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The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement was finalised in November 2014 but the text was only released on 17 June 2015. It appears that the Australian Government made huge concessions on temporary labour and investor rights in its desperation to complete the deal. Click here to read this on the AFTINET…
The Abbott Government's proposed changes to Australia's world leading not for profit superannuation system are nothing more than an ideologically driven attack on workers.Not-for-profit industry super funds have lower fees and have outperformed the for-profit retail funds owned by the big banks over any time period comparison. As Industry Super…
New parents will be forced back to work shortly after the birth of their child thanks to the Abbott Government's cuts to Paid Parental Leave (PPL) introduced into the Parliament today. The Abbott Government's $1 billion cut to PPL will leave as many as 80,000 parents a year worse off…
China Free Trade Agreement must protect local jobs
17 June 2015
Unions are deeply concerned the China Free Trade Agreement, expected to be announced today, will undermine local jobs and increase unemployment. The Abbott Government has been deliberately vague on the details about labour mobility and labour market testing clauses within the agreement. However, the government's own fact sheet released after…
Australia's 1.86 million lowest paid workers will receive a $16 increase to their weekly pay packets following the Fair Work Commission's decision in the annual wage case today. This increase is not enough to close the growing gap between average and minimum wages that is putting enormous pressure on our…
Child Care Update: Coalition policy and threats to Quality Early Childhood Education
06 September 2013
Overnight and when you weren't looking, the Liberal/National parties have released their child care policy which will alter the industry in many ways, reduce professional standards, provide less money to the sector, in particular by closing the Early Years Quality Fund (EYQF) and through no further funding commitment being made.…
The ASU has been closely monitoring the release of policies over the federal election campaign. Our analysis indicates that in terms of protecting your rights at work and building a better life, the two major parties are very different in what they’re offering. We are providing this information to members…
The President of the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA), Mayor Felicity-ann Lewis, has called on leaders of the Labor Party, Liberal Party and National Party to give priority to community infrastructure funding and to honour funding commitments already made under the current Government. First published 3 September 2013 on the…
The ACTU is warning of a sharp rise in Patrick-style attacks on workers' jobs and conditions under the Coalition's policy of supporting employer-only greenfield agreements. ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver said the situation at Glencore Xstrata's Collinsville mine, where the company will shut the gates on hundreds of mineworkers tomorrow to…
Unions fear low-paid workers in the aged care sector will miss out on pay rises secured by the Labor Government under Tony Abbott's plans to give the money intended for workers direct to providers. Enterprise agreements were the best way to ensure the money flowed direct to workers and was…
Job bonuses no solution to unemployment: Coalition ignores reality of declining opportunities
29 August 2013
The Coalition's policy of handing out bonuses as a solution to long-term unemployment suggests the fault lies with jobseekers and ignores the alarming reality of declining job opportunities for young Australians. A report released yesterday shows that in a softening jobs market the ever-growing number of people from overseas on…
Voters believe job security, cost of living, work rights would be worse under a Coalition Government
28 August 2013
Voters believe many aspects of life from rights at work to cost of living would be worse under an Abbott government, new polling shows. Essential Research polling commissioned by the ACTU found that the only things people thought would improve were conditions for business. Job security, education, health, public services…
Unions ask candidates to commit to penalty rates as senior Liberals suggest post-election cuts
26 August 2013
The ACTU has written to all Liberal federal election candidates asking if they will commit to retaining penalty rates if they are elected. ACTU President Ged Kearney said unions were reaching out to Liberal candidates as senior party officials were suggesting a Coalition Government would back a post-election assault on…
ASU and other public sector unions seek certainty on Abbott’s paid parental leave policy
23 August 2013
The ASU joins the ACTU and other unions in seeking a commitment from the Federal Opposition that local government, state government and all other public sector workers will not be disadvantaged by the Abbott Paid Parental Leave (PPL) scheme. The current scheme introduced by the ALP Federal Government allows a…