute settling powers to break the long-running stalemate over a new collective agreement, unions said today.
03 November 2008 [full story]
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Security for jobs and wages must be top priority in economic planning
Job security and protecting workers’ income must not be ignored in the national strategy to weather global financial havoc, unions said today.
17 October 2008 [full story]
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Justice Wilcox confirms ABCC discriminates against construction workers
An important new report by Murray Wilcox QC confirms that the Howard Government’s building industry watchdog, the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), discriminates against construction workers and infringes on their rights.
10 October 2008 [full story]
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Workers’ right to collective bargaining must be at centre of IR laws say unions: new TV ads
Unions will ramp up the campaign to scrap WorkChoices and ensure the rights of Australian workers to collective bargaining are at the centre of a new IR system with the broadcast of two TV advertisements from today.
28 September 2008 [full story]
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Message is clear to Telstra: respect employees’ right to union representation
Unions today urged Telstra management to respect the rights of its workers to be represented by unions after the company’s offer of a non-union job contract was rejected by employees.
17 September 2008 [full story]
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Small business employees must have access to redundancy pay in modern award system
Australians employed in small businesses must have access to redundancy pay in the Labor Government's proposed new modern award system, unions said today.
15 September 2008 [full story]
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Liberals confirm they still support worst aspects of WorkChoices
Deputy Opposition Leader Julie Bishop has confirmed that the Liberal Party still supports the parts of WorkChoices that were most unfair for Australian workers say unions.
09 September 2008 [full story]
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Workers to sue their boss for denying them rights to genuine collective bargaining
Workers at a major Victorian truck parts making plant are suing their employer for refusing to allow them to be represented by a union in genuine collective bargaining.
08 September 2008 [full story]
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IR Ministers need to deliver new laws that restore workers’ collective bargaining rights
The Rudd Labor Government must move quickly to scrap the rest of Work Choices and give Australian workers a strong legal right to collective bargaining, unions said today.
22 August 2008 [full story]
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Roy Morgan sackings highlight weakness of current unfair dismissal protection
The sudden sackings of almost 60 young workers by market researcher Roy Morgan has turned the spotlight onto the lack of protection from unfair dismissal under the current industrial relations system.
22 August 2008 [full story]
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Time to deliver on new workplace laws
Signs of a slowdown in the economy underline the need for the urgent scrapping of WorkChoices and restoration of a strong safety net of rights and entitlements for Australian workers.
13 August 2008 [full story]
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Stop the big business push in its tracks: email your MP now
This time last year, it was clear who was threatening our rights at work - the Howard Government. Now the threat to our rights at work is more subtle. In the pages of newspapers, in Parliament House meeting suites, in clubs and dining rooms and the Qantas Chairman's Lounge - big business is mounting a push back.
11 August 2008 [full story]
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Telstra MOU lawful: management should abide by the umpire’s ruling and resume talks
Telstra Human Resources should abide by a ruling of the federal Department of Workplace Relations and immediately resume talks with unions about a new enterprise agreement.
04 August 2008 [full story]
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Fight against draconian Building Commission to intensify
Today, Victorian trade union delegates confirmed their deep anger at the continued existence of the undemocratic, anti-worker and anti-union Australian Building Construction Commission (ABCC) and resolved to intensify the fight to have it abolished along with the underpinning legislation and code. They also declared their support for the CFMEU’s Noel Washington who is facing six months jail for defying the ABCC, and the delegates called for mass rallies on the day of his court hearing.
30 July 2008 [full story]
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Employers are taking advantage of restrictions on union entry to cut rights at work
Unions have called for workers’ rights to meet with union officials to be strengthened following reports that access to workplaces has been prevented by over-zealous employers. Employers are taking advantage of restrictions on union rights to enter workplaces to make it virtually impossible for workers to discuss industrial issues with union organisers.
29 July 2008 [full story]
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Telstra's HR managers walk out on 32,000 workers: take urgent action now!
Sometimes a company will treat its workers with such disdain it can take your breath away. On Thursday, Telstra's Human Resources managers decided to completely cancel collective agreement talks with its workers.
21 July 2008 [full story]
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Harvey Norman using IR confusion to rip off sales staff
Retail giant Harvey Norman has been caught red-handed using an unfair AWA months after they were banned to cut the take home pay of a sales worker by up to $146 a week, a press report revealed yesterdeay. This shows a major employer is taking advantage of confusion over the IR laws and the fact that WorkChoices has not yet been fully scrapped to rip off a worker, say unions.
15 July 2008 [full story]
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Voters losing patience with business push for delay in restoring workers’ rights: new poll
In a clear warning that the public is losing patience with the demands of business lobby groups who want to keep major aspects of WorkChoices, a major new national poll shows Australians want to get rid of WorkChoices as soon as possible.
15 July 2008 [full story]
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More support needed to help carers balance their work and family commitments
Action is needed to help workers who care for elderly or disabled relatives or Australia will face a work/care collision from an ageing population, unions say. Unless measures such as more flexible working hours and improved carer's leave are introduced, workers who look after relatives who are elderly, chronically ill, disabled, or even school-aged children will face the same pressure to choose between their job and family as parents of pre-schoolers.
11 July 2008 [full story]
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Collective bargaining lifts pay and community standards say unions in new TV ads
Unions are ramping up the campaign to scrap WorkChoices and bring in new laws that protect workers’ rights with the release of two new union TV advertisements that highlight the value of collective bargaining for Australian workers.
23 June 2008 [full story]
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Unions continue campaign for workers' rights with new TV advertising campaign
The ACTU will continue its conversation with working Australians about their rights at work, through an advertising campaign launched yesterday (Sunday 25 May).
26 May 2008 [full story]
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Budget is a good step towards undoing the damage of WorkChoices
The 2008 Federal Budget is a good step towards undoing the damage of WorkChoices and relieving the pressure on working Australians and their families.
14 May 2008 [full story]
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Senators’ threat to block Labor’s IR laws will resurrect WorkChoices
The threat by two Senators to join with the Coalition and block the next stage of Rudd Government’s industrial relations laws are an affront to the majority of Australians who voted to scrap WorkChoices at the last election says the ACTU.
12 May 2008 [full story]
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Treasury report confirms Howard Govt knew WorkChoices cut workers’ pay & conditions
The release of a Treasury report to a newspaper today confirms the former Howard Government knew WorkChoices was stripping Australian workers of their rights and conditions, the Australian Council of Trade Unions said today.
07 May 2008 [full story]
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Unions welcome start of ban on new AWAs & vow to continue campaign to scrap WorkChoices
Unions welcome the ban on new Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) that takes effect today (12 midnight Friday 28 March) but plan to continue the campaign to scrap WorkChoices in its entirety.
28 March 2008 [full story]
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Pay grab by Liberal MPs responsible for WorkChoices smacks of double standards
Reports today that senior Liberals, including those responsible for introducing WorkChoices, are ‘mounting a behind-the-scenes push to get extra pay for being a shadow Minister’ are a sign of double standards says the ACTU.
26 March 2008 [full story]
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Ban on new AWAs will start to restore protection for working Australians say unions
A ban on new Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) will begin to restore the rights of Australian workers taken away by the former Liberal Government’s WorkChoices IR laws say unions.
20 March 2008 [full story]
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First step towards dismantling WorkChoices is welcome for working Australians
The Labor Government’s proposed new workplace relations law, tabled in Parliament today, is an important and welcome first step towards reversing the damage done to working Australians by the Liberal and National Parties’ unfair ‘WorkChoices’ laws, say unions.
13 February 2008 [full story]
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Thousands more workers to be hurt by WorkChoices while Liberals stand by AWAs
Thousands more Australian workers will be hurt by WorkChoices as a result of today’s decision by the Liberals’ to defend the use of AWA individual contracts and oppose the Labor Party’s new industrial relations laws say unions.
07 February 2008 [full story]
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Unions vow to take on companies that continue to exploit workers
More than 200 union leaders, including a delegation from the ASU, that have been meeting in Canberra over the past three days have wound up their conference today vowing to take on big companies that don’t respect the rights of employees and continue to exploit workers.
01 February 2008 [full story]
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Workplace rights lost under Liberals’ WorkChoices laws must be restored say unions
Union leaders have been meeting in Canberra this week at an ACTU conference to discuss how to scrap the Liberals’ WorkChoices IR laws and restore the rights of workers.
31 January 2008 [full story]
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New plan for harmonised national IR system released
The Final Report of the Williams Inquiry into a possible national industrial relations system was released last Friday, 25 January 2008. The Federal Government is considering the Report prepared by Professor George Williams concerning the possibility of a joint national and state government industrial relations system.
29 January 2008 [full story]
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Employers must stop forcing staff onto AWAs ahead of laws to scrap WorkChoices
Unions are calling on employers to stop forcing staff onto Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs) ahead of new laws expected to be tabled next month in Federal Parliament that will ban AWAS and begin scrapping WorkChoices.
16 January 2008 [full story]
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ASU condemns fines for WA construction workers
The ASU has joined with the ACTU, CFMEU and other unions to express their strong condemnation of fines up to $10,000 meted out under the Howard Government’s IR laws to 91 West Australian construction workers in a Federal Court decision in late December.
04 January 2008 [full story]
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Big business should follow Liberals lead - admit WorkChoices is dead and stop using AWAs
The ACTU has called on the business community to also admit WorkChoices is dead and to immediately stop pushing workers onto unfair AWA individual contracts, following the announcement of Liberal leader Brendan Nelson.
20 December 2007 [full story]
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New job for IR extremist Peter Hendy in Liberal HQ shows WorkChoices still alive & kicking
The appointment of long-time industrial relations extremist, anti-union agitator and big business lobbyist Peter Hendy to Opposition leader Brendan Nelson’s office confirms that WorkChoices is still alive and kicking in the Liberal leadership says the ACTU.
20 December 2007 [full story]
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New unfair dismissal laws vital for fair workplaces: time for the Liberals to stop IR 'extremism'
The Liberal Party should accept that Australians have rejected their extreme approach to industrial relations and support Labor’s plan for new laws that will scrap WorkChoices and restore protection from unfair dismissal for Australian workers.
19 December 2007 [full story]
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Liberals must accept responsibility for WorkChoices disaster: new figures on AWAs
Liberal leader Brendan Nelson and Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations Julie Bishop must accept that WorkChoices was a disaster with new figures from the Workplace Authority showing the so-called fairness test and AWA individual contracts are continuing to fail thousands of workers.
11 December 2007 [full story]
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Employers should accept the Australian voters' rejection of AWAs and WorkChoices
Employers should accept the outcome of the federal election and immediately stop trying to push workers onto five year AWA individual contracts. BHP Billiton has been caught out trying to push its workers into signing AWAs despite the incoming Rudd Labor Government’s plan to abolish AWAs.
10 December 2007 [full story]
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Unions praise workers who helped get rid of WorkChoices
Workers who played a key role in helping get rid of WorkChoices were honoured by a formal vote of appreciation at yesterday's meeting of the Australian Council of Trade Unions Executive.
05 December 2007 [full story]
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Business and Liberals still haven’t heard voters’ message to abandon IR policies
There have been disturbing reports this week of employers moving to unfairly sack employees and lock workers onto lower-paid AWAs for five years prior to the incoming Labor Government scrapping AWAs and restoring protection from unfair dismissal said the ACTU.
30 November 2007 [full story]
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Good bye WorkChoices
What a weekend. WorkChoices will soon be no more. On Saturday, Australians rejected a political coalition that viciously attacked our rights at work - and elected a party that promises to protect them.
