Rights at Work

Recently the Workplace Gender Equality Agency reported that their research shows many male dominated industries are offering better than average conditions for parents. The ASU is proud to say that industries where we are the major union, for example: electricity, water and waste services (ie. local government), have the highest…

New research by the ACTU reveals that wages have failed to keep up with productivity growth over the past decade, busting the myth of a wages breakout and confirming that profits are increasing at the expense of workers' incomes. The research, by the ACTU's Economic Policy Unit, to be presented…

Unions will today call on Fair Work Australia to lift pay rates for apprentices to ensure young people continue to have a pathway to secure jobs and Australia can have a reliable supply of skilled workers. Launching a case in the Fair Work Commission brought by unions in Sydney today,…

ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver has declared unions are in for the long haul to campaign for better job security in Australia, beginning with a national portable entitlements scheme. Delivering a major address to the National Press Club in Canberra on 6 February, Oliver said job and income security would be…

Laws that would give mums and dads up to two months together of unpaid parental leave and choice about when to take time off is good news, said ACTU President Ged Kearney. She also welcomed giving pregnant woman the right to move to safe duties regardless of how long they…

ACTU president Ged Kearney said intimidation, harassment and oppressive behaviours in the work place were unacceptable and Government changes that make bullying policy part of the federal workplace system will go a long way towards shifting negative culture. Ms Kearney said, "We welcome any laws that lead to further protections…

The ACTU has welcomed the current debate around family friendly work arrangements and calls for the government to give "the tiger some teeth". "It's vital that the debate continues especially considering 44% of mothers say they do not feel comfortable taking time out from work to care for their children…

The ACTU has warned against an employer push to reduce or remove weekend penalty rates in Awards and cut the take home pay of over 500,000 low-paid workers. Fair Work Australia will today hear submissions in Melbourne from employer groups who want to remove or reduce penalty rates in awards…

The ACTU will today urge Parliament to reject a bill that would strip penalty rates from up to 500,000 workers in businesses with less than 20 employees. ACTU president Ged Kearney said new Australian Bureau of Statistics data showing a continuing fall in wages in the food and accommodation and…

Employees must be given a genuine right to ask for family-friendly work arrangements, including going part-time, to balance work and caring responsibilities, the ACTU said today. ACTU president Ged Kearney said that the lack of a right to family friendly work arrangements was forcing women out of the workforce or…