Social & Community Services

When there are no beds available at a women’s refuge, no community legal services, no financial counselling support, what will you say to the woman leaving her violent partner? “This is the question Malcolm Turnbull needs to answer,” said Linda White, Assistant National Secretary of the Australian Services Union (ASU),…

On Monday 30th May workplace delegates from across Australia met with key stakeholders to discuss and review our campaign to make the NDIS the best it can be. The summit had 3 guest speakers, the first was David Bowen, CEO of the National Disability Insurance Agency. Mr. Bowen spoke frankly…

In his first budget Malcolm Turnbull has confirmed he is a cruel conservative. Tonight in Canberra, ASU officials and staff have been on hand to witness Turnbull’s first budget to give you a rapid overview of how it will affect the communities we work and live in. This cruel budget…

A coalition of civil society groups, led by Australian Council of Trade Unions President Ged Kearney and spanning the aid, women’s, environment and social service sectors, as well as unions, have come together to urge the Federal Government to deliver a Budget that protects the living standards of all Australians,…

Around Australia this Easter weekend, millions will be taking a break and many will spend time with family and friends. Whether Easter itself means something religious or philosophical to you or not, everyone understands the importance of rest and spending time with loved ones. However, a very large number of…

On Thursday 2 December 2015 your ASU representatives met with Mission Providence management to kick off negotiations for the new Mission Providence enterprise agreement. Management tabled their claims in the form of a whole new proposed agreement. We will need to do detailed analysis to identify all of the changes,…

On 1 December 2015 the third annual pay increase for workers in the social, community and disability sector will be delivered that arises from the ASU's victory in the Equal Pay Case in 2012. We encourage workers in the sector to celebrate this hard won increase by gathering in your…

The ASU is recommending that you vote "NO" to the NEAMI agreement. Here are the reasons why: 1. Miniscule Wage Increases NEAMI is making only the minimum pay increases required to satisfy the Equal Remuneration Order (this means NEAMI gets increased funding, not all of which is passed on to…

ASU delegates from across Australia met in Sydney on 1st September to discuss what we know about the NDIS so far and to determine how ASU members can work together to make the NDIS the best it can be. After a welcome to country from a local Indigenous elder who…

The ASU has been very concerned by reports in the media over the last week about the Federal Government missing a 31 August deadline to sign off on NDIS enabling agreements across the country. On Friday the media also reported that all NDIS Board positions were advertised that day, nine…