26 November 2007 [full story]
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Australians reject WorkChoices and the Liberals' attack on unions and workers' rights
The Australian public has totally rejected WorkChoices and the Liberal and National parties’ attack on unions and workers’ rights. This is an historic election result that confirms the Australian people believe in a fair go for all and that all Australian workers are entitled to decent rights in the workplace.
25 November 2007 [full story]
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On Nov 24, it's not just your future at stake, it's everyone's
What kind of Australia do you want to live in? The moment of truth arrives this Saturday, federal election day. It is the time when you can tell the politicians what you really think and this time they have to listen!
21 November 2007 [full story]
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FOI hearing reveals smoking gun: PM's secret plan for another wave of IR changes
A Freedom of Information (FOI) hearing has confirmed the existence of secret Howard Government plans to go further on its WorkChoices industrial relations reforms.
20 November 2007 [full story]
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Tassie workers left high and dry by WorkChoices as local job rate falls
Job creation in Tasmania has dropped by half since the introduction of WorkChoices 19 months ago according to a new analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) employment data.
19 November 2007 [full story]
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Abbott admits workers have lost protections under WorkChoices & won’t get them back
Senior Howard Government Minister Tony Abbott has admitted that protections for Australian workers have been stripped away by WorkChoices and they won’t be coming back under a re-elected Howard-Costello Government says the ACTU.
16 November 2007 [full story]
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Liberals' secret agenda to slash apprentice wages
In an interview with the Messenger newspaper, Liberal candidate for the South Australian seat of Makin, Bob Day, has declared himself a member of the conservative HR Nichols Society and in favour of cutting the wages of apprentices.
16 November 2007 [full story]
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450,000 teachers, childcare & education workers could be next target for AWAs if Coalition re-elected
Australia’s 450,000 childcare workers, school teachers, TAFE and university staff could be the next target for AWA individual contracts under WorkChoices if the Howard Government is re-elected, say unions.
13 November 2007 [full story]
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Executive salaries go up 28% while wages for award workers fall under WorkChoices
New figures released today by the Australian Financial Review confirm the gap between high income earners and average workers is getting bigger under the Howard Government's WorkChoices says the ACTU, thanks to the seemingly unrestrained growth of indecent executive salaries and the effective pay cut suffered by award workers.
13 November 2007 [full story]
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New union TV ad highlights importance of preventing Liberals going further on IR
Unions launched a new TV advertisement during the weekend that highlights the importance to working families of preventing John Howard and Peter Costello going further on WorkChoices after the election.
12 November 2007 [full story]
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Sticking it to WorkChoices
In the last week a whopping 20,000 of you told the Government where you stand on WorkChoices by filling in an online post-it note at the GetUp! website. Tomorrow (Friday, November 9) we'll be in North Sydney to plaster IR Minister Joe Hockey's office in our massive 'Know Where We Stand' post-it notes - and you are invited. And if you can’t make it there, we’ll be visiting several other electorates around the country!
08 November 2007 [full story]
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Hockey confirms WorkChoices will stay but refuses to release research on future plans
At the National Press Club yesterday Mr Hockey again refused to release potentially embarrassing research that was commissioned by the Howard Government earlier this year.
08 November 2007 [full story]
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CEO gets $22 million bonus while award workers get real pay cut under WorkChoices
The fact that Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo will get a $22 million pay packet this year while one million working families will get a real pay cut of up to $800 shows the unfairness of the Howard Government’s WorkChoices IR laws said the ACTU.
08 November 2007 [full story]
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John Howard’s hollow promise on IR
John Howard’s denial that he will not change WorkChoices is a hollow promise designed to get him through the election says the ACTU.
07 November 2007 [full story]
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Workers who support our community say no to WorkChoices
ASU members who are social and community workers, council workers and regional water workers workers came together in Belmont, Geelong, on Wednesday 7 November for “Workers Who Support Our Community Day”, because they are concerned about the impact of the Howard Government's IR laws on the support they are able to provide to the community.
07 November 2007 [full story]
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Real wages go backwards under WorkChoices: Harvester decision anniversary
A new ACTU analysis shows that the award wages for more than a million low paid workers have gone backwards by up to $15.67 a week — or $814 a year — in real terms under the Howard Government’s WorkChoices. The analysis shows that the pay rise that workers reliant on award minimum wages got in October by the Howard Government’s Fair Pay Commission did not meet increases in the cost of living.
05 November 2007 [full story]
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A little Post-It note with a big message!
Two years ago, the Howard Government's WorkChoices laws were introduced to the Parliament. The Government ignored the fact that the majority of Australians opposed the laws. They spent $121 million of our money promoting the unfair IR laws with advertising campaigns featuring a Post-It note saying, "Know where you stand".
05 November 2007 [full story]
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John Howard confirms Govt plan to reduce award coverage and go further on IR changes
John Howard has confirmed that his Government will push ahead with their plan to reduce coverage of the award safety net and would also consider changes to the fairness test if re-elected, according to a report in today's Australian Financial Review.
01 November 2007 [full story]
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33,000 more job losses - the Coalition’s only plan for Australian manufacturing say unions
Workers in manufacturing, agriculture and construction will be campaigning around Australia today (Wednesday) to highlight the negative impact of WorkChoices and the Howard Government’s approach to Australia’s manufacturing industry on families and local communities.
31 October 2007 [full story]
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Federal Govt Dept fined $30,000 for political discrimination against union members
The Federal Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has today been fined $30,000 by the Federal Court for discriminating against union members in the public service.
30 October 2007 [full story]
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John Howard cannot be trusted on industrial relations: Govt plans 1.5 million more AWAs
John Howard cannot be trusted on industrial relations and there is no doubt the Liberals will take WorkChoices further after the election, say both the ACTU and ASU.
29 October 2007 [full story]
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Report finds WorkChoices is bad now, but set to get worse
A new independent report released yesterday has found that WorkChoices has disadvantaged thousands of workers and delivered no significant benefits to the economy. The report finds that the adverse impact of WorkChoices on working Australians will become more widespread as time goes on and provides a warning to voters nationally not to re-elect John Howard and Peter Costello who are committed to taking WorkChoices further says the ACTU.
26 October 2007 [full story]
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ASU member featured in new 'workers like us' union TV ad
The ACTU has launched a new television ad campaign warning that a re-elected Howard/Costello Government will go further with its IR law changes. The ad shows the real faces of unionists across the country, including Sharon, a proud ASU member.
25 October 2007 [full story]
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Desperate Hockey cyber-stalks citizens in latest round of fear and smear
According to a recent article in The Australian newspaper, Joe Hockey and his staff have reportedly cyber-stalked hundreds of citizens concerned about the Howard Government's IR laws.
24 October 2007 [full story]
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Telstra pushes for pre-election WorkChoices deal
Telstra's drastic plan to rush through a non-union, WorkChoices agreement for its white collar workforce before the federal election has been greeted with deep scepticism from staff and unions.
24 October 2007 [full story]
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CPI lift leaves working families worse off
John Howard and Peter Costello's economic credentials are in tatters with a lift in inflation leaving working families struggling to cover the rising cost of housing, health, education and food says the ACTU.
24 October 2007 [full story]
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ALP child care policies released
The ALP released its child care policy on the weekend, which calls for increased funding of child care services including for the not for profit sector. This was followed up yesterday with the release of the ALP's policy on quality for children's services. As Australia's largest public sector child care services union, the ASU is keenly interested in what is proposed for the sector.
24 October 2007 [full story]
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NFF wants Howard Govt to go further on wage cuts for rural & regional workers
Hundreds of thousands of workers in rural and regional areas across Australia face significant cuts to their wages and conditions under a new National Farmers' Federation plan to get rid of the Howard Government's 'fairness test' if the Liberals are re-elected.
23 October 2007 [full story]
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Liberal Party advertisement is insulting to working families
A new negative Liberal Party political advertisement launched yesterday by leader-in-waiting Peter Costello is insulting to working families says the ACTU and ASU.
18 October 2007 [full story]
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Hockey reveals Howard Govt agenda to go further on industrial relations
Federal Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey has today confirmed the Howard Government’s intention to go further on industrial relations and get rid of trade unions altogether if re-elected.
18 October 2007 [full story]
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Save our penalty rates
‘Save our penalty rates’ say nurses and health workers in first big anti-WorkChoices election event. Tens of thousands of nurses and health care workers across the nation will today lead the first major election event against John Howard’s unfair WorkChoices laws.
18 October 2007 [full story]
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First timers or re-enrollers – today is your last chance!
If you are enrolling to vote for the first time, today is your last day to get your form to the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) if you wish to vote in the federal election on November 24. The same applies to those who are re-enrolling after having fallen off the roll for any reason. You have until 8.00pm this evening so you’ll need to move quickly!
17 October 2007 [full story]
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Tax cuts won't compensate for Liberals' IR plan
The tax cuts promised by John Howard and Peter Costello will not compensate working families for the WorkChoices IR laws and the Government's plan to push a further 1.5 million workers onto AWAs if it is re-elected, the ACTU said today.
16 October 2007 [full story]
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Election's called - we're off and running!
And we're off! The election has been called. We go to the polls on Saturday November 24. And it's about time.
14 October 2007 [full story]
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Federal election is an opportunity to protect the rights of working families
The Federal Election is an opportunity for working families to protect their rights at work and vote against the Liberals' and Nationals' unfair WorkChoices IR laws says the ACTU and the ASU.
14 October 2007 [full story]
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WorkChoices worsens women’s pay gap
The pay gap between men and women has widened under the Howard Government, with women on AWA individual contracts falling furthest behind.
12 October 2007 [full story]
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Rubbery figures from Joe Hockey’s Workplace Authority cannot be trusted
The rubbery figures released from Joe Hockey’s Workplace Authority cannot be trusted says the ACTU.
08 October 2007 [full story]
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Your Rights at Work supporters honoured in Paris
This week, the Your Rights at Work campaign supporters received a big honour overseas. We won the international title of the web campaign "Changing the World of Internet and Politics."
05 October 2007 [full story]
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WorkChoices taking Australia in the wrong direction
A major new report prepared by Sydney University released today provides convincing evidence that the Liberals’ WorkChoices IR laws have increased the pressure on working families and, in particular, have left young workers and the low paid vulnerable to exploitation says the ACTU.
02 October 2007 [full story]
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Exploitation of young workers rife under WorkChoices
Revelations today that a 17 year old young brick worker on an AWA individual contract was required to work 12 hour shifts for almost $400 a week less than workmates doing the same job shows that Workplace Minister Joe Hockey is insensitive and out of touch says the ACTU.
02 October 2007 [full story]
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Well-paid? Watch out!
Until recently, 42 year old Andrew Cruickshank worked at Priceline as a well-paid space planner, coordinating the strategic placement of products at the retailer’s chain of stores. One Friday, without warning, he was sacked for “operational reasons”.
28 September 2007 [full story]
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Govt admits fairness test farce is getting worse despite $93 million ad blitz
Despite a $93 million taxpayer funded pro-WorkChoices ad blitz, the Workplace Authority has today provided more evidence that the Howard Government's 'fairness test' simply is not working.
28 September 2007 [full story]
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Wage review shows Govt to go further on IR & young workers to be hit harder
A review of pay rates for young workers and trainees launched today by the Howard Government's pay setting body is a worrying sign that the Coalition will go further on IR and that young workers could suffer a further drop in their pay and conditions after the election says the ACTU.
26 September 2007 [full story]
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Worker threatened with being sacked for complaining about no pay rise for 3 years
A Victorian textiles company is threatening to sack a union delegate for speaking out against the Federal Government’s unfair workplace laws that have allowed the company to avoid giving around 300 workers a pay rise for nearly three years.
