Secure Jobs. Better Future Blog Posts RSS

Do you live to work, or work to live?

Wed, 06 Mar 2013 13:33:19 GMT

This Working Life has grown up and now has its own website. It's called Working Life, and from now it is the place to be for all news, views, analysis and comment from Australian unions. So it's goodbye from here. We hope you check it out at www.workinglife.org.au and enjoy the new website.

Rocky road ahead for workers in the West

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:30:59 GMT

Western Australia has a history of being a testing ground for extreme industrial relations policies, and if it is re-elected this Saturday, the Barnett Government is preparing to introduce changes that would hit many of the state's lowest-paid or most vulnerable workers.

Unpaid work: a foot in the door or exploitation?

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 18:17:51 GMT

Unpaid work and internships are useful for getting a foot in the door and on-the-job experience on the way to a secure job. But, as a new report reveals, all too often, it is leading to exploitation of young and vulnerable workers.

The cost of caring

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:42:16 GMT

One of the major causes of insecure work for women is lack of options to balance work with family responsibilities. Australia can afford to do better, and unions are campaigning to build on recent gains for family friendly working arrangements.

Abbott licking his lips at Newman’s entree

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 15:37:00 GMT

We can learn a great deal about Tony Abbott's 'vision' for Australian public services from Campbell Newman's agenda in Queensland. But workers aren't taking it lying down, with major rallies going ahead across the state tomorrow.

Asbestos: the killer within

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:17:20 GMT

Australia is cursed with the highest known rate, per capita, of asbestos-related disease in the world. Asbestos is everywhere in our community. Despite positive moves by the government, unions are campaigning to eradicate Australia of asbestos completely by 2030.

'If we ignore manufacturing, it will go away'

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 17:14:51 GMT

The $1 billion Jobs Plan announced by the Government on Sunday has the potential to be a game changer for Australian industry.

Public sector cuts take their toll, worse to come

Mon, 18 Feb 2013 08:48:47 GMT

Public sector employment across Australia fell last year for the first time in more than a decade as conservative state governments implemented deep cuts to services. The public sector union is gearing up for a major campaign to protect jobs and services from further cuts.

Why I'm stopping work today

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 08:00:00 GMT

Tens of thousands of Victorian state and Catholic school teachers will stop work today in frustration at a stalemate in negotiations with the Baillieu Government and their employers over a new workplace agreement. At its heart, the dispute is over a broken pre-election promise.

Helping women cope through the 'Dark Ages'

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 12:05:32 GMT

Families have changed over the past few decades - most households now have both parents working. Parents shouldn't have to choose between work and family; they should be able to balance both. It is time for the modern workplace to catch up.

What's next for Gonski?

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 12:43:29 GMT

An historic commitment to school funding reform is underway, but to reach fruition requires bi-partisan political support. State and territory leaders must sit down with the federal government and agree on their share of the education funding boost recommended in the Gonski Review.

Making sense of the dark side of the mining boom

Thu, 07 Feb 2013 15:15:22 GMT

There is no doubt that mining is good for the Australian economy, but there is a dark side to the boom. A new campaign to spread the benefits throughout the community and the economy is gaining momentum but faces resistance from the powerful mining industry lobby.

Portable entitlements scheme on union agenda

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 13:44:29 GMT

A portable leave entitlements scheme is now firmly on the union movement's agenda for the secure jobs campaign in the election year. In a major speech, ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver has also vowed to defend penalty rates and posed a challenge to Tony Abbott.

Life's not easy for the modern day apprentice

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 13:04:49 GMT

Rates of pay for apprentices and trainees have failed to keep pace with the changing nature of the apprentice workforce. Unions are pushing for apprentices to be paid a living wage to stem the drop out rate and encourage more young people to consider an apprenticeship when they finish school.

Politicians and media need to lift their game

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 12:23:51 GMT

There is a disconnect between political leadership and views of ordinary people. Every day Australians retain their willingness to listen to other ideas, to try and understand other points of view. It's time politicians and the media did the same.

Higher wages needed to curb apprentice drop-out rate

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 10:48:56 GMT

A first year apprentice electrician will earn $250 less than an 18-year-old trainee at McDonald's. Is it any wonder that almost half of apprentices drop out before qualifying? Unions are seeking higher wages for apprentices, and they want to hear your stories.

Bell Bay workers finally have their say respected

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 14:50:20 GMT

A new decision by the Fair Work Commission to allow collective bargaining at an aluminium smelter in northern Tasmania after two decades of de-unionisation will have significant implications for rights at work across Australia.

For casual workers, insecurity is a way of life

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 16:04:17 GMT

Casual workers often don't know where their next dollar will come from, and the uncertainty and insecurity adds to the stress in their lives. Here, a labour hire agency worker describes his personal situation.

Economic gospel is creating a social time bomb: Burrow

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 15:56:09 GMT

Austerity economics and renewed attacks on workers' rights are causing social unrest around the world. The Australian-born head of the global labour movement says it is time for unions to rise to the challenge and present an alternative to the failed economic policies that have become gospel.

Jobs and productivity on the agenda for 2013

Thu, 27 Dec 2012 13:09:24 GMT

Looking back at 2012, the nation's union leaders have been frustrated by the manipulation of the productivity debate by employers to attack pay and conditions. As the year closes, we asked prominent union leaders for their highlights and lowlights of 2012.

Christmas saved after Santa Claus ends lockout

Thu, 20 Dec 2012 17:23:55 GMT

EXCLUSIVE An 11th hour backdown by multinational toy distribution giant Santa Claus Holdings has averted the threat of a lockout spoiling the Christmas of hundreds of millions of children worldwide. Global solidarity put an end to this dastardly plan to erode elves' rights at work.

Queensland bosses must think all their Christmases have come at once

Tue, 18 Dec 2012 14:42:22 GMT

Just who is really behind the proposal by the Queensland Government to shift hundreds of thousands of workers from out of the federal workplace system and into the state one? A quick look at the agenda of some of the state's business groups shows that workers should be very concerned indeed.

A summer job isn't an excuse to be ripped off

Mon, 17 Dec 2012 12:43:33 GMT

A new awareness campaign has been launched to make sure casual workers get paid the right amount over the summer holidays. Fair pay is not the only right newcomers to the workforce should know about.

Woolworths urged to bail out building workers

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 10:45:05 GMT

The collapse of a major Sydney construction contractor has left dozens of workers facing the prospect of losing their jobs just before Christmas. Unions are calling on grocery giant Woolworths to bail out the workers, who were involved in building the retailer's newest supermarket in Sydney.

This is no joke; sitting down memo sparks outrage

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:28:24 GMT

It's not an April Fool's joke. We had to check this story came from 2012 and not 1812, because the management mentality behind the memo that threatens to dock pay for taking an unauthorised rest break seems to be stuck in a different era.

Ending modern day slavery for domestic workers

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 08:46:12 GMT

This Wednesday, 12 December, is a global day of action for domestic workers. Last year, the International Labour Organisation passed a convention to protect the workplace rights of domestic workers. Now it needs ratification by countries around the world.

