Free our water
Last year, the ASU called for local councils throughout Australia to provide greater public access to free water facilities to encourage less dependence on water sold in plastic disposable bottles. An entertaining and enlightening online video published this year is helping to tell the story of why saying "no" to bottled water is a good idea.
03 June 2010 [full story]
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Dead in the Water: the dangers of water privatisation
The ASU has just released a new report into the dangers of water privatisation. The paper, "Dead in the Water: the dangers of water privatisation", can be downloaded below.
29 April 2010 [full story]
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Public Services International urges water and sanitation unions to take action on public-public partnership initiatives
On the occasion of World Water Day, Public Services International calls on our affiliated unions in the water and sanitation sector to actively participate in the new public-public partnership initiative sponsored by the European Union.
22 March 2010 [full story]
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Public Services Bulletin - Water Edition - November 21, 2007
This edition of the ASU Public Services Bulletin contains the following items: Infrastructure; Labor’s national plan to tackle the water crisis; and Labor’s plan for water savings by large industrial users.
23 November 2007 [full story]
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Tassie local government workers transferred to Hobart Water – but what about their conditions?
In early August the ASU held a meeting of two groups of former Tasmanian local government employees with something in common: both groups had been transferred by local councils and are now employed by Hobart Water. What has remained unclear is whether they will retain the same pay and conditions they enjoyed when employed in local government.
03 September 2007 [full story]
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Water Industry Training Package
The Australian Local Government Training (ALGT) has advised the ASU that the Final Draft of the reviewed Water Industry Training Package has been officially signed off by the Project Steering Committee and the Water Industry Advisory Committee (IAC).
23 October 2006 [full story]
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Federal Govt wants to take water from public hands
The Federal Government would like to take public water services in a new direction, following the United Kingdom and French governments’ lead. This means, basically, extensive operation by the private sector.
22 September 2006 [full story]
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Water Industry Training Package "Final Draft" ready for industry comment
Following extensive industry consultation, the revised Water Industry Training Package is now nearing completion. It is recognised that there are divergent views within the industry regarding content and structure of the Training Package. This is commonly experienced in all industries where Training Packages are being developed or reviewed. Where conflicting advice has been received, the project team have referred to the Project Steering Committee for guidance.
11 September 2006 [full story]
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Water Industry Training Package "First Draft" Qualification Framework ready for industry comment
Following recent extensive national industry consultation, the Water Training Package review project team are pleased to advise that the first draft of the Water Training Package Qualification Framework is now available for viewing and industry feedback.
03 August 2006 [full story]
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Water industry training package feedback wanted
Following recent extensive national industry consultation, the Water Training Package review project team is pleased to advise that the first batch of draft units of competency are now available for viewing and industry feedback. ASU members working in water areas are encouraged to participate.
30 May 2006 [full story]
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Water industry skills advisory committee seeks nominations
The ASU has been asked to nominate a number of water industry employees to represent the union movement and water workers on a national water industry skills advisory committee. The role of the committee will be to provide advice on issues facing the water industry and the industry’s workers, including the skills demands of the industry.
23 May 2006 [full story]
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The Alternative World Water Forum in Mexico
The Alternative World Water Forum has called on governments to ensure that the management and control of water must be public, social, cooperative, participatory, equitable and not for profit. In conjunction, the call has gone out to reject private public partnerships.
04 May 2006 [full story]
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Update on Water Training Package Review
The project team have had an amazing response from the Water Industry with an excellent cross section of the industry represented at the recent Training Package review workshops held in Brisbane, Sydney, Hobart and Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. Worksite visits to undertake in depth functional analysis are currently being conducted in ACT ,NT, Vic and Tasmania.
03 April 2006 [full story]
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World Water Day - 22 March 2006
The ASU Water Industry Division Committee is calling upon Branches and members of the Union, to support the right of communities to access water and to acknowledge the rights of water industry workers on World Water Day, 22nd March 2006.
22 March 2006 [full story]
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Water Industry Training Package Review Project Update
The Water Industry Training Package Review project team will be conducting a round of national consultation workshops during the months of February and March.
01 February 2006 [full story]
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Sydney Water workers strike
ASU maintenance workers in Sydney Water have voted to strike for 48 hours over concerns about the contracting out of maintenance services.