25 September 2007 [full story]
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Federal election delayed so taxpayer can foot Howard's ad bill
The ACTU said today that the only reason the Howard Government is delaying calling the federal election is so that it and a coalition of big business supporters can continue to broadcast dishonest and blatantly political industrial relations advertisements.
24 September 2007 [full story]
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New poll finds Federal Govt IR ads turn off voters
The ACTU has renewed its call for the Howard Government to stop wasting taxpayers’ money on its misleading pro-WorkChoices advertising campaign following research showing the more the Government runs the ads, the stronger the public opposes WorkChoices.
20 September 2007 [full story]
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Councils turn their backs on WorkChoices
The decision of 152 councils to discontinue their push to be covered by the Federal Government's IR laws is further evidence that business support for WorkChoices is unravelling.
19 September 2007 [full story]
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It wasn’t broke, so why “fix” it?
Recent research produced by the University of Sydney’s Workplace Research Centre (WRC), has shown that before WorkChoices was introduced, only four per cent of employers were not satisfied with the industrial relations (IR) arrangements in their workplace. It begs the question, if the IR system was working well for the vast majority of employers, why was the radical and oppressive WorkChoices legislation introduced at all?
19 September 2007 [full story]
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Spotlight abandons AWAs
A decision by major retailer Spotlight to abandon the use of AWA individual contracts confirms the Howard Government's WorkChoices IR laws are bad for both workers and businesses says the ACTU.
18 September 2007 [full story]
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IR ministers conclude WorkChoices has failed
ASU National Secretary Paul Slape today welcomed the communiqué from state and territory industrial relations ministers that concluded the Howard Government’s WorkChoices legislation has failed employers, workers and families and must be dismantled.
17 September 2007 [full story]
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Unions warn that Costello will go even further on industrial relations
John Howard’s announcement that he will stand down in favour of Peter Costello is a clear signal that the Liberal Party plans to take a hardline approach to industrial relations and will go even further on its unfair WorkChoices IR laws if it wins the next election.
14 September 2007 [full story]
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Retail and hospitality workers squeezed by WorkChoices
A new government-funded report released yesterday confirms that Australia's 1.7 million retail and hospitality workers have been hit the hardest by the introduction of the WorkChoices IR laws, with some workers losing up to a third of their incomes.
14 September 2007 [full story]
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Ready, aim, FIRE!
The ACTU today blamed the Coalition Government's IR laws for making it easier to sack long-term workers, following revelations that two video library attendants were sacked after eight years service at Video City stores in Devonport and Burnie, Tasmania.
11 September 2007 [full story]
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Despite $37 million IR ad campaign only one in ten AWAs undergo 'Fairness Test'
A new official report released yesterday shows that despite a $37 million taxpayer funded IR advertising campaign to promote the Howard Government's new workplace watchdog, it has checked only one in ten AWA individual contracts since the introduction of the so-called 'Fairness Test'.
06 September 2007 [full story]
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John Howard throws our rights overboard
Andrew Cruickshank was dismissed from his job for ‘operational reasons’ under the Liberal’s IR laws, only to discover two weeks later the company re-advertised his position for $25,000 less. His wife Leanne said, “You just don’t know now, whether your job is safe, or not.” It is the same for so many workers out there and it is important that they don’t become faceless statistics.
05 September 2007 [full story]
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Rudd visits Darwin and reasserts workers’ rights under a Labor Govt
The Federal Labor Leader Kevin Rudd was in Darwin on Saturday, September 1, and caught up with various community, business and union representatives including Darwin based Australian Services Union official Lucio Matarazzo.
03 September 2007 [full story]
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Labor policy an important step towards better rights for working families
The ACTU said that the Labor Party’s transitional industrial relations arrangements announced today were an important step towards restoring rights for working families in Australia.
28 August 2007 [full story]
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Workers on AWAs miss out on redundancy pay
Workers on AWA individual contracts employed at the South Burnett Meatworks in Queensland have missed out on tens of thousands of dollars in redundancy pay after the plant closed while workers on a union collective agreement will get their full redundancy entitlement, with some employees getting up to $19,000.
24 August 2007 [full story]
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WorkChoices undermines “common good”
The WorkChoices laws undermine Australia’s commitment to the “common good” as the basis of industrial relations policies, an ASU National Industrial Officer told a public forum seeking to find a Christian response to industrial relations (IR) policies and practices.
20 August 2007 [full story]
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"Fairness test" farce is not protecting young workers from unfair IR laws
The Federal Government's 'fairness test' has degenerated into a farce and is clearly not protecting young workers the ACTU said.
20 August 2007 [full story]
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Get ready to say good bye to the minimum wage
A decision by the Federal Government's pay setting body late yesterday (Thurs 16 Aug.) to scrap guaranteed minimum wages for property salespeople and allow commission-only payments is a dangerous precedent that could spell the beginning of the end for minimum award wages in Australia says the ACTU.
17 August 2007 [full story]
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You, yes you, can be the face of our next groundbreaking campaign
You think the campaign we've built together has been amazing so far, but you ain't seen nothing yet! We have a groundbreaking secret weapon up our sleeves. We want YOU to be the face of one our exciting future campaigns.
15 August 2007 [full story]
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There is a clear choice at this year's federal election - and big business is making its choice obvious
A confidential memo from the president of the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) has revealed a direct link between the funding of the big business pro-Liberal IR advertising campaign and the Howard Government's payments to business groups under its $40 million Employer Assistance Program (EAP) which gave money to the business groups to 'promote' WorkChoices. John Howard also stated forcefully at a function last night that there is a clear choice at the forthcoming election.
14 August 2007 [full story]
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Howard govt adds $70,000 interest to typical home loan for working families
Today's interest rate rise will put families under even more financial pressure and shows the Howard Govt is failing to manage the economy in the interests of ordinary working Australians says the ACTU.
09 August 2007 [full story]
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New WorkChoices advertising scandal
A new scandal to hit the Howard Government’s IR ads today shows that it cannot hide the truth about its unfair IR laws – the fact is the laws leave young workers vulnerable to being exploited, says the ACTU.
07 August 2007 [full story]
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Stop Howard’s race to the bottom on occupational health and safety
The ASU calls on Australian workers to sign up to a workplace petition in support of the “Union Charter of Workplace Rights”. The Charter sets out to defend occupational health and safety (OHS) rights that are under attack by the Howard Government.
07 August 2007 [full story]
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IR ignites fire in the belly of the churches
Undoubtedly much to Howard’s despair, the debate around the Federal Government’s industrial relations laws shows no sign of abating. No place is this clearer than among the church communities who have joined the ACTU is calling the fairness of WorkChoices into serious question.
06 August 2007 [full story]
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The little things that get to John Howard
It's the little things that must get to John Howard. Today it has been revealed his own party sees him as "dishonest and too old." His rhetoric about keeping interest rates low has been blown out of the water with 8 consecutive rises. His Treasurer wants his job. Trying to use the internet to look hip just highlights that he's out of touch. Every week he tries to conjure another rabbit of the hat with taxpayers' money, desperate to get a bump in the polls.
06 August 2007 [full story]
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Howard Government workplace watchdog approves $3 an hour wage for young worker
The Howard Government's workplace watchdog has approved it was legal for a young woman to be paid less than $3 an hour for working eleven hour days for a Cairns-based diving and tour company.
06 August 2007 [full story]
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Business groups must now return taxpayers' money they used to promote WorkChoices
Business groups that are planning a new pro-WorkChoices advertising campaign due to start in the next few weeks should first return the millions of dollars of taxpayers' money they received from the Howard Government to pave the way for the introduction of the new IR laws says the ACTU.
02 August 2007 [full story]
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Fed Govt's 'no AWA, no job' IR laws used to sack worker after 24 years service
Despite saturation advertising by the Federal Government claiming that workers cannot be sacked for refusing to sign an AWA individual contract, another case revealed today shows an employer has used the IR laws to sack a service station worker after 24 years service.
01 August 2007 [full story]
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Are we heading down the United States path?
Three hard working low paid Americans are visiting Australia over the next two weeks to warn of the dangers of heading down the United States path to an economy based on jobs with low wages where working families struggle to afford housing and healthcare.
31 July 2007 [full story]
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ACTU calls on business groups to return taxpayers' money used to promote 'WorkChoices'
The Australian Mines and Metals Association (AMMA) should return the $600,000 it received from the Howard Government to promote the 'WorkChoices' IR laws following AMMA's announcement today that they intend to contribute $500,000 to a big business pro-'WorkChoices' ad campaign.
27 July 2007 [full story]
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CPI lift pushes working families backwards: Govt's economic credentials now in tatters
The Howard Government's economic credentials are in tatters with a higher than expected lift in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) pushing the living standards of many working families backwards says the ACTU.
25 July 2007 [full story]
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Perth workers ripped off to the tune of $6,200: unions call for bigger investigation
The Howard Government’s new Workplace Authority is being called on by unions to further investigate the WA Japanese restaurant chain, Shimizu, following a finding that staff have been underpaid thousands of dollars.
19 July 2007 [full story]
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New report shows Howard Govt AWAs are used to cut workers’ pay and avoid unions
A new Government report released today shows that typical Australians on AWA individual contracts earn 16% less than their counterparts on collective agreements.
16 July 2007 [full story]
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New IR laws fairness test is biased against employees: Govt authority now proves it
A statement issued today by the Howard Government's new Workplace Authority that it will only contact bosses and does not intend to contact employees if there is doubt over whether a job contract is fair has confirmed that the new IR laws 'Fairness Test' is biased against workers says the ACTU.
13 July 2007 [full story]
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New union ad highlights concern among older Australians and parents over Fed Govt IR laws
A new national union TV ad campaign launched today highlights the growing concern about the effects of the Howard Government's IR laws among older Australians and working parents.
12 July 2007 [full story]
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No choice for striking warehouse workers, as new poll shows strong public support for collective bargaining
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet today met with warehouse workers from stationary supplier Esselte, who are on strike trying to get a union collective agreement, as new ACTU research shows strong support for laws enshrining the right of workers to collectively bargain.
12 July 2007 [full story]
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Working families need more parental leave rights and more affordable child care
Unions are supporting calls for extra help for working families, including rights to more paid leave for parents and more affordable child care raised in the Work and Family Roundtable 2007 Benchmark report released this week.
11 July 2007 [full story]
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Ban on AWA individual contracts will not hurt mines: new research
A new report by visiting Canadian economist Dr Jim Stanford debunks the myth that AWA individual contracts are somehow a necessary part of Australia's mining boom. The report shows that productivity actually declined in Australian mining since the introduction of AWAs.
10 July 2007 [full story]
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Churches question fairness of WorkChoices
The Catholic Church has a long history dating back to the 1890s of advocacy for social and economic justice, including regarding industrial matters. Recently, the Church in Australia has assessed the new IR legislation against its social teachings and found WorkChoices seriously flawed and lacking balance. The Australian Catholic Commission for Employment Relations assessment can be found here: http://www.accer.asn.au/docs/papers/documents/WPRelations-LowRes.pdf
06 July 2007 [full story]
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Living standards of working families will go backwards from pay decision
Yesterday's pay rise for award workers, the lowest in ten years, is below the rate of inflation and means the living standards of many working Australians will go backwards says the ACTU.
06 July 2007 [full story]
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Lowest pay rise for 10 years
Today's pay rise for award workers is the lowest rise in minimum wages for ten years and shows the Fair Pay Commission has only listened to big employer groups and the Howard Government says the ACTU.
05 July 2007 [full story]
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Young workers ripped off by restaurant chain under IR laws: Minister contradicted
In a move reminiscent of US-style conditions where café and restaurant employees work only for tips, a media report today reveals how a restaurant chain is using AWA individual contracts to systematically rip off scores of young workers under the Federal Government's IR laws.