It's time to end the blame game

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 10:42:46 GMT

Listening to some of the rhetoric coming out of the mouths of "expert" conservative commentators, you'd think the Global Financial Crisis was solely the fault of workers. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Our weekends are under attack on two fronts

Thu, 06 Dec 2012 16:28:05 GMT

Hearings commence tomorrow into a Senate bill to abolish weekend penalty rates for small retail and food businesses. It's one of two fronts on which unions are defending the Aussie weekend.

Qatar must do the right thing; no World Cup without workers' rights

Wed, 05 Dec 2012 15:02:26 GMT

Qatar controversially won the right to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The migrant workers who will build more than $100 billion of infrastructure have appallingly low pay and conditions, and abysmal safety standards. They are the subject of a new international campaign.

We should not be punishing the jobless with poverty

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 10:52:14 GMT

Could you get by on $35 a day? That's what the Newstart allowance for a single adult is. It's barely enough to survive, let alone help get a foothold back into the workforce.

Aussies rev up global campaign for workers' rights at Nissan

Mon, 03 Dec 2012 17:51:03 GMT

With Nissan set to join the V8 Supercar circuit next year, Australian unions are calling on the giant Japanese carmaker to respect workplace rights. Nissan is currently embroiled in a dispute over the right of its American workforce to have free and fair union representation.

Why the Doha conference matters to workers

Fri, 30 Nov 2012 18:12:23 GMT

Real action towards alleviating the impact of climate change must come out of negotiations in Doha next week. For workers and unions, this is important not just for the environment, but for society and the economy.

Asbestos is a ticking time bomb in our region

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 15:12:14 GMT

Asbestos may be banned in Australia, but there is a long way to go before it is eradicated as a problem both locally and globally. This week is Asbestos Awareness Week, and an international delegation has been visiting Australia to push for tighter controls.

After all these years, there is still power in a union

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 18:10:27 GMT

Last month we caught up with English musician and activist Billy Bragg at the Fluro Fightback rally in Melbourne. In the second and final part of our interview, Bragg tells MARK PHILLIPS about his optimism for political and social change in the future.

Today will be a Black Friday to remember for Walmart

Fri, 23 Nov 2012 08:31:09 GMT

Today employees of the giant Walmart retail chain across the US will take part in the first national strike in the company's history. They are demanding respect, rights at work, and better pay and conditions from one of the world's largest and most powerful corporations.

Boxing Day saved for retail workers – what’s next for Sydney’s Civil Society?

Thu, 22 Nov 2012 12:44:55 GMT

The decision of the O’Farrell Government to back down on changes to NSW’s retail trading laws was the result of a new collaboration between unions, churches and community organisations. It is a sign that Civil Society is flexing its muscles to achieve real change.

We need to cure this epidemic of overwork

Wed, 21 Nov 2012 11:04:13 GMT

Australia has an epidemic of overwork and unpaid overtime, which is causing stress and anxiety and impacting on people's lives. This can be directly linked to the prevalence of insecure work in Australia, says GED KEARNEY.

Billy gives unions something to Bragg about

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 11:49:47 GMT

English musician-activist Billy Bragg gave everyone a thrill when he performed at the Fluro Fightback rally in Melbourne during his recent Australian tour. Over a capuccino and a croissant, Bragg explains how unions inspired his political songwriting and why they remain vital.

Funding boost needed to fix childcare crisis

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 13:10:11 GMT

Australia's early childhood education and care sector is facing a workforce crisis, with an average of 180 workers leaving each week because of poor pay. A Government commitment of $1.4 billion in extra funding each year would fix this and be an investment in our children's future.

LabourStart goes from strength to strength

Fri, 09 Nov 2012 10:24:34 GMT

From a small one man operation, LabourStart has grown to the world's largest daily source of union and labour news, with more than 1000 correspondents across the globe. Later this month, it comes to Sydney for the annual LabourStart Global Solidarity Conference.

Burma's future is in the balance

Tue, 06 Nov 2012 18:16:14 GMT

As the world's largest democracy goes to the polls, another long-repressed nation is nervously tasting freedom.

The Qantas grounding a year on: what was achieved?

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:13:35 GMT

Bad blood still lingers after Alan Joyce's unprecedented step a year ago of grounding the entire Qantas fleet in an escalation of an industrial dispute over job security. The move wrecked the travel plans of tens of thousands of passengers and has badly damaged staff morale. Was it all worth it?

Here's how to save the Flying Kangaroo

Fri, 02 Nov 2012 08:28:32 GMT

A year ago, Qantas senior management grounded the airline and set it on a course for disaster. The Flying Kangaroo can be saved, but it must be by the high road of respect for its workforce and its customers.

Hardie asbestos scandal revisited by new TV drama

Tue, 30 Oct 2012 15:18:18 GMT

A new ABC-TV mini-series will introduce the James Hardie asbestos scandal to a whole new audience. It is based on journalist Matt Peacock’s 2009 book Killer Company, and the relationship between Peacock and the late Bernie Banton.

Did you hear the one about the miner who left for Africa?

Mon, 29 Oct 2012 11:27:57 GMT

Don't believe the big mining companies' spin. The resources boom is far from over and has a long way to run. The challenge is to ensure there is investment in secure jobs and local communities and economies.

National protests to call for a wharves safety code

Sun, 28 Oct 2012 17:25:04 GMT

The tragic death of a Newcastle wharfie last month is a wake up call for the stevedoring industry. This week, rallies will be held to demand a National Stevedoring Code of Practice.

A crisis in Victoria’s cancer workforce

Wed, 24 Oct 2012 15:23:48 GMT

Victoria is suffering a brain drain of highly-qualified radiation specialists, seeking better paid work in other states. It would only cost the Baillieu Government $2 million to stem the problem by lifting Medical Physicists' pay.

Manufacturing: 85,000 reasons to get work back into our factories now

Tue, 23 Oct 2012 11:03:11 GMT

Australia needs manufacturing. We need it for its skills, its jobs and its ability to make sure Australia can stand on its own two feet. We’re asking you to get behind the campaign to keep manufacturing strong and get work back in our factories.

Insecure work is like a game of musical chairs

Fri, 19 Oct 2012 13:01:53 GMT

We've all played musical chairs as kids, so we know just how precarious it can be. But what happens when a group of casual and permanent workers play a game of musical chairs at Melbourne's busiest railway station during peak hour? And who was the special international guest who turned up?

Quad bikes: time for action to prevent more deaths

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 15:48:15 GMT

How much is a life worth? With 13 people dying so far this year as a result of quad bike incidents, unions are calling for mandatory crush protection devices to be installed on all new quad bikes sold in Australia.

A blow to single parents, on the eve of Anti-Poverty Week

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 09:31:41 GMT

You don’t help people into a job by forcing them into poverty. Taking money out of the pockets of single parents only exacerbates this stress, it does not make it any easier for single parents to find decent work or increase their skills.

Workplace fairytales

Wed, 10 Oct 2012 13:30:52 GMT

Once upon a time, in a land not so far away, life was simple. You were born, went to school, grew up into adulthood, got a job, bought a car, got married, bought a house, had some children, retired, enjoyed your golden years, saw the grandchildren and eventually died.