31 August 2005 [full story]
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Foreign hands off Australian water!
The Australian government has recently told international companies and the global trade organisation not to come looking for Australian water under trade agreements. The stance taken by the government not to allow water that is used for human consumption, to be part of any global trade agreement is a great start.
28 June 2005 [full story]
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ASU National Water Committee sets campaign agenda
The ASU National Water Industry Committee has met this month and decided to campaign on the need to increase the level of skills and numbers of workers in the water industry. The Committee also resolved to campaign against the principles of Private Public Partnerships (PPPs), and call on state and national governments to invest in Australia’s critical public sector water industry infrastructure for the future of all Australians.
25 August 2004 [full story]
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ASU Utility Bulletin - February 2004
Inside this issue: Thailand Energy; 2004 Global Employment Trends Report; ASU Concerns on Free Trade Agreement; International RSI Day; Plus more
29 March 2004 [full story]
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ASU meets with Queensland & Tasmanian water industry ministers
The ASU has met with the Queensland Minister for Water Services and the Tasmanian Minister for Local Government, whose portfolios cover a range including local government, water authorities and state-owned corporations.
11 August 2003 [full story]
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ASU holds water industry workers meeting in Tasmania
The Australian Services Union, Australia’s largest water industry union, recently held a half day seminar at the ASU Branch Office in Hobart seeking the views of key water industry members and ASU officials.
05 August 2003 [full story]
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ASU gets update on water from the project team
The ASU has been updated on the water industry competency project review. The project team leader at Australian Local Government Training (ALGT) has advised that ASU members in the water Industry are encouraged to send their responses direct to ALGT.
25 July 2003 [full story]
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Water Industry Training Package Review update
The Review steering group and consultant have published the second electronic bulletin updating where they are at and where to from here.
14 July 2003 [full story]
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Water industry training packages review
The Australian water industry training packages are under review with workshops now being held across the country. The training material is relevant to all water industry workers, including members working in local government water.
06 June 2003 [full story]
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ASU Congratulates United Nations Committee on Economic Culture and Social Rights
The Australian Services Union has congratulated the United Nations Committee on Economic Culture and Social Rights which has taken the unprecedented step of agreeing on a general comment to water as a human right. The Organisation has stated “Water is fundamental for life and health. The human right to water is indispensable for living a healthy life in human dignity. It is a pre-requisite to the realisation of all other human rights".
24 January 2003 [full story]
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Water Industry Training Package review
State ITAB representatives have met to develop arrangements for the Water Industry Training Package throughout Australia.
01 December 2002 [full story]
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Water industry workers get recognition
The Australian Services Union, water industry workers and their employers have worked to achieve industry recognition for ASU members working in the water industry.
14 October 2002 [full story]
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ASU negotiates international agreement with Vivendi
The company known to most Australians as Universal Film Studios, Vivendi Water, Collex or Connex, is involved in negotiations with the ASU for a worldwide agreement on workers' rights.
07 June 2002 [full story]
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ASU says no to water privatisation
The ASU and its local government Branch in NSW, the MEU, have been working with the community at Bega Valley Council to address public concerns on the proposals to privatise water services and waste water services.
15 February 2002 [full story]
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American union says thanks to the ASU
The International President of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) has written to the ASU thanking us for our contribution of two volumes of condolence books forwarded in sympathy to our fraternal union in the USA over the attacks of September 11 last year.
12 February 2002 [full story]
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ASU uses global union muscle
The ASU is well on its way to being part of a global union agreement with one of the world's largest companies. Negotiations are underway for unions from all parts of the world, representing around 50 million workers, to complete a global agreement with Vivendi, in order to guarantee union rights, no matter what country they live in or what conservative government may be in power. Assistant National Secretary Greg McLean was invited by the PSI to represent Unions across Asia and the Pacific in these negotiations.
01 February 2002 [full story]
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Water workers oppose privatisation
Members of the MEU Branch of the ASU at Bega Valley Shire Council received report backs from National and State Officials on the implications of Council's consideration of privatisation of existing water services.
04 September 2001 [full story]
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ASU National Water Committee meets
The ASU National Water Industry Committee meeting was held in Sydney on April 4 & 5, 2001. Representation covered over 80% of the ASU Water Industry Branches.
27 April 2001 [full story]
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