04 July 2007 [full story]
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IR laws used to deny sacked workers redundancy entitlements
After years of loyal service at Pele Curtains in the suburb of Mitcham, Denise and eight of her workmates were given just 15 minutes notice that they were being sacked.
29 June 2007 [full story]
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Together we will win
Jeff Lawrence, the ACTU’s Secretary Elect, says that the union movement must continue the campaign to defend workers’ rights, whatever the result of the federal election.
19 June 2007 [full story]
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Howard Government's workplace laws to be examined by ILO for third year in a row
The Howard Government's workplace laws will be examined at a hearing later this week into whether they comply with international labour standards.
05 June 2007 [full story]
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ASU survey reveals working families under pressure
ASU Victorian Private Sector Branch Secretary, Ingrid Stitt said the Howard Government is out of touch when it comes to judging the mood of the electorate towards the IR laws. A survey of 200 ASU Private Sector Branch members, which limited respondents to those people who had family responsibilities – caring for young children, elderly parents or another relative – found a high level of concern about WorkChoices and a lack of flexibility in workplaces.
04 June 2007 [full story]
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All governments should sign up to new charter to protect workers' health and safety: ACTU
A new charter of workplace rights for occupational health and safety and workers' compensation that sets out the minimum health and safety and compensation standards is being launched today by the ACTU.
04 June 2007 [full story]
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'Tell 'em they're dreaming'
'Tell 'em they're dreaming' - would surely be the response of Darryl Kerrigan the character played by Michael Caton in the famous Australian film 'The Castle' to revelations that workers will be forced to go to the High Court to challenge a compensation ruling under the new 'fairness test'.
04 June 2007 [full story]
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ACTU does not support delay in the abolition of Building and Construction Commission (ABCC)
The Australian Council of Trade Unions does not support today's announcement by the ALP that if elected to Government it would delay the abolition of the Howard Government's Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) until January 2010.
01 June 2007 [full story]
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160,000 workers lose overtime pay and Minister Hockey doesn't care
The Minister for Workplace Relations Joe Hockey has sought to deliberately mislead the public over the loss of workers' overtime loadings and penalty rates in the first 13 months of the Government's new IR laws says the ACTU.
30 May 2007 [full story]
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Tinkering with WorkChoices will not make it fair
Workers will not be guaranteed full financial compensation for award conditions lost under the Federal Government’s industrial relations laws according to the details of the Government’s new WorkChoices amendments introduced into Parliament late yesterday (Monday). The ACTU has identified major holes in the so-called ‘Fairness Test’ with around 2.5 million workers who will not be covered by the ‘test’ because they are on already-registered AWAs & Agreements, earn more than $75,000 a year or are award-free.
29 May 2007 [full story]
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Average worker takes 10 years to earn what MacBank CEO gets in 1 week
While the Prime Minister continues to defend exorbitant executive salaries and urges big business to support his IR laws, new research by the ACTU shows the average worker would take 10 years to earn what Macquarie Bank CEO Alan Moss earns in a week.
22 May 2007 [full story]
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Fairness is no laughing matter!
Working people and families know John Howard’s unfair and extreme IR laws stink to high heaven. The majority of people know that his AWA individual contracts cut pay and hard-won conditions. Fairness and decency in the workplace ranks as a key issue for most Australians.
18 May 2007 [full story]
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Howard Government is to promote same old IR laws with a new name
The Howard Government is wasting taxpayers' money to promote the same old IR laws but with a new name says the ACTU.
18 May 2007 [full story]
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New name - same old IR laws: govt move to ban references to 'Workchoices' is a cover-up
In a further attempt to cover up the impact of its unfair IR laws on working families, it has been revealed today that the telephone hotline set up to promote the Federal Government's new IR laws is to change its name and ban all references to 'WorkChoices'.
17 May 2007 [full story]
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Mining companies should say if they will respect basic democratic rights
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet has called on Australia's mining companies to clearly state whether they will respect two fundamental and internationally recognised democratic rights - the freedom to join and be represented by a union, and the right of workers to bargain collectively with their employer if that is what a majority of employees in a workplace want.
15 May 2007 [full story]
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Factsheet on the Government’s new so called "Fairness Test"
John Howard crumbled under the pressure of our two year campaign against his IR laws and effectively conceded that they were hurting working families. Faced with unrelenting evidence and public pressure, Mr Howard effectively admitted that the IR laws have led to an alarming loss of penalty rates, overtime pay, public holiday loadings and other formerly protected award conditions.
10 May 2007 [full story]
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New ABS data proves Govt wrong: Jobs growth is lower than before new IR laws
Today's ABS data reveals that the number of new jobs created over the past year is less than were created in the year to April 2005, prior to the release of the Government's new IR laws.
10 May 2007 [full story]
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Mothers Day Classic Fun Run
Mother's Day - Sunday 13th May - is less than a week away, and 2007 marks the tenth year of the Mother's Day Classic - the annual walk or run for breast cancer research.
08 May 2007 [full story]
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Business outcry over ALP plan to scrap AWAs is political rather than factual
The outcry of business groups ACCI and BCA against Labor's plan to scrap AWA individual contracts shows some business leaders are more interested in playing politics than responding to genuine community concern over the Federal Government's IR laws says the ACTU.
03 May 2007 [full story]
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New push by employers to undercut the legal minimum wage for real estate agents
A new push by major employers in the real estate industry to introduce a commission-only wages system could result in agency salespeople being paid less than the minimum legal wage.
03 May 2007 [full story]
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Labor’s IR policy offers a balanced IR system for a strong economy & fair workplaces: says ACTU
Working families now have a clear choice about the future direction of industrial relations in Australia following the release of Labor’s industrial relations policy, the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) said today.
28 April 2007 [full story]
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What are you doing this Sunday? Great events in Sydney and Melbourne!
In Sydney it’s Rockin’ For Rights at the SCG with an incredible line up of performers and in Melbourne it’s the Union & Community Family Fun Day at the Myer Music Bowl with a range of activities planned. Get your family and friends together and head out to show your support for rights at work and be entertained to boot!
20 April 2007 [full story]
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Secret Government report confirms AWAs are cutting pay and conditions for Australian working families
Details of a secret Government report revealed in today's newspapers confirm that AWA individual contracts registered under the Federal Government's new IR laws are cutting the pay and conditions of Australian workers at an alarming rate says the ACTU.
17 April 2007 [full story]
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Federal Government voting rule changes could rob young workers hurt by IR laws of their vote
Strict new Federal Government voting rules that take effect today (Monday 16 April) will make it much harder for young people who have suffered as a result of the new IR laws to vote in the upcoming Federal election says the ACTU.
16 April 2007 [full story]
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PM appeal to big business for help selling new IR laws is sign of desperation
The Prime Minister’s appeal to business for help selling its unfair IR laws is a sign of the Howard Government’s increasing desperation with the depth of widespread community opposition to the Government’s workplace laws says the ACTU.
05 April 2007 [full story]
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Workers’ rights to Easter public holidays are being slowly but surely eroded under IR laws
No extra pay for working the Easter weekend is becoming the norm for workers in the retail sector as more employers use the Coalition Government’s new IR laws to abolish public holiday penalty rates say unions.
05 April 2007 [full story]
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Rockin' for Rights • a Your Rights at Work concert in Sydney
UnionsNSW presents Rockin' for Rights, an extravaganza of Aussie rock talent committed to standing with the workers of Australia to overturn John Howard's new industrial relations laws. On Sunday April 22 protesters will assemble at Hyde Park north at 11am and then march to the Sydney Cricket Grand where some of Australia's top music acts will be rockin' for your rights at work.
03 April 2007 [full story]
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ACTU calls for $28 a week pay rise for over one million award workers
The ACTU has today called for a pay rise of $28 a week for more than a million award workers to reverse the slide in living standards that Australia’s working families are experiencing under the new IR laws.
30 March 2007 [full story]
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Union and Community Family Fun Days
Join us for a day of fun at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, one of Melbourne's landmark venues. Unions and community groups will come together to call for equity and justice for working families. Family Fun Days are also scheduled to occur throughout Australia in the coming two months.
28 March 2007 [full story]
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One year of WorkChoices shows new Fed Govt IR laws are hurting working families
With the Federal Government's new industrial relations laws proving a strong negative for the Liberal Party in the weekend's NSW State election the ACTU will today issue a report showing that after a year of WorkChoices the new IR laws are hurting Australian working families.
27 March 2007 [full story]
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ACTU launches hard-hitting ad linking Liberals to big business cutting back conditions under IR laws
The ACTU this week released their hard-hitting new TV advertisement ‘Boys in the Boardroom’, which will go to air next week. The advertisement features suited businessmen sitting in a corporate boardroom, discussing how they can use the Howard Government’s new IR laws to increase company profits by scrapping conditions like overtime rates and public holiday pay and cutting workers’ take home pay.
15 March 2007 [full story]
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Union slams Hockey over Qantas WorkChoices Defence
Australian Services Union Branch Secretary Julie Bignell has slammed federal Workplace Relations Minister Joe Hockey over his claims that the Government’s WorkChoice laws were not to blame for Qantas allegedly discriminating against employees returning from maternity leave.
13 March 2007 [full story]
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Women now earn $100 a week less than men: ACTU analysis shows widening gender pay gap
A new ACTU analysis shows women in full time jobs now earn $100 a week less than men and that the pay gap for working women is getting wider. Full time women now earn on average 10% less than men — the same gender pay gap as 1978, almost 30 years ago.
07 March 2007 [full story]
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Cuts to overtime pay, penalty rates and rest breaks under the IR laws are the focus of new union TV ad campaign
The ACTU yesterday began a new national television ad campaign to highlight the loss of overtime pay, penalty rates, rest breaks and other important job conditions under the Federal Government's IR laws.
06 March 2007 [full story]
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New report shows Federal Govt is failing working families says ACTU
A new report released today shows that Australian working families are under enormous pressure as a result of long, irregular working hours and a lack of job security.
06 March 2007 [full story]
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New figures show workers on Fed Govt AWAs are working longer hours for less pay
New figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show employees in non-managerial jobs that are on the Federal Government's AWA individual contracts are working longer hours and for less pay than workers on collective agreements.
28 February 2007 [full story]
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Working families suffering real wage cuts under IR laws: new ABS data reveals
New ABS data on Average Weekly Earnings released yesterday (22 Feb.) reveals that Australian working families are suffering under the new IR laws with average weekly earnings for full time employees failing to keep up with the cost of living.
23 February 2007 [full story]
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Women workers and low paid worst affected by IR laws: new research shows
Contrary to the Federal Government's promise that conditions for award workers would be 'protected by law', new research by Professor David Peetz shows that almost 20,000 employees are losing award coverage every month under the new IR laws and that pay for female workers is falling.
13 February 2007 [full story]
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AIRC confirms employer power to sack at will
The Full Bench of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) has confirmed that the Howard Government's unfair IR laws give employers the power to sack staff without employees having the chance to appeal the decision.
16 January 2007 [full story]
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International labour movement protests against WorkChoices
In solidarity with Australian workers, the Public Services International (PSI), of which the ASU is an affiliate, and other members of the international labour movement participated in a demonstration in front of the Australian mission in Geneva late last year against Howard’s WorkChoices legislation.
12 January 2007 [full story]
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Pay rate uncertainty hits over one million workers under new IR laws
More than a million workers on award wages cannot be sure of their rate of pay with the Federal Government acknowledging that the pay scales it publishes are not reliable.