Confronting the labour hire conundrum

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 09:34:06 GMT

Labour hire is big business and it is booming. Companies have turned to labour hire to avoid direct responsibility for their workforce, and to shift risks onto workers. But around the world, on World Day for Decent Work, unions are mobilising to turn the tide.

A new name a new focus on Secure Jobs

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 08:00:58 GMT

Welcome to the new and exciting Secure Jobs. Better Future online campaign platform.

Paying wages in cash is getting way out of hand

Tue, 02 Oct 2012 11:51:09 GMT

The black market, 'cash-in-hand' economy is out of control, and it is workers who are the victims. New research has revealed that an alarming number of employers are paying cash-in-hand to avoid their legal responsibilities to provide penalty rates, superannuation, annual leave and other entitlements.

Secure Jobs more than just rights at work

Thu, 27 Sep 2012 11:43:11 GMT

Millions of Australians in insecure work are missing out on their basic rights and entitlements at work. It’s clear that secure jobs are more than just rights at work and has to be the priority for the union movement.

Canadian government bows to global and local asbestos pressure

Thu, 20 Sep 2012 09:16:56 GMT

Unions and asbestos victims celebrate victory.

Fiji expels ILO Mission

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:19:21 GMT

A government committed to human rights and labour rights does not expel the representatives of the internationally recognised expert body in labour rights. A government committed to democracy does not cower away from transparency through greater scrutiny.

Labor supports our campaign to protect penalty rates, but what about Tony Abbott?

Wed, 19 Sep 2012 12:04:23 GMT

We’ve just heard some really important news for all workers who rely on penalty rates!

When mining was about mateship, heroes and danger

Mon, 17 Sep 2012 12:01:11 GMT

With barely a moment’s hesitation, four men kitted up and ventured back into the still burning mine in search of their lost colleague. They were putting their lives at risk, but they couldn’t leave him there.

Insecure work: It's not your fault

Wed, 12 Sep 2012 14:03:52 GMT

Before you read the thoughts of Janelle, Kathy, Andrea, Ewen and Penelope, you should prepare the right way: in the sixty seconds, whatever you do, under no circumstances should you think of PINK ELEPHANTS. NO PINK ELEPHANTS.

Wealthy Dreams

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 14:00:00 GMT

I’ve recently had a revelation. I am never going to be rich, I mean serious yacht owning, Porsche driving, mansion acquiring, tax avoiding, Gina Rinehart rich. I sort of knew this all along, but recently it has really hit me.

Commbank Can but Won't

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 15:22:51 GMT

Last week I heard from a union member who works for Australia’s biggest bank the Commonwealth Bank. She’s a single mum from the western suburbs of Sydney, and she’s doing it tough. In fact, she’s doing it so tough that despite working for a successful, profitable Australian company, she still doesn’t earn enough to make ends meet. This worker’s earnings are so low that she qualifies for Centrelink benefits.

Did work keep you from your family yesterday?

Mon, 03 Sep 2012 13:06:18 GMT

Was your Fathers Day a day where the whole family got together, or was there a missing place at the table because somebody couldn’t get the day off work?

Grime Watch: Pain has destroyed my life. My name's Wendy and this is my story

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 16:07:06 GMT

Can you imagine struggling with debilitating injuries every minute of every day?

Growing the Australian Economy: Noonan

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:31:06 GMT

Grabbing a cheap headline on productivity is dead easy. First, hire an economic modelling firm that knows how to mash-up the dismal science of economics with the show biz shtick of P.T. Barnum.

Tell Woolworths to fill up on Aussie fuel

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 13:08:53 GMT

Workers employed at Caltex’s Kurnell petrol refinery in New South Wales are not taking the company’s decision to close the refinery lying down.

Business moves to slash weekend penalty rates

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 13:08:34 GMT

If you’ve been following the news lately you will have noticed that there has been a significant push by business to slash weekend penalty rates. Employers are moving to strip away penalty rates on weekends for hundreds of thousands of workers in the retail and hospitality sectors. Even a Senator has gotten in on the act.

Be honest Terry! Tell us: how many?

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 11:03:31 GMT

Voters in the Northern Territory will choose a new Government this weekend, and in a tight election the spotlight has begun to focus on what plans the Liberal Country Party opposition has to cut public sector jobs.

LIVE: Meet and Greet Dave Oliver

Fri, 17 Aug 2012 12:30:00 GMT

Our event has now finished but you can get the replay of our special online event with the new Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Dave Oliver.

Neale on Productivity

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 10:40:22 GMT

As usually happens in times of economic turmoil, workers are being told they are not working hard enough, we lack the right ethic and that’s why China (or substitute just about any “third world” country) is leaving us behind. It’s also why we are not winning “GOLD” at the Olympics apparently (example one, example two).

Don't forget East Germany won 37 gold medals once...

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 13:36:06 GMT

Sometimes a gold medal is only a gold medal. That may hard for some people to believe, particularly in the media, but the fact is that the Olympic medal tally is not a fool-proof barometer of the state of Australia.

Hundreds of guards make a stand in Australia's biggest security strike

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:05:49 GMT

This week has been a historic one for security guards working for MSS. Hundreds of guards across many dozens of sites around Victoria staged the biggest strike the Australian security industry has ever seen.

The Fair Work Act is doing its job

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:00:00 GMT

For months, we have had to put up with hysterical claims from the business and employer lobby that the Fair Work system is broken and needs wholesale revision. Today’s release of the review of the Fair Work Act by an independent panel headed by Professor Ron McCallum of the University of Sydney is a clear repudiation of those claims.

A special online event: Meet and Greet Dave Oliver, the new ACTU Secretary

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 15:00:00 GMT

We’re excited to bring you a chance to meet and greet the new Secretary of the Australian Council of Trade Unions, Dave Oliver with a special live online event.

Down, down, outsourced workers' wages are down

Mon, 30 Jul 2012 13:30:52 GMT

Every big company has a line about corporate social responsibility, and what it contributes to the community. But there’s always a tension between corporate hype about being ethical, or a good corporate citizen, and the need to make a profit to stay afloat.

The Grimey Awards: The Olympics of dirty shopping centres

Thu, 26 Jul 2012 10:34:34 GMT

Our shopping centres are in a disgusting state. Toilets are dirty, food courts are filthy and bins are overflowing.

Coles' warehouse workers win equality and respect

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 15:30:44 GMT

When 550 workers decided to take on two big global companies and demand rights and conditions that had never been in their Agreement before, it was always going to be a big fight.

From the warehouse to you(nion)

Wed, 25 Jul 2012 11:32:38 GMT

The recent events at the Coles distribution centre have got me thinking. While some retailers are quick to bemoan spending levels and online shopping, there is an industry that is growing with our insatiable need for material goods to be readily available whenever we want them in store and online.

Workplace bullying: The buck stops with the boss

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 14:54:44 GMT

They say that all that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to stand by and do nothing. That seems to be the case with workplace bullying – where organisations and individuals look the other way while workers are victimised.

Today is National Check Your Pay Day

Mon, 16 Jul 2012 08:00:27 GMT

Each time I receive my payslip it feels a little like a mini-Christmas. There’s the building anticipation in the days leading up to pay day.

