The Abbott Government has shown its true colours – at a time when they hope no one is looking – by announcing a wholesale review of Australia's workplace laws that will see wages, conditions and rights at work slashed. ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver said that going after wages and conditions…

Consumers' protections and privacy are at risk, along with national governments' sovereignty, at the sole benefit of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) corporations. This is what emerges from the latest leaked document relating to the Trade In Service Agreement (TISA) negotiations, that the ASU and our international affiliate Public Services…

Your Jetstar National Negotiating Team (NNT) met with the company again on 10th December 2014 and we had a long in-depth discussion on their current offer to settle the EBA. There are still a lot of issues that are outstanding that need Jetstar to change their position on or clarify.…

An employment opportunity exists in the ASU - Queensland (Services & Northern Administrative) Branch (also known as The Services Union) for a Senior Industrial Officer. Please download the description and selection criteria below. Applications close Friday 16 January 2015.    ASU job ad: Senior Industrial Officer, Queensland

We met AaE management about the EBA on 15th December 2014 for our third meeting with the company and they still have not comprehensively responded to our log of claims. We have raised significant issues about integration and promotions, work within Qantas Freight and other provisions that exist for Qantas…

Australian jobs will be lost as a result of the Korea-Australian Free Trade Agreement (KAFTA) that came into effect today, said the ACTU. ACTU President Ged Kearney said the Abbott Government has signed Australia up to a deal that allows Korean companies operating in Australia to ignore Australian workers looking…

Today's 12-year-high unemployment rate of 6.3 per cent has destroyed any economic credibility the Abbott Government claims to have, said the ACTU. "This is the highest unemployment rate in Australia since September 2002, when Tony Abbott was Employment Minister," said ACTU Assistant Secretary Tim Lyons. "The Government needs to stop…

As the UN Climate Change Summit, COP20, in Lima, Peru, draws to an end, Public Services International (PSI) highlights the special role of local and national government structures in developing, implementing and monitoring green policies. The ASU, a PSI affiliate and the key local government union in Australia supports this…

The United Nations declared December 10 a Human Rights Day. The union movement reflects on one of those fundamental human rights. ITUC Statement on Human Rights Day Today, 64 years since the United Nations declared December 10 a Human Rights Day, the world is witnessing an unprecedented attack on one…

This edition contains a summary of blog items published by Greg McLean in the previous calendar month. Items cover the areas of local government, energy and water, rail and public transport, international news including trade agreements, privatisation and general public sector matters. The articles all relate to the blog of…