08 December 2006 [full story]
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Unions vow to continue campaign against Federal Government IR laws following successful national protest
Unions have vowed to continue the campaign against the Howard Government's IR laws following successful national protests at more than three hundred venues across Australia and the involvement of more than 264,000 people.
01 December 2006 [full story]
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New Contractor's Law in Parliament today will further undermine workers' rights
The Howard Government is pressing ahead with further changes to industrial relations laws with a new 'independent contractor' law to be introduced into Parliament today that gives big business the power to push down contract rates and threaten the take home pay of both contractors and employees alike.
29 November 2006 [full story]
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TV Ad blitz by unions to promote national protest against IR laws - Thurs 30 Nov
The ACTU has begun a television ad blitz to promote a national community protest against the Howard Government’s IR laws this Thursday 30 November.
27 November 2006 [full story]
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New data shows real wages for workers in NSW are going backwards
New research by the ACTU to be released today shows that workers in NSW are being hard hit by the Government's industrial relations laws with average wages for full time employees dropping $33 a week in real terms over the last year.
24 November 2006 [full story]
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November 30 rally - just one week to go! Nationwide rallies next Thursday
Next Thursday's nationwide rallies mark a critical moment in the Rights at Work campaign, and as we draw closer to next year's federal election, the stakes have never been higher.
23 November 2006 [full story]
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"Working Class Man" Jimmy Barnes to rock against IR laws at 30 Nov MCG protest
Australian rock legend and original 'working class man' Jimmy Barnes and his band will play live to workers and families at the MCG on November 30 as part of a nation-wide day of protest against the Federal Government's industrial relations laws, the ACTU has announced.
Jimmy Barnes and his band will be a key part of the line-up for the November 30 protest against the Government's IR laws which will be broadcast live from the MCG across Australia. Unions expect the MCG rally and broadcast on 30 November will be one of Australia's biggest ever community protests with more than half a million people expected to participate nationally.
15 November 2006 [full story]
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Carpet company exploits IR laws to cut workers' entitlements: Govt fails to close loophole
The ACTU is disappointed the Federal Government has failed to close a loophole in the IR laws that is allowing carpet manufacturer Godfrey Hirst to takeover the operations of its former competitor Feltex carpets while substantially cutting redundancy pay and other entitlements for 320 Australian production workers.
13 November 2006 [full story]
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$650K workers' underpayment is proof that problems are rife with Govt's 457 visas
The announcement by the Office of Workplace Services (OWS) today that temporary workers have been underpaid $650,000 is conclusive proof that exploitation of overseas workers is rife under the Federal Government's 457 visa program says the ACTU.
31 October 2006 [full story]
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ACTU Congress endorses Industrial Relations Policy
ASU National President Henrietta Moran and National Secretary Paul Slape led a 30 strong ASU delegation to this week’s Australian Council of Trade Union’s (ACTU) 2006 Congress.
26 October 2006 [full story]
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Low paid win $27 per week increase
The Australian Fair Pay Commission today handed down its first wages decision, in which it decided to award a significant increase of $27.36 per week to the Federal Minimum wage and to minimum ‘award’ rates of pay below $700 per week and an increase of $22.04 per week to rates above $700. It operates from 1 December 2006.
26 October 2006 [full story]
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Rock for Your Rights at Work!
You are invited to Rock for Your Rights at Work, a series of shows supported by the Melbourne artistic community, to take the industrial relations fight to the streets in the lead up to the next National Day Of Action on November 30 at the MCG.
25 October 2006 [full story]
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Unions aim to broaden IR campaign with launch of new one-stop joining service
The ACTU aims to broaden public involvement in its campaign against the Howard Government's industrial relations laws with the launch today of a new one-stop service that will make it easier and quicker for people to join unions.
23 October 2006 [full story]
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$50,000 in five working days - now it's time to fill the MCG!
Nearly 1500 individual Rights at Work supporters donated between $5 and $500 each to help raise money for the Rights at Work billboard: http://www.rightsatwork.com.au/campaigns/billboard
From November 1, the 2 million people who drive down the Tullamarine Freeway every month will be confronted with an ACTU billboard telling the truth about the Howard Government's IR laws - that they hurt working families, freeze wages, and cut pay and conditions.
20 October 2006 [full story]
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Young people being hit hard in schools and the workplace
New figures from the Government’s workplace agency, the Office of the Employment Advocate (OEA), show that large numbers of young people in the workforce are being faced with signing AWA individual contracts. These contracts have been shown to result in the loss of previously won award protections. And if our kids decide to stay at school for a technical education, they are being deprived of a quality system because TAFEs are chronically under-funded. A new report shows the skills crisis is of the Federal Government's own making with $1billion stripped out of TAFEs from 1997 and 300,000 people turned away from courses.
19 October 2006 [full story]
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PM's skills & training announcement fails to fix ten years of Fed Govt neglect
The Prime Minister's announcement of a package of skills and training measures is inadequate and represents a pathetic attempt to fix ten years of neglect by the Federal Government says the ACTU.
13 October 2006 [full story]
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Give John Howard a nasty shock!
When John Howard visits Melbourne next month, he will get a nasty shock when he looks out the window of his chauffeur-driven car.
12 October 2006 [full story]
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Why is our Prime Minister celebrating workers losing their pay & conditions?
John Howard's decision to celebrate the signing of an AWA in Adelaide today shows just how out of touch with working families the Government has become on the issue of industrial relations.
06 October 2006 [full story]
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Pay freeze enters 16th month for low paid workers as prices continue to go up
The ACTU has called on the Federal Government to hurry up and deliver a pay rise for low paid workers struggling to cope with the rising cost of living as a wage freeze caused by the Government's IR laws enters its sixteenth month.
02 October 2006 [full story]
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Fill the 'G'
Stand up for your rights at work on November 30 - the people's protest at the people's ground - the MCG.
28 September 2006 [full story]
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New data shows IR laws are pushing down take-home pay
A new ACTU analysis of ABS data shows the IR changes are starting to bite into workers' take home pay with the latest data showing that in the last twelve months average earnings failed to keep pace with inflation for the first time in five years, since the introduction of the GST.
28 September 2006 [full story]
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ROCK THE VOTE!
Do you want to have a say in your future? Do you want to know what your rights at work are? Do you want to rock? ROCK THE VOTE takes over Brisbane’s RNA Showgrounds on Saturday 18 November. For 11 hours punters will be treated to a host of Australia’s best bands and comedians while also being offered some essential information about new laws that affect their lives and futures in this country.
19 September 2006 [full story]
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Under what circumstances would John Howard be willing to support workers instead of always siding with their employer - asks ACTU
Over ten years, the Government has whittled away workers rights, with WorkChoices stripping away any rights of employees to collectively bargain with their employer even where that is what a majority of workers in a workplace want.
15 September 2006 [full story]
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ACTU launches new vision for workplaces based on collective bargaining
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet today released a detailed vision for a new system of workplace relations for Australia based on the right of employees to bargain collectively and to have a democratic vote in workplaces. The new proposal will form the basis for union policy in response to the Federal Government's new IR laws and the next stage of the union campaign for workers' rights.
13 September 2006 [full story]
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Australian Government targets workers for heavy fines
Brussels, 11 September 2006 (ICFTU OnLine): The ICFTU has protested to Australian Prime Minister John Howard over the latest in a series of trade union rights violations, under the country’s notorious industrial laws.
12 September 2006 [full story]
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"Independent" OWS under the Minister's thumb
IN THE continuing public controversy over the Howard Government's new industrial relations laws, the reputations of public agencies responsible for their administration is being bespattered. You could feel sorry for them, given the manifest flaws in the governance arrangements with which these organisations have been saddled. They are also not assisted by the continuing fib-based campaign of Minister Kevin Andrews in his wooden and thus far unsuccessful efforts to persuade the country that the so-called WorkChoices laws will do it a power of good.
11 September 2006 [full story]
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These workers were not striking Prime Minister - they were working
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet has criticised Prime Minister John Howard's support for a Melbourne electrical components company that has used the Government's IR laws to dock a full week's pay from more than 50 manufacturing workers because the workers had a ban on overtime in support of a collective agreement.
11 September 2006 [full story]
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Federal Govt's attack on ACTU IR ads in tatters as questions arise over Cowra Abattoir collapse
The ACTU has today called on Prime Minister John Howard to apologise to 200 sacked workers at the Cowra Abattoir following revelations that abattoir boss David Mulligan loaned almost $2 million to a related company under his control in the period before the abattoir's collapse. The Cowra abattoir workers are owed over $2 million in unpaid entitlements.
11 September 2006 [full story]
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National protest against IR laws confirmed for the MCG on November 30
The ACTU and Victorian Trades Hall Council have confirmed that they will host a major community event to protest against the Federal Government's IR laws at the 'people's ground', the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), on Thursday 30 November. The union event will take place from 8am to 10am (AEST) and will be broadcast by satellite to meetings of workers and community members in all capital cities and in more than three hundred regional centres across Australia.
07 September 2006 [full story]
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Queensland workers: think of IR before you go to the ballot box
Queensland unions have launched a new round of radio advertisements that ask Queensland workers to consider the impact of the Federal Coalition's new industrial relations laws when casting a vote at the ballot box this weekend.
05 September 2006 [full story]
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Support the 107 WA workers & their families facing hefty Govt fines for protesting
Today, Australians around the country will gather and rally to demonstrate support for 107 ordinary rank and file workers & families who face persecution in court today by the Howard Government, and potential home-wrecking fines of up to $28,600. If you are incensed by the Government's callous actions, angered by parliamentarians that pass laws in order to prosecute the citizens they claim to represent for the crime of exercising their internally-recognised democratic rights, please make your voices heard throughout this week.
29 August 2006 [full story]
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107 building workers and their families face $28,600 fines under the new IR laws
One hundred and seven Western Australian building workers face jail and personal fines of up to $28,600. Their crime? Participating in a stoppage in support of a sacked workmate and refusing to accept persistent safety breaches in their workplace.
28 August 2006 [full story]
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Federal Govt waves the white flag on local jobs and industries
The Government's belated decision to increase payments for workers who lose their jobs and employee entitlements in a company collapse has been labelled as inadequate and overdue by the ACTU.
23 August 2006 [full story]
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New ABS wages data: increase minimum wages by $30 or risk leaving low-paid behind, ACTU tells Pay Commission
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said that wages data released today shows that the Federal Government's new Pay Commission must increase minimum wages by at least $30 a week or risk leaving low paid workers and their families behind.
16 August 2006 [full story]
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Women lose out under new IR laws and now Fed Govt strips funding from independent women's services
The Federal Government has made funding to independent advisory centres for working women conditional on the centres conducting WorkChoices seminars and producing publications that promote its extreme industrial relations laws, it has been revealed.
15 August 2006 [full story]
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ACTU launches new radio ads to ensure IR messages hit home
The ACTU and Australian unions have launched the next phase of the Your Rights at Work campaign with a series of radio ads aimed at highlighting the winners and losers in the new IR system, and the impact of the laws on young people and families. The radio ads begin this week in every state, and across regional Australia. The ACTU's TV ads will also continue to air on TV.
07 August 2006 [full story]
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New IR laws are turning off workers and business alike - new survey finds laws are unfair & bad for productivity
A new national survey by software company MYOB released today (Tuesday 1 August) has found that the Howard Government's new IR laws are unfair for workers and bad for productivity. The survey finds nearly three times as many (34%) small businesses believe that the laws will hurt productivity compared with only 12% that believe the laws will help.
01 August 2006 [full story]
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ACTU condemns disgraceful Federal Government attack on sacked workers
The ACTU today strongly condemned the Federal Government for its attack on the workers appearing in the ACTU television advertisements.