National Check Your Pay Day

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 15:46:10 GMT

If you do one thing on 16 July, make sure you check your pay slip.

NSW Teachers See Red

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 14:42:16 GMT

This week 50,000 public school teachers took 24 hour strike action across NSW in protest against a new policy called “local schools local decisions”.

If we built an app what would it do

Fri, 29 Jun 2012 09:49:02 GMT

There are thousands and thousands of applications (or apps as they’re most often called) for your smart device, and thousands more being created every day.

You're so cool

Thu, 28 Jun 2012 11:54:57 GMT

I get it. I really do. Work is not cool. A standard blue/white/pink/green/whatever collar job isn’t exactly the rock star dreams of childhood.

Three words to describe insecure work

Fri, 22 Jun 2012 15:30:31 GMT

The Independent Inquiry into Insecure Work’s report, Lives on Hold, reveals a lot about how insecure work is in different industries and its rise and spread, affecting workers of all ages.

Australia's economic challenges need collaboration, not confrontation

Wed, 13 Jun 2012 10:47:12 GMT

Has it ever been more difficult to understand the Australian economy? Even the most respected economic minds in the nation are struggling with explanations or predictions.

Does Australia already have a "working poor"?

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 12:03:29 GMT

Last week, following the National Wage Case decision by Fair Work Australia, the new Secretary of the ACTU Dave Oliver sounded a warning that we could see a working poor emerging in Australia.

Challenging the wage earner model

Fri, 01 Jun 2012 16:15:46 GMT

Australia is unique. It is not a social-democratic welfare system like the Scandinavian countries, yet it has not seen the same labour market and liberal welfare systems develop as in the United States.

Beware of the pro-insecure work claptrap

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:07:38 GMT

There is a growing chorus from big business and their Coalition mates about workplace flexibility and talking down the experiences of millions of Australians in insecure work.

Deep down we're all unionists, even the haters

Tue, 22 May 2012 13:22:12 GMT

Bill Kelty made a memorable speech last week. Addressing the ACTU Congress Dinner in Sydney, the legendary ACTU Secretary who helped shape the Accord in the 1980s and 1990s, explained why he became a unionist.

Voting in ACTU-OurSay Secure Jobs forum closes Sunday

Wed, 09 May 2012 16:49:26 GMT

There are only a few more days to go before the ACTU’s Youth Congress that includes the special ACTU-OurSay Australia forum with ACTU President Ged Kearney.

Job insecurity is a bigger stress than the cost of living

Tue, 08 May 2012 11:26:05 GMT

“Most of our people have never had it so good”, is what British PM Harold MacMillan bluntly told his country in 1959.

ACTU Congress Coming Soon

Tue, 01 May 2012 14:31:57 GMT

In mid-May unions and unionists from around Australia will descend upon Sydney for ACTU Congress; an important three days of agenda setting.

Oh what a feeling, no future!

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:21:05 GMT

We throw away last season’s clothes, older-model cars and mobile phones that are out of date. But is our disposable society starting to throw away workers?

International Workers Memorial Day 2012

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:31:54 GMT

28 April is International Workers Memorial Day; observed in most Australian States on Friday, 27th this year. It is a day when unions around the world campaign for improvements in workplace health and safety. Started by the Canadian Union of Public Employees in 1984, and adopted by the Canadian Labour Congress the following year, the day has since been officially recognised by more than 20 countries, including the USA and the UK.

Are insecure jobs destabilising our communities?

Wed, 18 Apr 2012 13:25:00 GMT

Of the many personal accounts of insecure work told to the Howe Inquiry in submissions and during public hearings, one particular theme came up time and time again. Local communities are suffering from insecure work, and in some areas the practice of fly-in-fly-out (FIFO) is having a dramatic impact on local communities.

Spare a thought for those who worked this Easter

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:54:03 GMT

If you’re reading this on your break at work this Easter Monday, commiserations. If you worked over the weekend, or on Good Friday, double commiserations.

Australians deserve to age well

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 10:31:26 GMT

If you’ve ever tried to access aged care services for yourself or your family you’ll know the system can be a minefield. It’s hard to know where to start, it’s inconsistent and very complicated. In-home support services are extremely limited and residential care based on arbitrary ratios not demand.

Walking the walk in the "Walk For The Cleaners"

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:32:55 GMT

Cleaners working for contracting giant Spotless will walk from Chadstone to Melbourne’s CBD in a single morning. If you don’t live in Melbourne you won’t know that the walk from Chadstone to Melbourne’s CBD is more than 15 kilometres. The cleaners are walking this huge distance to highlight the brutal workloads that force them to walk the same huge distances in their jobs every single day.

Some super stuff actually happens in Parliament

Mon, 26 Mar 2012 10:39:32 GMT

I sometimes think there are two kinds of politics in Australia. The stuff that gets reported, and the stuff that actually affects people’s lives.

3 ways to support the "Secure Jobs. Better Future" campaign

Fri, 23 Mar 2012 12:25:38 GMT

The “Secure Jobs. Better Future” campaign has been growing over the last few months and it’s set to explode.

Where's Marius BBQ

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:02:34 GMT

On Tuesday 13th March, two mining families decided to have a nice BBQ - Queensland style - in the hope of enticing BHP CEO, Marius Kloppers, down to chat about some of the issues facing the mining families of the Bowen Basin.

The Spending Myth

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:20:25 GMT

Tony Abbott and his shadow cabinet are fond of claiming the government is overspending, while spouting rhetoric about how an Abbott government, and only an Abbott government, would be able to bring the Budget into surplus.

Mining families post reward on Facebook after no sight of BHP boss

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:30:01 GMT

Central Queensland’s mining families have now become so concerned as to the whereabouts of BHP boss Marius Kloppers they have posted a reward on Facebook.

BHP boss Marius Kloppers refuses to meet Central Queensland mining families

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 10:37:00 GMT

A group of Central Queensland coalmining families travelled to BHP’s Melbourne headquarters yesterday to again request the company’s boss Marius Kloppers see their communities for himself.

Unions represent millions. Mining giants, only a few

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:29:43 GMT

In the same way that fish don’t really understand what water is, most Australians (except perhaps those who have come from dictatorships overseas) take democracy for granted.

Mining union sticks up for billionaires in ad campaign launched today

Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:37:00 GMT

Although the mining magnates of Australia have grown used to running ads in recent years, a campaign entitled 'Fair Go for Billionaires' may prove to be a little too direct for their tastes, CFMEU National President Tony Maher said today.

While Labor self-immolates, workers want answers

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 11:02:07 GMT

Most of you political junkies might skip over this piece because it doesn’t involve a hard-edged analysis of who-hates-who in the ALP or speculation about where numbers will fall at 10am this morning. The reason I’m not writing that is because for me, it’s not the main game.

Public Forum on The Trans-Pacific Partnership Free Trade Agreement: Free Trade or Fair Trade?

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 17:28:28 GMT

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a free trade agreement currently being negotiated between nine countries: Australia, the US, New Zealand, Chile, Peru, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Generation Why?

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 14:14:20 GMT

Another day, another article that is nothing more than a thinly veiled, misinformed attack on young people.

