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The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) and unions are alarmed that the Federal Government intends to stop working people organising in their workplaces and accessing their unions. Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash has confirmed the Coalition will remove unions’ access to lunchrooms and place limits on visits to workplaces.…

The ASU recently lodged its submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into introducing greater competition into human services. This inquiry was set up by the Liberal Government just days ahead of the recent election. The ASU submission focusses on our concerns about the impact of increased competition and marketisation on…

World leaders will meet for the September G20 Summit in Hangzhou China as growth in the global economy contracts and the wage share of national income continues to fall. Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the International Trade Union Confederation said G20 leaders must support new principles on labour income share…

Immigration Minister Peter Dutton is today releasing a report – five months after he received it – that shows the Federal Government is dangerously negligent when it comes to controlling asbestos importation in Australia. The report from Swedish firm KGH Border Services highlights problems not only with staff resourcing in…

The possibility that the Malcolm Turnbull may yet cling to power shouldn’t hide the fact that the results of this election represent a massive repudiation of his Government’s destructive policies over the past three years. For more than 12 months, union members nationwide have campaigned for a restoration of funding…

Australian union members are continuing their campaign to protect Australia’s universal healthcare system by handing out one million replica Medicare cards to voters in major metropolitan areas and marginal electorates across the country. The million Medicare card drop comes as a new survey from the Doctors Reform Society of Australia…

The Turnbull Government has asked the Productivity Commission to investigate commercialising vital community services – a move that would divert scarce public funding away from supporting victims of domestic violence and homelessness services to shareholders of opportunistic businesses. In the days before the election was called, Treasurer Scott Morrison quietly…

The Turnbull Liberal Government has directed the Productivity Commission to prepare a plan to increase competition and privatisation in community services. Last Friday, the Productivity Commission called for submissions on which community services are fit to be commercialised and privatised. This could include any and all community services, including support…

The 2016 federal election is about priorities. Whether $50 billion of taxpayers’ money is best used on corporate tax cuts or on health, education and infrastructure investment. In this report we demystify the issues for our members and supporters so you can be well-informed at the ballot box. The ASU…

Despite being the reason for calling a double dissolution election, the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) has been barely mentioned by the Liberal Government during the protracted election campaign, however the Union for local government, energy and water sector workers needs to alert the community that chaos may follow…