26 July 2006 [full story]
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Secret Govt and big business talks seek further cuts in pay and conditions - Kevin Andrews must come clean
The Howard Government is secretly discussing with the Australian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (ACCI) big business plans for a new wave of IR reforms that may see more workers denied overtime pay when working more than 38 hours a week, and widen employers' ability to stand down workers without pay.
20 July 2006 [full story]
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ASU says new IR laws will affect women more
Speaking at “Our work…our lives: national conference on women and industrial relations” sponsored by Griffith University today in Brisbane, ASU National Vice President and Central & Southern Queensland C&A Branch Secretary Julie Bignell said that the new IR laws were a disaster for women and would reverse the clock on equality of pay and conditions in Australia within a short time.
12 July 2006 [full story]
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Tanker crew first lose their jobs and could now face fines for protesting
The crew of an Australian tanker docked in Hobart could face fines under the Howard Govt's IR laws for protesting against the operator's decision to replace the Australian crew with foreign seafarers by refusing to unload the ship's cargo of sulphuric acid.
10 July 2006 [full story]
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The Cold 100 - a hundred reasons why WorkChoices is a dud
The NSW Government has come up with 100 reasons why WorkChoices is a dud, with 100 examples of ripped off workers. Their "Shame File - 100 Days of Work Choices" includes areas such as Australian Workplace Agreements (AWAs or individual agreements), occupational health and safety (OHS), unfair dismissal and young workers.
10 July 2006 [full story]
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Howard Govt IR agency confirms Cowra sackings and pay cuts legal under new IR laws
Australian workers can be legally sacked and re-employed on lower wages and conditions under the Howard Government's new IR laws the Government's own workplace watchdog has confirmed today.
07 July 2006 [full story]
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Young woman miner sacked for refusing to sign AWA individual contract that cut award sick leave entitlements
A twenty-one year old woman who trained for five years so she could follow in her father's footsteps and work in the mining industry has been sacked for refusing to sign an AWA individual contract that cut her award sick leave entitlements by requiring her to give 12 hours notice of being sick or else lose a day's pay as well as be penalised an extra $200.
05 July 2006 [full story]
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New Howard Govt "Fair Pay" Commissioners get pay rise while low paid workers suffer wage freeze
After only three months in the job, members of the Howard Govt's new Fair Pay Commission will get a pay rise on 1 July while low paid workers are suffering an 18 month wage freeze as they wait for the Commission to decide the next increase in the federal minimum wage.
30 June 2006 [full story]
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Workers' protests across Australia send message to Howard Govt on IR Laws
Widespread community concern over cuts to take-home pay and the loss of basic employment conditions has underpinned strong turnouts at protests across Australia yesterday says the ACTU.
29 June 2006 [full story]
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Government only listens to big business on IR laws - ACTU
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet has rejected today's erroneous claims by the Prime Minister John Howard saying the real issue is that the Government only listens to big business on industrial relations and completely ignores the views and interests of Australian working families.
27 June 2006 [full story]
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What are you doing to protest for your rights during the nation-wide week of action?
Don't let the Federal Government forget that we will not take this whittling away of our rights at work sitting down. Stand up during the week of action activities and make your voice heard. Activities across the nation in capital cities and regional centres will give us another opportunity to show them we mean business!
22 June 2006 [full story]
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New law threatens pay & conditions of both contractors and employees
New 'independent contractor' laws introduced into Federal Parliament today (Thurs 22 June) will give big business the power to push down contract rates and are a threat to the take home pay of both contractors and employees alike says the ACTU.
22 June 2006 [full story]
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Comprehensive community consultation reveals businesses and workers alike fear new IR order
When the Federal Government rushed through the new IR laws last year, with a scant five days of Senate inquiry, the Australian Labor Party was not deterred. Instigating a widespread community consultation which visited each state and territory and spoke to almost 200 witnesses, the ALP’s IR Taskforce has now released its report findings. What has been revealed is that the fear to be expected amongst workers about what their fate is under WorkChoices is shared by many employers.
21 June 2006 [full story]
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Keep the ACTU’s TV ads on air because everyone needs to know
The ACTU launched a new series of television ads last weekend. Featuring real workers sharing their stories of work abuses already running rampant under John Howard’s new industrial world, they will let so many more people know what is at stake for all of us. It’s important they stay on air as long as possible to make sure this important message gets out far and wide: these laws must go! And go they will when we show this Federal Government the door.
16 June 2006 [full story]
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Say “NO” to unfair work laws during the Australia-wide Week of Action June 25 to July 1
Sacked by text message. Fired then rehired on a contract that pays $200 less a week. Pay docked for doing a whip around for the widow of a mate killed on the job. All around the nation Australians have felt first hand the real cost of the Howard Government’s new industrial relations laws. We can send a loud and clear message to Howard and co about how we feel from June 25 to July 1: take action all around Australia.
15 June 2006 [full story]
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NSW moves to protect state workers from Howard’s industrial tyranny
The Labor Government of NSW has announced that their State Owned Corporations (SOCs) will not use the Howard Government’s unfair WorkChoices laws to strip away their workers’ rights.
15 June 2006 [full story]
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Govt's own research shows AWA individual contracts remove conditions and cut take home pay
The Howard Government is ignoring official data that shows individual work contracts (AWAs) are being extensively used under the new IR laws to cut the take home pay of workers and to axe penalty rates, shift allowances and annual leave loading.
15 June 2006 [full story]
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Beazley commits Labor to back the unions’ fair industrial relations system
Labor leader Kim Beazley has this weekend committed the ALP to support the union movement’s call for the abandoning of AWAs (Australian Workplace Agreements or individual contracts) and to support a fair industrial relations system built on the tenets of collective bargaining.
14 June 2006 [full story]
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Australian Govt continues to flout international labour rights standards: ILO
The Australian Government is continuing to flout international standards on key labour rights including the Right to Collective Bargaining and Protection of the Right to Organise. The Australian Government is now a serial offender of the very principles that sit at the heart of decent rights for working people – core international labour standards.
14 June 2006 [full story]
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New union advertisements show human cost of work changes
The ACTU and Australian unions this week launched the next phase of their Rights at Work advertising campaign portraying the actual costs to families as a result of the Howard Government's industrial relations changes.
13 June 2006 [full story]
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Federal Govt wage freeze for workers
A Federal Government "wage freeze" for more than 1.6 million award paid workers started this week.
08 June 2006 [full story]
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Gold Coast sackings to be investigated by Union
Two clerical workers sacked from the West Burleigh Medical Clinic, featured on last night’s A Current Affair program, will have their cases assessed by the Australian Services Union today.
08 June 2006 [full story]
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Australia’s IR laws are among the world's worst: ILO complaint
The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has listed Australia's IR laws for an immediate hearing this week alongside cases from Libya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Guatemala and other countries that are known as the world's worst violators of labour rights.
05 June 2006 [full story]
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Govt official confirms penalty rates and shift allowances are being axed under IR laws
A senior Government official has confirmed that penalty rates, shift allowances and annual leave loading for employees have been abolished in a majority of new individual contracts (AWAs) registered under the Howard Government's new IR laws - leaving employees thousands of dollars worse off than they would be under an award, says the ACTU.
01 June 2006 [full story]
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Spotlight says Govt’s new IR laws made them do it
Workers at Spotlight will be given a miserly two cents an hour pay increase in exchange for losing entitlements like penalty rates, rest breaks and overtime. The Australian-owned chain of fabric and homewares stores employs 6000 workers and rakes in over $600 million a year. But new staff will lose up to $90 a week under the terms of Spotlight's new AWA individual contracts.
31 May 2006 [full story]
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Unions push for wage increase in the face of rising costs for working families
Unions will today (Monday) press ahead with claims for a 4% lift in wages for more than one million low paid workers, arguing that an immediate pay rise is needed to cover spiralling petrol, interest rate, and other price rises that are hurting working families.
15 May 2006 [full story]
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IR laws add pressure on working families - new ABS data
The ACTU has accused the Howard Government of being too focussed on the needs of high income earners and big corporations and is calling on the Government to give far greater priority to easing the pressure on working families in today's Federal Budget. John Howard and Peter Costello's economic management may be keeping corporate profits and share prices at record highs but the household budgets of working families are under more pressure than ever the ACTU said.
09 May 2006 [full story]
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Don’t just cop it, tell someone who cares!
To ensure that the Howard Government is held to account for the introduction of its draconian industrial relations laws, it is crucial that those who are facing its adverse effects speak up. It doesn’t have to go all the way to the nightly news, but don’t just cop the erosion of your rights at work, there’s lots of different avenues for you to speak up.
08 May 2006 [full story]
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Govt's new independent contractors law another free kick for big business
The Howard Government's proposed new 'Independent Contractors' law will
further undermine the job security of working Australians by making it
easier for big businesses to replace existing workers with so-called
independent contractors says the ACTU.
05 May 2006 [full story]
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ASU welcomes Kim Beazley's speech
Paul Slape, ASU National Secretary, has welcomed a speech by the Leader of the Opposition, Kim Beazley given to a May Day rally in Brisbane yesterday in which he pledged an ALP Federal Government would "rip up" the new industrial relations laws introduced by the Coalition Government of John Howard.
02 May 2006 [full story]
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Howard Govt IR laws will hurt workplace health and safety
The ACTU has called on the Howard Government to repeal the sections of its new industrial relations laws that ban workplace agreements from giving workers leave to attend union-provided health and safety training or meetings.
02 May 2006 [full story]
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Bosses told to "blame Government" for IR law changes
Employer organisations are urging their members to shift the blame for the new industrial relations laws onto the Howard Government, the ACTU said today. ACTU President Sharan Burrow said that the advice by Australian Business Limited advises employers how to explain the changes to staff and endorses a 'Blame the Government' approach when explaining to workers why their rights were being taken away.
01 May 2006 [full story]
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Govt's new laws hit more workers, but public pressure helps!
Optus is the latest company to use the new IR laws to sack part of its workforce and ask them to reapply for their jobs. Seventy workers will be affected across the country. Whilst the Govt has caved in after public scrutiny of its pursuit of fines from workers in Queensland who had engaged in industrial action last year. These workers had taken action after being forced to take accommodation at a worksite infested with feral cats, fleas and raw sewage.
12 April 2006 [full story]
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Penalty rates for weekends & public holidays threatened by new IR laws
Employers have started to use the new IR laws to abolish weekend and public holiday penalty rates for workers and this will lead to a sharp drop in take home pay for workers in the hospitality and retail industries says the ACTU. Reports in today's newspapers show that a young worker in a Juice Bar has seen her pay for a seven hour shift cut by $40 a day because her employment has shifted to an individual contract (AWA).
10 April 2006 [full story]
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Howard breaks sick leave promise as IR Minister makes Department workers get doctor's certificate for single day absences
John Howard and Kevin Andrews have broken their promise that under their new industrial relations laws Australian workers would not be required to provide a medical certificate from a doctor each time they claimed a single day of sick leave. When unions raised concerns about the new sick leave rules in the Government's IR laws in November last year the Prime Minister and Workplace Minister Kevin Andrews accused the ACTU of lying.
06 April 2006 [full story]
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Abattoir workers reinstated in Govt bid to avoid scrutiny of sacking for 'operational reasons' under new IR laws
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said the Federal Government's new work laws were to blame for the terrible situation that the workers at the Cowra Abattoir had been put through. Mr Combet said it was good news that the workers would get their jobs back but the fact remained that it was legal to act as the company had done.