Westpac employees need our help

Fri, 17 Feb 2012 17:03:51 GMT

Westpac is Australia's most profitable bank. Last year it made a record $6.9 billion profit.

Off-shoring: Keep Telco jobs in Australia

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:09:43 GMT

Len Cooper, CEPU CWU Secretary, writes about the Communication Workers Union’s campaign against the off-shoring of Australian jobs by large corporations, and specifically Telstra’s off-shoring programme.

Unions NSW to Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce: Put fears to rest

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 15:12:15 GMT

Unions NSW Secretary Mark Lennon is calling on the Port Macquarie Chamber of Commerce to publicly state its position, after seeking assurances that workers will not be punished for attending the upcoming Insecure Work Inquiry.

Live Tweets from Howe Inquiry

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 13:31:35 GMT

Want to find out the latest from the public hearings of the Howe Inquiry? You can follow along as we tweet live from the public hearings. Today the Howe Inquiry is in Melbourne for the final day of public hearings.

Are you feeling insecure?

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 09:45:54 GMT

Is your job less secure than the one you had five or 10 years ago? Are you a casual worker, or on a fixed-term contract or getting temporary work through a labour hire company? But, at the same time, are you working harder and longer hours than you were?

Banks cut jobs, rub salt into workers' wounds

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:14:22 GMT

So the big four banks are back in the news and for all the wrong reasons.

Equal Pay Decision Historic

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:11:12 GMT

The ruling by the full bench of Fair Work Australia on pay equity for social and community sector workers is a landmark in the fight for equal pay for women. The decision ends decades of undervaluation of the work of women in the sector.

National Close the Gap Day

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 10:01:13 GMT

Justice for Graham - Reinstate Graham Wotton at Toowoomba Regional Council

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 12:50:42 GMT

It’s hard to believe that in democratic Australia in 2012, you can be sacked over the phone after 16 years service to your organisation.

Multiculturalism: It's as Aussie as a lamb roast

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:29:51 GMT

Christmas is long gone, New Year is a distant memory, the tennis is on TV and the summer break that saves the sanity of so many Australians is almost over. As usual in the lead up to Australia Day it’s time debate the health of the nation: where we stand internationally, and the slippery issue of our national identity.

FIJI: Promises of human and workers' rights are empty

Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:26:27 GMT

You’d be forgiven for thinking that the Fiji Government was taking action to restore human and workers’ rights when it announced it would remove the Public Emergency Regulations. But unfortunately you would be wrong.

George Calombaris would you like penalty rates with that?

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:04:21 GMT

Economists usually think that people’s revealed preferences (what they do) are more important than their stated preferences (what they say they’ll do). With that in mind, let’s consider George Calombaris’ claim that the minimum wages he has to pay his staff on Sundays make it uneconomical to open his restaurant(s). Is it true?

Fair Work Act review needs to be based on evidence

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 10:13:29 GMT

We are a week into a new year but the coordinated Liberal Party-employer group attack on workers has continued with the same fervour we saw in 2011.

We're back and ready to go for 2012

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:04:58 GMT

Last year was a pretty big one, to say the very least.

And the Scroogie goes to

Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:43:53 GMT

I hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas yesterday, whatever you ended up doing. I spent the day, as I do every year, with my large family, which seems to grow every year.

Australia's Biggest Workplace Scrooge in 2011

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:48:27 GMT

For the last week we’ve been running our Biggest Workplace Scrooge of the Year poll. It all started with a post asking who our biggest workplace Scrooge is.

Your Rights at Work - Looking back at 2011

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 10:07:54 GMT

ACTU President, Ged Kearney thanks union members and campaign supporters for their support in 2011.

Independent Inquiry into Insecure Work - deadline extended

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:37:24 GMT

Last Friday (16 Dec) was going to be the final day to add your story to the more than 300 stories of insecure work we’ve already collected. However, due to popular demand, the deadline for submissions has now been extended until 20 January 2012. Plus, with festive season looming we want to make sure every worker has the opportunity to make a submission to the inquiry.

Insecure work makes for an un-festive season

Fri, 16 Dec 2011 09:13:39 GMT

We’re well and truly into the festive season with the great variety of work lunches and dinners to reward and recognise the efforts of workers.

Who is our biggest workplace Scrooge? Vote now!

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:53:24 GMT

Christmas, as usual, has snuck up on us this year, so it’s already time to ‘award’ our Scrooge of the Year.

Climate agreement reached in overtime at Durban COP17

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 12:43:36 GMT

After two long weeks of negotiations in Durban, governments reached an agreement in overtime.

The fight for fair targets at CBA

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 15:37:29 GMT

The fight for fair targets at CBA is growing, with another major retail area joining the campaign at the same time as the bank has started slashing part time hours of work.

A gorgeous tropical paradise ruined by a cruel regime

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:06:10 GMT

While the rest of the world is throwing off the shackles of authoritarian regimes and taking the first steps towards democracy, one country is slipping further into military rule.

Summer jobs and your rights at work

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 10:24:40 GMT

With the onset of warmer weather and school holidays, lots of young people are looking for their first job. We all know what it's like looking for work as a teenager; eager to land that job and get some independence.

Global Day of Action at Durban COP17

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 13:32:44 GMT

As the first week of negotiations in Durban came to an end, over 15,000 people representing workers, the environment, women’s organisations, and sustainable development took to the streets for a Global Day of Action on climate change.

From the summit to the shore: a Himalayan sherpa carries a message from Mt Everest to the UN Climate Change talks in Durban

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:29:10 GMT

At 6:30am on the morning of 26 May, Dorje Khatri, Sherpa and trade union member planted his crampons in the snow and gripped his thick gloves tightly to the flag of the International Trade Union Confederation, as it fluttered in the breeze at 8848 metres.

3 Reasons to Join the Secure Jobs Campaign

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 15:10:22 GMT

Around 40% of Australian workers are engaged in some form of insecure work such as casual work, fixed term work, contracting or labour hire.

Climate Negotiations Reinvigorated at Durban COP17

Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:36:32 GMT

This week international climate change negotiations resumed in Durban, South Africa. We’ve seen a global reinvigoration in the debate, with last year’s negotiations in Cancun getting things back on track after high expectations were not met in Copenhagen.

Today Is Go Home On Time Day

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:09:37 GMT

Today is annual Go Home on Time Day, which is a great way to make workplaces stop and take note that life shouldn’t revolve around work.

Unions keeping Labor united with workers

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:54:37 GMT

For over 100 years unions have been the anchor for the Australian Labor Party. Without the weight of the two million-strong union membership the party floats away or gets out of touch with ordinary Australians.

National Go Home On Time Day 2011

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 14:26:24 GMT

Do you find yourself working back late? Never enough hours in the day to do all the things you need or want to do? Are work calls or emails getting in the way of enjoying free time?

Tertiary Education Union Survey Reveals Racial Discrimination Alive and Well in Universities

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 14:13:36 GMT

The National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) has released the findings from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander member survey ‘I’m Not a Racist, But…’ The survey findings indicate that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic and general/professional staff continue to experience racial discrimination and a general lack of cultural respect in Australian universities

A Message about the Fair Work Act

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Ged Kearney, ACTU President, delivers this video message about the Fair Work Act.

