Rights at Work

Unions fear the $5 billion company tax cut promised by the Coalition today will come at the expense of workers through an increased GST or savage cuts to services, the ACTU said today. "The Coalition's plan for the economy seems to begin and end with boosting the profits of Australian…

"It is good to be here again at the National Press Club and I appreciate the opportunity to outline what the union movement regards as the key issues for Australian workers at this year's federal election." Download the full speech here:  Ged Kearney speech at National Press Club, 7 August…

Australians face a stark choice at this election between a government that will stand up for work rights and an opposition which has promised to wind back protections at work and introduce individual contracts. ACTU President Ged Kearney said working people would be looking for parties and candidates to demonstrate…

Both sides of politics must focus on supporting jobs and industry with today's budget update revealing a concerning projected rise in unemployment, the ACTU said today. The Federal Government has revised projected unemployment upwards from 5.75 to 6.25% in 2013-14. "In this economic climate, with rising unemployment, we need both…

Australian business is again pushing to cut wages with the Business Council of Australia saying that penalty rates should be re-examined and that the minimum wage could be 'a problem'. ACTU President Ged Kearney said the BCA's action plan released today showed some vision for Australia so it was disappointing…

On the same day as the Business Council of Australia has called for cuts to the minimum wage, the Coalition has revisited its politically-motivated policy attacking unions' ability to represent workers' interests, the ACTU said. The ACTU has no tolerance for corruption by union officials, said ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver.…

A meeting of the ACTU Executive has today called on Australian businesses to look beyond cutting wages and conditions as a simplistic solution, and to invest in skills and technology to lift productivity. The ACTU, meeting in Melbourne, has criticised Holden for its attempts to reduce wages and conditions at…

Men out-earn women in every occupational group in Australia – even in those jobs dominated by women, ABS data analysed by the ACTU shows. ACTU President Ged Kearney has called for a renewed push to tackle the 'quicksand effect' where women fall further and further behind on pay and work…

Australians believe investing in skills and training is a better way to improve productivity than greater management 'flexibility' in hiring practices, new polling shows. ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver said today's Essential polling showed many Australians took the common sense view that improving skills and training would deliver better outcomes. A…

The ACTU has called for proposed Codes of Practice on workplace bullying to be strengthened and combined with regulation which makes it a responsibility of employers to provide a bullying-free workplace. ACTU president Ged Kearney said that workplace bullying caused long-term mental and emotional damage to victims and cost the…