04 April 2006 [full story]
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Govt dodges truth about sackings: no reason needed to sack workers under new IR laws
The Howard Government is dodging the truth about the real impact of the new industrial relations laws by failing to explain to the Australian public that workers can now be sacked for no reason whatsoever.
29 March 2006 [full story]
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Workers turn to trade unions in face of Howard Govt IR changes
A significant lift in union membership in the past year is a further sign of the widespread community concern over the Howard Government's new industrial relations reforms says the ACTU.
28 March 2006 [full story]
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Howard Govt governs for big business, not working families: poll
New research conducted by the Australian Council of Trade Unions shows that the public are deeply opposed to the Howard Government's new IR laws, and that the community believe the laws show the Government is acting in the interests of big business over the rights of Australian working families.
27 March 2006 [full story]
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PM insensitive to widespread concern over job security: contrasts with ALP
The ACTU has condemned the Prime Minister's comments regarding unfair dismissal on radio today as insensitive to widespread public concern over the lack of job security under the Government's new industrial relations laws.
24 March 2006 [full story]
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Big business will also be able to sack staff unfairly under Government's new IR laws says leading law firm
Australia's largest companies, as well as businesses with less than 100 staff, will be free to unfairly dismiss any worker under the Howard Government's new industrial relations laws according to a leading law firm.
23 March 2006 [full story]
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Rock for Your Rights at Work!
The Australian Services Union, Queensland Services Branch in collaboration with MusicOz has organised a gig to promote the ‘Your Rights at Work’ campaign and celebrate Youth Week.
22 March 2006 [full story]
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Employers win right to undercut minimum wage in new IR laws: Regional workers most at risk
The Federal Government has broken its promise to protect minimum wages with employers winning a new right to pay workers less than the federal minimum wage of $12.75 an hour during periods when business is slow says the ACTU.
21 March 2006 [full story]
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Government continues to attack worker rights
The Howard Government’s new Workplace Regulations released yesterday extend the attack on workers rights which began last year, says ASU National Secretary Paul Slape. “The Regulations, taken with the extreme laws guillotined through Parliament last year, are a fundamental attack on the right of workers to act collectively to maintain and improve their wages and working conditions”, Paul says.
21 March 2006 [full story]
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IR law regulations confirm big new fines for workers and crackdown on unions
Details of harsh new Federal Government fines and penalties for workers and unions and a crackdown on union activity in the workplace have been revealed by Workplace Minister Kevin Andrews who today released details of regulations relating to the Government’s new industrial relations laws.
20 March 2006 [full story]
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Qantas seeks pay and condition cuts
Qantas CEO Geoff Dixon has welcomed the Howard Government’s cuts to workers rights and conditions and has stated that he will ensure Qantas uses the new laws.
14 March 2006 [full story]
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Government plans "another wave" of IR changes if re-elected - more working conditions to go
The Howard Government will embark on "another wave" of radical industrial changes if they win the next federal election, despite the fact that the majority of Australians were fundamentally opposed to the new laws, it has been revealed. In a leaked recording, the Government leader in the Senate apologised that the Liberals’ radical industrial relations laws did not go far enough.
10 March 2006 [full story]
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Bakers Delight workers lose sick leave, annual leave and penalty rates
A newspaper report today shows that young workers at Bakers Delight outlets in regional Victoria are losing their paid sick leave and annual leave entitlements for as little as 75 cents an hour.
02 March 2006 [full story]
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A message from Greg Combet: the Rights at Work campaign continues
Your hard work turned the tide of the nation's opinion. The November 15 rallies were an unprecedented show of community strength. But the Howard Government ignored the overwhelming public opposition to WorkChoices. Our campaign does not end with the passage of these unfair laws.
27 February 2006 [full story]
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Workers facing 20% pay cut and no RDOs shows reality of new IR laws
Workers at a Melbourne company are facing a 20% drop in pay and the loss of RDOs and other entitlements as their employer begins to use the Howard Government's new IR laws.
22 February 2006 [full story]
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Govt 'review' threatens award rates of pay for thousands of jobs
An 'Award Review Taskforce' set up by the Howard Government under its new industrial relations laws is examining a new proposal to cut Award rates of pay for hundreds of thousands of skilled Australian workers the ACTU said yesterday.
10 February 2006 [full story]
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Workers vulnerable to losing wages & conditions under Govt review of awards
In a submission to a Howard Government–appointed Taskforce released today, the ACTU strongly supports keeping intact Australia’s award safety net, arguing that a massive reduction in industrial awards will lead to lower wages and conditions for millions of workers.
06 February 2006 [full story]
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Former ASU official to Chair IR Taskforce
Brendan O’Connor Federal Member for Gorton, a former ASU Assistant National Secretary is chairing the Labor IR Taskforce which has begun inquiring into the adverse effects of the Howard Government’s Work Choices legislation on families and communities.
19 January 2006 [full story]
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All I want for Christmas is my Rights at Work
As you write your Christmas cards, don’t forget your local politician. Did your Member of Parliament help John Howard give us “WorkChoices”, or are they going to help send it back like an unwanted Christmas present?
14 December 2005 [full story]
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Howard Government's IR dream now a living nightmare for working families
The final passage of the Government's amended WorkChoices laws through Parliament will make John Howard's industrial relations dream a living nightmare for Australian workers and their families says the ACTU.
07 December 2005 [full story]
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Local people go to Canberra today to tell MPs 'We oppose new IR laws'
Local workers and unions from regional areas and in key electorates are playing an active part in the community campaign to protect employee job security and family living standards by opposing the Government’s new WorkChoices IR laws says the ACTU.
05 December 2005 [full story]
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Workers plan long-term campaign to overturn 'destructive' IR laws
Unions plan a long-term campaign to overturn the destructive new WorkChoices IR laws and unseat the Howard Government at the next federal election.
05 December 2005 [full story]
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A message from Sharan Burrow and Greg Combet - Sign the pledge: commit to the fight ahead
Today, John Howard’s Government is expected to pass the most radical and unfair industrial laws this country has ever seen.
02 December 2005 [full story]
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Funny film - scary message
An award winning short comedy that shows what life might be like after John Howard removes unfair dismissal laws has been doing the rounds of people's emails.
02 December 2005 [full story]
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Guarantee of weekly or fortnightly pay day under threat from IR laws
Many Australian workers could lose their right to be paid on a weekly or fortnightly basis under the Federal Government's new industrial relations laws the ACTU said yesterday.
30 November 2005 [full story]
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85,189 Australians tell Barnaby Joyce to take a stand
On Monday 21 November a campaign petition was started asking Senator Barnaby Joyce to reject the Federal Government's radical changes to our IR laws - by 5pm Friday 25 November an astronomical 85,189 people had signed the petition. This result far exceeded all expectations - our original target was what now seems like a modest 10,000 signatures!
28 November 2005 [full story]
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One day left to tell Barnaby to take a stand
The Campaign to tell Senator Barnaby Joyce to take a stand on the WorkChoices legislation started in the afternoon of Monday 21 November with a target of collecting 10,000 signatures.
24 November 2005 [full story]
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Sign a petition to tell Barnaby Joyce it is time to take a stand on WorkChoices
To get his radical industrial relations legislation through the Senate, John Howard needs the vote of one critical Senator: Barnaby Joyce.
21 November 2005 [full story]
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ASU appears at WorkChoice's Senate Inquiry
On the afternoon of the National Community Day of Protest (15 November 2005) an ASU delegation appeared before the Senate Inquiry into the WorkChoices legislation to tell the Senators how ASU members will be adversely affected by WorkChoices if the Senate passes the WorkChoices Bill.
17 November 2005 [full story]
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Sick leave for workers & parents subject to punitive new conditions under Government’s IR laws
The Federal Government’s new industrial relations laws will give employers punitive new powers to demand that workers provide a medical certificate for every single day of sick leave they take says the ACTU.
11 November 2005 [full story]
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Government MPS snub working Australians by rushing new IR laws
By rushing new workplace laws through Federal Parliament, the Howard Government is snubbing the concerns of working Australians that their living standards will be threatened by the changes says the ACTU.
11 November 2005 [full story]
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Active, Strong & United - ASU women need to take a stand!
Tuesday 15th November 2005 is the day women of the ASU need to take part in the National Day of Community Protest. Make sure you are heard on the despicable destruction of workers rights by the Federal Government.
10 November 2005 [full story]
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Thousands of submissions flood Senate Inquiry
In just five days, more than five thousand people have made submissions to the Senate Inquiry and told them their views on Howard’s radical workplace changes. Thanks to your energy and dedication we far exceeded our initial targets.
10 November 2005 [full story]
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ITF condemns Australian Government's new anti-union laws and calls for international protest
The International transport Workers Federation (ITF) Executive Board at its meeting on 27 and 28 October 2005 unanimously condemned the repressive anti union laws currently being introduced in Australia's federal parliament by the Howard Government.
09 November 2005 [full story]
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Massive public concern over new work laws shows longer inquiry a must
More than 4500 submissions from members of the public have already been lodged to the Senate Inquiry examining the Government’s proposed new workplace laws.
09 November 2005 [full story]
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Sydney City Council signs workplace charter
Australia’s oldest democratic institution, the Sydney City Council, has signed on to the union movement’s workplace charter. The charter is intended to protect workers from the Howard Government’s unfair attack through the so called WorkChoices legislation currently before Parliament.
08 November 2005 [full story]
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MP speaks up for workers rights
Brendan O'Connor, Member for Gorton and Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations and Workforce Participation and former ASU national official, gave a speech to Federal Parliament on November 4 2005.
07 November 2005 [full story]
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Bite back at Howard with new Rights at Work merchandise
Show John Howard that when he threatens our rights at work, we bite back! A full range of new campaign merchandise is now available from the ASUshop. Get in quick to ensure you receive your choices in time for the National Day of Community Protest on November 15.
07 November 2005 [full story]
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ACTU vows national demonstrations on Tuesday 15 November against IR laws
The ACTU and the union movement have vowed to hold nation-wide demonstrations on Tuesday 15 November against the Federal Government's new industrial relations laws which were introduced into Parliament this week.
04 November 2005 [full story]
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Tell the Senate what you think of WorkChoices
This week the Federal Government tabled its 687 page Work Choices legislation (and 565 page Explanatory memorandum) in the parliament.
04 November 2005 [full story]
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ILO trial of Howard Govt over employee rights violations resumes today
The trial of the Howard Government over its alleged breach of international obligations to protect the right of working Australians to freedom of association will resume today (Friday) by the International Labour Organisation in Geneva, Switzerland.
04 November 2005 [full story]
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Government’s extreme and radical IR legislation confirms union campaign – Australian workers’ rights and conditions to be stripped away
New workplace legislation introduced into Federal Parliament today will strip away one hundred years of respect for workers’ rights, remove legal protection for many employment conditions and will set a new low for the future workplace conditions of Australian workers, the ACTU said today.
02 November 2005 [full story]
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Families worse off under individual contracts: PM is wrong, again
ACTU President Sharan Burrow will argue that families will be worse off under the Government’s IR reforms at a conference at Monash University today, presenting evidence that shows individual contracts (AWAs) lead to longer working hours and provide fewer family-friendly provisions.
24 October 2005 [full story]
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PM should do honourable thing and withdraw ‘deceitful’ IR ads: ACTU
The ACTU has called on the Federal Government to withdraw its industrial relations advertisements following claims reported in today’s Age newspaper by workers who appeared in the ads they were ‘lied to about the purpose of the filming and were not properly paid’.
20 October 2005 [full story]
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Urgent email campaign against the Howard Govt IR changes - Send a protest email today!
More than 7000 people so far have flooded the Australian Government with emails protesting their extreme new workplace laws, including almost 3000 emails from people overseas.