NTEU: Secure Jobs campaign important step for union movement

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 11:43:43 GMT

The announcement from the ACTU of the Secure Jobs Better Future Campaign is an important step for the union movement in dealing with the difficulties faced by ordinary workers in an increasingly globalised economy.

The latest on the Baiada community picket

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 10:10:52 GMT

Over the past week, workers and community members have been supporting Baiada Poultry workers' community picket.

Insecure Work Insecure Lives

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:38:35 GMT

Insecure work is a growing problem in Australia, with nearly 40% of the workforce in some form of insecure work. The trend towards insecure work is increasing and will have an increasing impact on more and more peoples’ lives and their ability to plan for their future.

Equal Pay Commitment Historic Day For Women Workers

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 15:16:32 GMT

Decades of undervaluation of a predominately female workforce will be overcome following the Government's historic commitment to fund pay rises for 150,000 social and community sector workers.

The faces of union thuggery?

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:51:42 GMT

These are the faces of ordinary Australian workers employed at the Baiada poultry processing plant in Laverton, who are taking collective action for secure jobs, a safer workplace and decent pay and conditions.

Baiada is playing chicken with livelihoods and lives

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 10:29:42 GMT

Until the dramatic events of Friday night, the Baiada Poultry dispute in suburban Melbourne had not had the publicity of Qantas. That’s a shame because the gutsy fight by low-paid Baiada workers is just as important in the fight for fair treatment at work.

URGENT: Support Needed For Baiada Poultry Workers

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 16:23:55 GMT

Workers at the Baiada poultry processing plant in Laverton are taking collective action for secure jobs, a safer workplace and decent pay and conditions.

Insecure Work Inquiry Open

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 11:08:57 GMT

Australia’s first formal inquiry into the rise of insecure work and its effect on workers and their families is now taking submissions.

Clean Energy Future Passes Senate

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 16:43:21 GMT

Today, history has been made. The Senate, early this afternoon, passed the Government’s Clean Energy Future legislation.

Qantas Action Stirs A Nation

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 13:44:50 GMT

The decision by Qantas CEO Alan Joyce to single-handedly ground the entire fleet caused major disruptions to travellers here in Australia and around the world. We all saw the reports on television and radio about the angry passengers that were stranded at airports.

If a union did this, all hell would break loose

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 15:19:40 GMT

By Ged Kearney

First Alan, congratulations on your pay rise, and congratulations on Qantas’ profit in the last financial year. But sadly, I can’t congratulate you on your decision to take your bat and ball, and your aeroplanes, and go home.

Insecure work spreading across all industries; inquiry to investigate

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:33:31 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

CSIRO Scientists Answer Top 5 Climate Change Questions

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:58:59 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

Ending Poverty Requires Secure Jobs

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:59:59 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

Weekly round-up from across the globe: week beginning 17 October

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:18:42 GMT

By Rebecca Tucker

Busting some myths about insecure work

Thu, 20 Oct 2011 09:59:46 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

Hate is the new debate

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 10:59:49 GMT

By Ged Kearney

Can you spot insecure work?

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 14:00:24 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

Boom for whom? The Economic Reform Debate

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:40:04 GMT

By Tony Maher

ABCC Abolition must end discriminatory coercive powers

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 16:01:32 GMT

By Dave Noonan

A Step Closer To A Clean Energy Future

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:54:29 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

World Day for Decent Work

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 09:38:42 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

Thursday's Thought: Connect with Your Rights at Work online

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:39:48 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

ACTION: Tell Egypt to pass a labour law

Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:23:17 GMT

A secure job is no luxury

Mon, 03 Oct 2011 11:51:45 GMT

By Ged Kearney

CFMEU: Truth about carbon pricing

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 15:09:53 GMT

By Tony Maher

Thursday's Thought: School Holidays

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 12:30:54 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

By Paul Howes

Remembering the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, 100 years on

Thu, 24 Mar 2011 15:52:17 GMT

Why our poorest workers deserve an extra $28 a week

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 14:56:05 GMT

By Ged Kearney

A Day in Canberra: Pricing carbon pollution

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 12:34:38 GMT

By John Ryan

South Australia's union campaign for working people

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:32:22 GMT

By Janet Giles

RAW News Live March 2011

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 08:37:11 GMT

Today's broadcast has concluded but join us on April 14 from 12.30pm for the next RAW News Live.

Keeping the pressure on for a price on pollution

Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:26:59 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

Taking action on climate change

Wed, 09 Mar 2011 10:41:26 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

International Women's Day: Yaima's Story

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 13:00:00 GMT

By Yaima Izquierdo

International Women's Day: A time for us to acknowledge the past and fight for the future

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 10:15:35 GMT

By Amanda Nguyen

Creepy sense of déjà vu over carbon tax

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 10:51:02 GMT

By Ged Kearney

Low-paid struggling on wages that have barely grown

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 09:35:06 GMT

By Louise Tarrant

There are jobs in a low pollution future

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 14:25:27 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

Climate change is union business

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 10:37:18 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

US workers fight back against Republican attack on their rights at work

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 09:45:29 GMT

By Mark Phillips

You call 'em thugs, I call 'em foot soldiers of democracy

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 12:28:39 GMT

By Ged Kearney

6 Things you should know about work

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:49:21 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

It's time to unite against plans to undermine paid parental leave scheme

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 09:00:00 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Real action not lip service needed on equal pay

Fri, 11 Feb 2011 12:12:52 GMT

By Amanda Nguyen

Democracy in Egypt must include worker rights

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 11:39:56 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Foreign workers are not the solution to a quick cleanup

Mon, 07 Feb 2011 10:19:22 GMT

By Ged Kearney

Shipping Australia's comments take us back to the bad old days of Workchoices

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:09:45 GMT

Maritime Union of Australia

RAW News Live - February 2011

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 10:06:44 GMT

The live broadcast has now finished.

Looking to make your mark?

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 15:14:58 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

The Bourne Ultimatum

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 10:25:51 GMT

By Adam Cathro

It's times like these that make us pull together

Mon, 17 Jan 2011 09:54:24 GMT

By Ged Kearney

Weekly round-up from across the globe: week beginning 10 January

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:15:16 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Workers stand their ground in struggle for wage justice

Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:26:32 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Young, Frightened, Inexperienced & damaged

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 12:35:53 GMT

By Finian Scallan

We're back for 2011

Mon, 10 Jan 2011 11:07:07 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

We'll keep fighting for our rights at work in 2011

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 10:49:27 GMT

By Jeff Lawrence

ACTU Season's Greetings 2010

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 11:17:54 GMT

Australia’s Biggest Workplace Scrooge

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 11:55:03 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

Exposing Lilydale Free Range Chicken's poor labour practices

Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:34:26 GMT

By Sabine Brix

Message to Canada: stop exporting chrysotile to Asia

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 11:28:46 GMT

By Margot Hoyte

RAW News Live

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 10:57:54 GMT

The broadcast has concluded but you can still watch R@W News Live on demand here.

