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…

As in previous years the ASU is sending representatives to the Qantas AGM to ask some hard questions ... We don't expect to be the only ones given the record loss Qantas has sustained. We expect many shareholders will question how CEO Alan Joyce and the Board can hold their…

ACTU President Ged Kearney has been announced as a winner in The Australian Financial Review and Westpac 100 Women of Influence Awards for 2014. Ms Kearney has been recognised in the public policy category for her contribution to workplace relations and her relentless campaigning for social justice and workers' rights.…

ACTU President Ged Kearney said Australian Unions stand in solidarity with Hong Kong workers in the fight for democracy. "Australian Unions strongly condemn the Chinese Government for suppressing freedom of speech and freedom of assembly in Hong Kong," Ms Kearney said. "We further condemn the police for their violent attack…

Under the EBA existing full-time and part-time Virgin staff members are entitled to 3 Recognition Days for each year of the Agreement. Recognition Days will be credited in December 2013, December 2014, and December 2015. It is important to remember that Recognition Days must be used within 12 months of…

The fight to protect our rights at work from the current assault via the Fair Work Amendment Bill continues. The vote in the Senate has been delayed which means we have more time to convince the cross bench Senators to support workers' rights. Two pieces of great news: Independent Senator…

The Government and Labor's support for the Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement gives a potential greenlight for imports made in the misery of North Korean prison camps. ACTU President Ged Kearney said the Korea-Australian Free Trade Agreement goes against the core values of the ALP. "This disgraceful deal will not only…

The community has been told over many years that outsourcing council work results in savings that the community benefits from. However, yet another independent report has revealed those savings to be "often illusory" and the exercise accompanied by "a host of unforseen problems". In the wake of these findings (that…

ASU members would be forgiven for thinking that the telephone sales strategy is being made up as they go along. The conflicting information we have been given since the closure of the Melbourne and Brisbane centres was announced certainly supports this contention and the meeting between your ASU reps and…

The ASU has been advised this morning by Qantas that it is now their intention to put more telephone sales jobs in Auckland instead of in Hobart as was initially promised (see the attached letter). Now Qantas says that the company is "segmenting" the business so that Hobart will become…