20 October 2005 [full story]
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Workers give Hockey stick
Human Services Minister Joe Hockey is drawing fire from workers in a number of his own departments. The ASU supports the call from the CPSU for union members and supporters to send online protests to help resolve these disputes. The Federal government is targeting public servants and we must show them that this is not acceptable.
14 October 2005 [full story]
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Liberal Party, not taxpayer, must pay for Government’s illegal IR ads
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet said today the Liberal Party, and not the Australian taxpayer, must pay for the Federal Government’s multi-million dollar industrial relations advertising blitz after senior Government Minister Tony Abbott admitted yesterday that the advertisements may be in breach of the Electoral Act.
13 October 2005 [full story]
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Senate IR Inquiry too short: why the rush to take away workers’ rights?
The Howard Government has agreed to a Senate Inquiry into the biggest workplace law changes in 100 years but it will be one of the shortest Inquiries on record says the ACTU.
13 October 2005 [full story]
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PM’s IR package confirms changes will leave workers worse off
The Government’s industrial relations plans are all about pushing workers on to individual contracts (AWAs) that can cut people’s take-home pay and remove conditions like overtime, penalty rates, redundancy pay, rostering protections and public holidays says the ACTU.
11 October 2005 [full story]
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160,000 Australian's say 'Don't let our work conditions be cut by individual contracts'
The ACTU has today presented a petition with around 160,000 signatures calling on Federal Parliament not to pass new workplace laws that allow workers to be pushed onto individual contracts that cut their take-home pay and remove important job conditions including overtime, meal breaks, penalty rates, redundancy pay, rostering protections and public holidays. Over 30,000 of these signatures were collected by ASU members throughout Australia.
11 October 2005 [full story]
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Don't believe the government says new union TV ad
A new union TV ad featuring the story of a government employee that is being forced to sign an individual contract has started screening and is now available for viewing on the Rights at Work website.
11 October 2005 [full story]
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Billy's AWA tells real story of government's IR laws
The Federal Government's own example of an Australian Workplace Agreement individual contract (AWA) that removes a worker's right to award entitlements that include public holidays, rest breaks, overtime, bonuses, annual leave loading, penalty rates & shift loadings tells the real story of the Government's industrial relations plans the ACTU said today.
11 October 2005 [full story]
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Workplace changes a threat to Australian way of life, says ACTU
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has launched its second round of television advertising to highlight the impact the Federal Government’s proposed changes to the Workplace Relations Act will have on working families.
27 September 2005 [full story]
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ASU joins push to lift pay by 4% for workers on minimum wage
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) will today lodge a 4% pay claim for Australia's lowest paid workers. If the claim is granted by the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) it would lift the minimum wage for full time adult workers to above $500 a week for the first time.
21 September 2005 [full story]
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Coalition Minister calls for lower wages cost
Ian McFarlane Australia’s Industry Minister recently made public comment on the need to lower Australia’s labour costs to the same level as New Zealand. The NZ Public Service Association has expressed deep concern on the Ministers comments, and the direction that the Australian Government is taking the industrial relations system. They point out how NZ workers lost out. The letter is reproduced here for your information.
16 September 2005 [full story]
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Minister's arrogant abuse of process corrupts inquiry into employment rort
Brendan O'Connor, Deputy Chair of the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Employment, Workplace Relations and Workforce Participation and former ASU national official, has accused Kevin Andrews, the Minister for Workplace Relations, of displaying contempt for the Committee and for the parliamentary process after he set up a second closed enquiry into independent contractors with almost identical terms of reference to the first.
16 September 2005 [full story]
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Liberal Party, not working families, should pay for Government's political and misleading IR advertisements
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Secretary Greg Combet said today that the Liberal Party not the Australian tax payer should fund the Federal Government's up-coming $20 million plus advertising blitz aimed at promoting its radical industrial relations changes.
15 September 2005 [full story]
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Emergency Service Workers Take IR Concerns to Canberra
More than 100 nurses, fire-fighters, ambulance officers and other emergency service workers will hold a protest at Parliament House in Canberra today to voice their concerns over the Federal government’s proposed changes to Australia's workplace laws.
14 September 2005 [full story]
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New report supports ACTU call to ban individual contracts for young workers
The ACTU has today renewed its call for the Federal Government to stop employers from putting workers under the age of 20 onto individual contracts, following the results of a new report which shows young workers are being bullied, pressured & exploited - often being paid less than the Award.
08 September 2005 [full story]
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New Govt law unfairly shifts workplace power to employers
A proposed new Federal Government law introduced in Parliament this week (Tuesday) unfairly shifts power in the workplace to employers and will make it much harder for workers to bargain collectively to protect their pay and conditions says the ACTU.
07 September 2005 [full story]
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86% want IR laws to guarantee collective bargaining rights: new poll
New national polling released today shows that 86% of Australian employees believe that industrial relations laws should require employers to collectively bargain with their workers if that is what the majority of employees want.
05 September 2005 [full story]
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Low and middle income workers struggle to make ends meet
It is no wonder working families are struggling to keep their heads above water financially given new data which shows most working Australians have only had a real pay rise of 3.6% in the six years to 2004 — around a quarter of the pay rise for managers and executives.
29 August 2005 [full story]
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Ban Individual Contracts for under 20s says ACTU
Australian employers should be banned from pushing young workers on to individual contracts Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Secretary Greg Combet said today.
19 August 2005 [full story]
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Youth theatre for fair wages
A group of young people from an employment program at the Interyouth Centre in Penrith protested against the Liberal parties Industrial Relations changes on Sunday 14th August. The youth group performed a street theatre play along High Street which outlined their views about the effects of the industrial relations changes on young people.
15 August 2005 [full story]
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Workers meet parliamentarians in Canberra over federal govt workplace changes
ACTU President Sharan Burrow will join 'Workplace Ambassadors' from around Australia in Canberra today (Monday) in meeting parliamentarians to voice their concerns about the Federal Government's workplace changes and to present parliamentarians with a booklet detailing actual workers' experiences under the Howard Govt's industrial relations laws.
15 August 2005 [full story]
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ACTU calls for protection for young workers against individual contracts
The Secretary of the ACTU, Greg Combet today called on the Prime Minister to ensure young workers are protected against exploitation by employers using individual contracts (AWAs).
12 August 2005 [full story]
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SA Court Case shows how AWA’s exploit young workers and cut minimum pay
A South Australian judge has highlighted the ‘manifest disadvantage’ to a 15 year old employee of the Federal Government’s individual contracts (AWAs). The AWA paid the young woman 25% less than her minimum award entitlement.
11 August 2005 [full story]
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NSW Government supports ASU Campaign
Outgoing NSW Premier Bob Carr has come on board in supporting the ASU’s campaign to maintain the state industrial relations system for workers in NSW.
08 August 2005 [full story]
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Some real facts on unfair dismissal
Are you confused about what the Federal government is saying about their proposals on the unfair dismissal laws? You are not alone - check out the latest fact sheet from the ACTU which contains some real facts on what the unfair dismissal changes will mean to working families.
03 August 2005 [full story]
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The last weekend
Come and enjoy your right to spend time with your family before John Howard takes it away - with a free family day out organised by Unions NSW. ASU Branches in NSW are participating and invite all members and their families to attend.
03 August 2005 [full story]
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International unions condemn Howard Government IR plans
The Union Network International [UNI], to which the ASU is affiliated, has written to the Australian Prime Minister expressing its alarm at the Howard Government’s drastic changes to workplace laws. UNI General Secretary Phillip Jennings has told the Prime Minister that the proposed changes “will place Australia in further breach of fundamental labour standards” and “would leave Australia at the bottom of OECD countries with respect to protection of basic workers’ rights”.
29 July 2005 [full story]
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Changes to workplace laws
On July 1 John Howard’s government took control of the senate and got the power to pass whatever laws they like. The federal government wants to change the rules that protect workers’ jobs, pay and conditions. Young workers are more likely to be in casual and low-paid jobs and less likely to have the experience and confidence to negotiate better pay and working conditions with their employer.
25 July 2005 [full story]
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No time for games: Unions reach out to 300,000 AFL spectators this weekend
Around 300,000 spectators attending AFL football matches across Australia this weekend will be given information about how Federal Government workplace reforms will mean less time for family life and less time for sport on weekends.
01 July 2005 [full story]
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Your Rights at Work - Worth Rallying For!
Thursday 30 June is Rally Day when tens of thousands of Australians will get together to tell Prime Minister John Howard to think again before implementing new laws that will undermine the rights of working people and bring down family living standards.
30 June 2005 [full story]
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Your Rights at Work - National Campaign Week, 27 June to 1 July 2005
ASU members across the country will this week participate in a range of activities to highlight the impact of the proposed Federal Government changes to industrial relations laws on Australian working people and their families.
27 June 2005 [full story]
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A message to airline passengers from aviation workers
Today members of aviation unions including the ASU are meeting at airports around the country to discuss the Howard Governments proposed changes to industrial relations laws.
27 June 2005 [full story]
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Important Information about Joint Aviation Unions Meeting - 27 June 2005
As you may be aware the ACTU and the aviation unions have called information meetings at airports around Australia on Monday 27 June.
24 June 2005 [full story]
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What are you wearing to the National Week of Action events?
The union movement is organising a National Week of Action in support of our campaign “Your Rights at Work” against Howard’s industrial relations changes. We encourage all members and, indeed, all workers to consider participating in any of the broad range of events planned. If you want to look the part, the ASU National Office is making campaign t-shirts available through the ASUshop – but if you want a t-shirt, make sure you order today to ensure we can deliver to you before events begin next week.
22 June 2005 [full story]
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Government IR proposals fail independent report card
Seventeen of Australia’s leading academic researchers in industrial relations and labour market issues, employed in eight Australian universities have given the Federal government's proposed changes to Australia’s industrial relations laws a big "F" for fail in the first independent analysis of the proposed changes on the real labour market issues facing Australia.
22 June 2005 [full story]
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Rights at Work advertising campaign launched
On Sunday 19 June 2005, the ACTU and Australian unions launched the first phase of an $8 million advertising campaign designed to sheet home the human costs of the Howard Government's industrial relations changes.
20 June 2005 [full story]
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Joint airport information meetings
Unions representing workers in the aviation industry are joining forces to protect union members. Unions and the ACTU are demanding that employers agree to respect current industrial rights and conditions of employment.
17 June 2005 [full story]
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John Howard's changes - An attack on our community
The new Workplace Relations laws proposed by John Howard's government are an attack on Australian communities. The new propsed laws will mean pay cuts for families already struggling financially, longer hours and work on weekend and nights - often for no extra pay.
09 June 2005 [full story]
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ACTU Fact File for LGBTI community
GLAM National Convenor Jo Justo has been working with the ACTU in order to conduct a campaign of awareness-raising for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community on the issues facing us all as a result of the impending changes to the industrial relations landscape.
06 June 2005 [full story]
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Get involved in the fight to save workplace rights
The next national wage case decision is due within weeks. Under John Howard’s new workplace laws it will be the last time that the independent Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) will make a national wage case decision. The Government is taking this power away from the AIRC.
31 May 2005 [full story]
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ASU condemns Howard attack on workers
The Australian Services Union has condemned the changes to Australia’s industrial relations laws announced by the Prime Minister today. ASU National Secretary Paul Slape says that the proposed laws mean that the Government will gut the Australian Industrial Relations Commission which has served workers and the wider Australian community well for 100 years.
26 May 2005 [full story]
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Your rights at work - worth fighting for
Do you feel you don't know enough about what the Federal Government is planning to do when they take control of the Senate on 1 July 2005?
05 May 2005 [full story]
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