Pressures of time bad for health and family life: Go Home on Time Day

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 09:17:47 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

GetUp you StuffedUp: A bank worker’s view

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 12:17:56 GMT

We make communities work by working in coalition with the community

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 09:10:14 GMT

By Amanda Tattersall

Sat, 16 Oct 2010 12:35:38 GMT

By Alex Schlotzer

The West Gate Bridge disaster – 40 years later

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:10:45 GMT

By Finian Scallan

CFMEU campaign for the Chilean Miners

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 14:58:46 GMT

By Rob Mitchell

Workers to rally against SA public sector cuts

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:20:32 GMT

The facts on why minimum hours matter

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 09:24:08 GMT

By Erin McCoy

An independent union voice

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 09:58:07 GMT

By Ged Kearney

80% of voters say Coalition should not bring back WorkChoices in any shape or form

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 17:19:17 GMT

By Mark Phillips

The Commonwealth Games and Decent Work

Fri, 08 Oct 2010 11:31:43 GMT

By Amy Schwebel

RAW News Live

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 11:00:00 GMT

World Day for Decent Work Live Blog

Thu, 07 Oct 2010 09:00:00 GMT

Sat, 04 Sep 2010 09:49:49 GMT

By Mark Phillips

The struggle for equal pay continues

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:48:30 GMT

Weekly round-up from across the globe: week beginning 30 August

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 13:39:23 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Australia will have better workplaces if rights are respected

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 14:44:11 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Weekly round-up from across the globe: week beginning 23 August

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 11:40:06 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Election 2010 cements rights at work as a core Australian value

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 09:00:20 GMT

By Ged Kearney

What's at stake this election?

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:18:55 GMT

By Jeff Lawrence

The WorkChoices zombie is alive!

Fri, 20 Aug 2010 10:13:29 GMT

By Tim Petterson

Exclusive: Liberals’ IR policy speaks to R@W News

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:54:44 GMT

By Mark Phillips

The story of “The Budgie Smuggler”

Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:22:36 GMT

or
The YR@W ad the Liberals tricked YouTube into pulling down

Big surge in campaign activity

Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:39:32 GMT

At the last election we voted out the Howard Government and WorkChoices.

ACTU President crosses the country to spread the word about WorkChoices: Never Again

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 10:18:03 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Young people and the election: some things to think about

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 09:54:14 GMT

By Matt Cowgill

Don't buy Abbott's conversion on WorkChoices

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 10:39:31 GMT

By Ged Kearney

Aged care workers want to be able to bargain in the modern economy

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 09:59:09 GMT

By Gary Bullock

Message from New Zealand: It happened to us, don’t let it happen to you

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:00:00 GMT

By Helen Kelly

It’s time Tony Abbott’s plans for Australian workers faced some real scrutiny

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:44:15 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Beware of Tony Abbott’s plan to bring in more cheap labour

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 10:17:51 GMT

By Mark Rasmussen

Federal Election 2010: PS policy positions at a glance

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:00:19 GMT

By Nadine Flood

Miners Union launches Fair Go For Billionaires Campaign

Mon, 02 Aug 2010 11:40:09 GMT

By Andrew Vickers

The election battlelines have been drawn

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:22:15 GMT

By Jeff Lawrence

Education Funding and the 2010 Election: stark differences between the parties

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:00:00 GMT

By Angelo Gavrielatos

New entitlements plan will go a long way to fixing one of the great injustices in our workplaces

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 14:10:24 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Talk of Campaign T-shirts: How and where to get them

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 12:31:34 GMT

The campaign is really off to a great start. Well we think it is when we get feedback saying people have seen the T-shirts and bumper stickers around their neighbourhoods; getting questions on how and where to get them is another positive sign.

Rights at Work activists take it to the streets

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 12:29:22 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Our Priorities: Working for a Better Life

Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:59:59 GMT

Unions want a better deal for Australian workers and their families.

Does Tony Abbott ever side with workers?

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 13:18:29 GMT

By Tim Lyons

Your vote, your voice

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:04:18 GMT

For lots of Australians, this year's anticipated federal election will be the first time they have ever voted.

Welcome aboard to Ged Kearney, another formidable Australian woman

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 13:18:42 GMT

By Jeff Lawrence

Better super and more infrastructure for working Australians remain secure under mining tax changes

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:32:31 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Let’s make Australia asbestos-free

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 11:18:36 GMT

By Paul Bastian

Despite decades of litigation and lobbying, Australia is still riddled with asbestos and it’s time our federal government stepped up to provide leadership on this public health issue.

Great places to work

Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:24:49 GMT

By Mark Phillips

Last week BRW (Business Review Weekly) magazine released its annual look at the best places at which to work.

A new Prime Minister but the task remains the same to advocate for working Australians

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:12:06 GMT

By Jeff Lawrence

So, we have a new Australian Prime Minister. What a momentous few days in Canberra, once again proving that a week is a long time in politics.

Forgecast case is important for all workers’ entitlements

Mon, 28 Jun 2010 11:59:50 GMT

By Cesar Melham

Last week, the Australian Workers’ Union and the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union launched legal proceedings against a company director to claim more than $2 million in entitlements for retrenched workers.

It is believed to be the first time the new Fair Work laws have been used to sue a company director personally.

The Case for Equal Pay

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 11:48:44 GMT

By Hammy Goonan

Recently thousands of Union members took to the streets of Melbourne and other capital cities in support of the Equal Pay Case currently being heard by Fair Work Australia.

The Big Issues in 2010

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 14:52:22 GMT

There's been poll after poll on this and that and based on people here and there. It seems that there are a lot of issues and a lot of different angles and spin being put on the issues.

The World Cup: Rights at Work or a Glass of the Sponsor's Product?

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 14:41:45 GMT

By Tim Lyons

In the last week at the World Cup, we saw one lesson about rights at work and one about the power of big business.

At last, all of Australia’s working mums gain paid parental leave

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 14:36:58 GMT

After a few nervous last minute jitters and Parliamentary argy-bargy, a national paid parental leave scheme became reality just after 5.30pm on Thursday.

Join us and help make history on equal pay for women

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:30:00 GMT

By Maree McDermott

Last week, I was one of the thousands who attended the national day of action on equal pay. I’m an ordinary woman struggling to pay the bills on the modest wage I receive as a community development worker, a job I’ve been doing for 25 years.

Minutes of Inaugural Meeting of Rich Bastards’ Union

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 10:32:07 GMT

By Peter Lewis

Congratulations to all comrades who attended the official launch of the Rich Bastards Union (RBU) at our official launch in Perth last week.

25,000 Australians have spoken, now it’s time for the Senate to do the right thing on paid parental leave

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:10:40 GMT

In a few short weeks, more than 25,000 Australians have signed a community petition urging the Senate to vote in support of the nation’s first Paid Parental Leave scheme, so it can be up and running by the start of next year.

Xstrata and the resource profits tax – an example of why you shouldn’t believe a mining corporation

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:55:09 GMT

By Peter Colley

As mining companies ramp up their scare campaign about the Resource Super Profits Tax, we are going to hear about more and more project “closures” and job “losses”. It pays to treat them with a grain of salt.

