Local Government

29 October 2012 By

The Australian Services Union is the largest local government union in Australia. The local government division is the largest industry in the Australian Services Union, making up about half of the Union's membership.

Our local government members are represented by the ASU Branches throughout the country. Most of the industrial activities are conducted at the Branch level. All local government awards are state-based and many councils have their own enterprise agreements of which the ASU is a party.

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The ASU's local government coverage Click to collapse

Following is a summary of the ASU's coverage in this sector. It is not exhaustive, so if you do not see your position or employer listed, you may still be eligible for ASU membership. Feel free to make an inquiry.

Position Titles	Major employers
librarians garbage collectors child carers gardeners truck drivers electricians administrative & clerical staff supervisors & senior executive officers home carers & meals on wheels health & building inspectors and support staff rangers plant operators beach lifeguards cemetery workers para-professionals and professionals in fact, most employees of local government	All urban, regional and rural councils, including shires, cities and county councils. Also statutory authorities, trust boards and commissions, eg. state roads authorities, cemetery trusts, etc.

ASU National Local Government Division (NLGD) Click to collapse

The National Local Government Division meets regularly and consists of officials from all ASU local government Branches and is convened by the National Office.

These meetings tend to focus upon industry trends or matters of national importance, such as outsourcing, municipal mergers, training, road funding, enterprise clauses etc. These meetings enable information and ideas to be disseminated across the Union.

National meetings are critical in order to follow national contractors who, unlike councils, do not confine their activities to one State.

Indigenous employment in local government Click to collapse

Local government, with its presence across the length and breadth of Australia, is ideally placed to provide employment initiatives for Indigenous Australians. To find out more about work in this area, please see: National Local Government Indigenous Employment.

National trends Click to collapse

Although local government has been a creature of state legislation, many matters confronting employees are the same across the country. In recent years, for example, ASU members have been threatened by outsourcing of local government functions.

Therefore, local government is a national industry, faced as it is by the increasingly national agendas of governments and trade, and the diminishing role of geographical borders, that do not stop roads, telecommunications, electricity and trade.

Resources Click to collapse

icon ASUnews - Shared and contracted services in local government, 12 January 2009

icon Sustaining services for future generations: summary report (2008)

PSIRU Report commissioned by the ASU providing a profile of Civica, company seeking to provide services to Australian local government and other public sector organisations