All Ark wants is to work in a safe environment and to have the same rights as all other workers

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 08:40:20 GMT

By Dave Noonan

Ark Tribe is a rigger and rank and file member of the CFMEU in South Australia. He was working on the Hindmarsh job at Flinders University in 2008 when a safety dispute arose.

The RSPT and Equal Pay - A Tale of Two Rallies

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 16:02:00 GMT

By Tim Lyons

What a contrast between yesterday’s rally of mostly men in suits in Perth and the rallies around the country today in support of equal pay.

Equal Pay Day of Action Live Blog

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 10:55:00 GMT

The "Your Rights at Work" team is on location in Melbourne for the Equal Pay Day of Action.

For NT’s Indigenous workers, rights at work is an ongoing struggle

Thu, 10 Jun 2010 09:47:26 GMT

By Kara Touchie

Seeing through Xstrata's scare campaign

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:27:22 GMT

By Tony Maher

If 3250 jobs never existed, can they still be used to batter a government over the head and frighten the bejesus out of mining communities? That’s what Swiss mining giant Xstrata is testing this week.

$26 a week rise for low-paid restores fairness into the setting of minimum wages

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 16:08:54 GMT

By Matt Cowgill

One of the most important roles played by Australian unions is to advocate for a wage rise for our society’s lowest paid, most vulnerable workers.

Fire bombing of CFMEU offices is an attack on us all

Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:47:58 GMT

A car bomb is driven into an office building, shattering the calm of a quiet midweek evening. The building suffers massive fire and structural damage. Fortunately, the occupants had left minutes earlier and no-one was injured.

“WorkChoices. Whatever the name, never again” campaign begins to heat up

Mon, 31 May 2010 14:35:43 GMT

There has been a lot said about Tony Abbott's credibility but it isn’t difficult to see past his tricky words of “flexibility” and workplace “freedom” for their real meaning.

Opposition's hand-balling doesn't deliver the details

Fri, 21 May 2010 10:02:07 GMT

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott concluded his Budget 2010 reply in Parliament by hand-balling the details to his Shadow Treasurer, Joe Hockey. Mr Hockey, addressing the National Press Club on Wednesday (19/05), concluded by hand-balling the details to Andrew Robb, Opposition finance spokesperson.

Tackling Abbott’s public service cuts

Thu, 20 May 2010 11:34:48 GMT

Australia’s public servants are tired of being used as a political football and are blowing the whistle on Tony Abbott’s plan to shed 12,000 “non-essential” jobs, writes CPSU National Secretary Nadine Flood.

Big miners’ scare campaign is all about self-interest, not the national interest

Wed, 19 May 2010 10:09:32 GMT

It’s no coincidence that the big mining companies running a scare campaign against the proposed resources tax are the same companies that poured millions into the campaign to keep WorkChoices.

Why complacency could be the winner in Australia in election 2010

Tue, 18 May 2010 12:23:25 GMT

By Sue Bellino

There are two very important factors that influence the outcome of the British General Elections. The first is the weather: when it’s very cold or its rains in the UK, it’s harder to get people out of their house to vote.

Rio Tinto workers win their David and Goliath struggle in California

Tue, 18 May 2010 12:08:45 GMT

Here’s some more good news for workplace rights.

A little while ago, R@W News brought you the story of the struggle against Rio Tinto by workers employed at the world’s largest borax mine in Boron, California.

The Liberals’ Budget reply sends a chilling warning to all workers

Sun, 16 May 2010 14:58:27 GMT

On Thursday (13 May) night, Tony Abbott, leader of the opposition, gave his Budget reply. And Mr Abbott sent a chilling warning to all workers: an Abbott-led coalition government will return the worst aspects of WorkChoices.

Why more workers are turning to unions

Fri, 14 May 2010 08:21:20 GMT

Australians are increasingly turning to unions to improve their pay and conditions.

Last year, there was a lift in union membership of 82,000 and the proportion of the workforce in unions grew from 19% to 20%.

Budget 2010: What's in it for working families?

Thu, 13 May 2010 16:14:46 GMT

By Matt Cowgill

In Budget week we hear a lot about deficits and surpluses, growth, tax, revenue and expenditure. It’s like Christmas for economists.

But what does it all mean for working people?

Workers should have 100 per cent of their entitlements protected

Mon, 10 May 2010 09:34:28 GMT

By Dave Oliver, AMWU National Secretary

Most people would remember the collapse of Ansett Airlines in 2001. Since then, Australian workers have had their entitlements protected by a government program called the General Employee Entitlements and Redundancy Scheme (GEERS).

More Super. Good for workers, good for the economy

Fri, 07 May 2010 09:55:09 GMT

When the many achievements of Australian unions are recorded, one of the highlights will always be universal superannuation.

Rudd declares support for unions and union values

Wed, 05 May 2010 12:00:47 GMT

In the past few days, the leaders of Australia and the United States have made strong statements of support for the role of unions and unionism in building a better society.

Getting by on less than $15 an hour

Tue, 04 May 2010 11:55:26 GMT

In 22 years, Luzia Borges has outlasted four prime ministers and countless cabinet ministers.

On International Workers’ Memorial Day AWU demands politicians get a backbone

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 08:46:02 GMT

Politicians – of all political shades – are just too scared to stand up to BHP-Billiton and tell them that in a safe work place people should come before profits, AWU National Secretary, Paul Howes, said on International Workers’ Memorial Day.

LIVE: "WorkChoices: Whatever the name, never again" Launch

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:05:36 GMT

LIVE: Watch Sharan Burrow launch the ACTU's "WorkChoices: Whatever the name, never again" election campaign.

Welcome from Sharan Burrow

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 09:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the new Your Rights at Work website.

When we first launched the Your Rights at Work campaign before the 2007 Federal Election, it was widely acknowledged as breaking new ground in Australia not just for enlisting a broad community coalition opposed to WorkChoices, but because of our use of online technology and social media to communicate rapidly and directly with our 200,000 followers.

Unions as relevant as ever

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:43:21 GMT

There seems to be more than a couple of generations that have forgotten what unions have done for them (whether member or not) and continue to work towards for them. Unions have generally been at the forefront of promoting and advocating for workers’ rights and human rights. They have also been at the forefront of promoting new industries and helping businesses overcome development and growth barriers.

What's with Rio Tinto?

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 14:49:30 GMT

Blair Athol, Bougainville and Boron seemingly have nothing in common apart from beginning with the same letter of the alphabet.

From Copenhagen - 18/12/09

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 10:49:50 GMT

Victorians joined community leaders to show their solidarity in reaching a fair and just climate change agreement in the final hours of Copenhagen negotiations at a vigil at Federation Square today.

From Copenhagen - 17/12/09

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 10:42:22 GMT

Painfully cold weather or the uplifting experience of watching snow fall? Take your pick of description for a minus 4 degrees day and you could associate either choice with observing these negotiations. Without doubt the progress is painfully slow - but there is progress.

From Copenhagen - 16/12/09

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:00:31 GMT

While it's snowing outside, the temperature is definitely warming up inside the Bella Centre as the leaders begin to arrive in Copenhagen.

Letter from Copenhagen: Sharan Burrow

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 16:50:30 GMT

Cold, chaotic but critical is how I would describe Tuesday at the climate talks in Copenhagen.