Without high quality schools, TAFEs, hospitals, transport and essential services our state will go backwards. But high quality services require good quality jobs and the NSW Government just isn't providing them. More buildings won't fix this. Ambulance ramping times are increasing, there are critical staff shortages across our health system and there is critical shortages of teachers, especially in STEM areas which Australia’s economic future relies on.

In Victoria, the largely unregulated private rehabilitation services mean that working people are often confronted with re-mortgaging their house, taking out loans, or withdrawing their superannuation to pay for services that can cost up to $30,000 per month. Victoria’s rehabilitation system is mostly inaccessible for working people, as most stays are between 3 months and 12 months. In Australia it takes an average of 20 years for a person to seek assistance for addiction due to shame and stigma and this is a trend that is appearing across all shop floors and all industries across the State It’s clear that the current system of treatment isn’t working and requires fresh ideas and methodologies for providing suitable treatment to working people and their families and funding models that work both for patients, employers and the government. We are proposing a tri-partisan collaboration with Odyssey House for a 28-day inpatient treatment facility funded and owned by the trade union movement after an initial investment from the Andrews’ Labor Government coupled with the establishment of an outreach and outpatient service, inclusive of toolbox talks for delegates, health and safety representatives, organisers and working people from all sectors with the support of trade unions, employers and the government. We need innovative, sophisticated solutions to complex issues such as addiction. We know that we have the most cost-effective, fit-for-purpose model for working Victorians to ease the burden on our already overcrowded healthcare system. Workplace support and early intervention are crucial in supporting workers combating addiction and mental health struggles. The opening of The Crossing will change the lives of workers struggling with addiction — as well as those of their families, their workmates, and their community.

Wage theft and exploitation are facts of life for migrant workers. Many have to make the impossible decision of tolerating abuse or risk losing their visa, which results in many choosing to put up with exploitation to avoid deportation. Employers in Australia have far too much coercive power when dealing with migrant workers which allows abuse to occur. The Migrant Workers Centre has found that 53% of workers surveyed were forced to work overtime, whilst 27% confirmed they could not say no to unsafe work. These statistics are far higher than any other grouping of workers and this needs to change. The incoming Australian Government has a golden opportunity to address this as we welcome migrant workers back to Australia post COVID. Send them a message by signing that you too want greater protection and justice for migrant workers.

The Agreement containing wages and conditions for teachers and support staff in Tasmanian Catholic Education expired last September. Following detailed member consultation the Independent Education Union sought to commence negotiations with the Tasmanian Catholic Education Office for our next Agreement in November 2021. Since then? Very little has happened. After months of delay the TCEO agreed to meet ONCE per month, ONLINE, for a maximum of TWO HOURS. When we offered to fly Melbourne-based members of our bargaining team to meet for detailed in-person negotiations, the TCEO refused on the grounds of COVID-safety, while their own employees in schools across the state continued to turn up in person to their high-contact workplaces every day. Meanwhile, the TCEO has outright rejected almost every claim made by the IEU, while seeking to reduce existing protections around hours of work. This is not good enough. It’s time to get serious. FIND OUT MORE: www.ieuvictas.org.au/tasmanian-catholic-education-bargaining-campaign

Monash University is one of Australia’s largest universities, with a reported surplus of $416 million in 2021. The University’s Strategic Goals say Monash will deliver “education of the highest international quality.” But Monash University cannot deliver high-quality education if it continues to erode the working conditions of its teaching staff. No staff member should be forced to decide between delivering a quality education to their students, and working without pay. We, the undersigned, petition Monash University Council to recognise that staff working conditions are student learning conditions, that consultation with students is vital pedagogical work, and that tutors must be paid for scheduled student consultation separately and in addition to the “rolled up” tutorial rate. Our demands are: - That the University backpays casual academic staff for student consultations conducted separately to tutorials, and the 2-hour minimum engagement where applicable; - That the University immediately directs all Faculties, Schools and Departments to pay Teaching Associates for all scheduled student consultation, rather than treating this consultation as ‘associated’ tutorial work; - That the University does not unfairly transfer this workload onto permanent academic staff; and - That Vice Chancellor Margaret Gardner issues a formal written apology to all affected staff. SIGNED: Ben Eltham, NTEU Monash Branch President Bernard Keo, NTEU Monash Branch Committee Giles Fielke, NTEU Monash Branch Committee Scott Robinson Kai Tanter Sofie Onorato, NTEU Monash Organiser Ishka De Silva, Monash Student Association (MSA) President

Australia has a cost-of-living crisis. Rent, petrol, food, childcare, are all going up. Inflation is rising. Slow wage growth is fast outstripping the cost of living. Our claim for a 5.5% rise to the minimum wage is critical for workers to keep their heads above water. The Annual Wage Review is the ONLY guaranteed wage increase anywhere in the economy. Your pay rise only comes about from union members coming together to win what we need and deserve. Supporting our claim would mean workers are better off. Remember, improving the minimum wage benefits all of us. Without a real pay rise delivered now, wages will continue to go backwards. ASU member, Harvey, says it all: “When you’re paying rent, bills and food with the entirety of your wage, an additional $40 per week would go a long way.” Make sure you have your say in your wage increase.,get involved and join the union to win the pay increase you need. All workers deserve the chance to plan for the future. And we cannot afford another delay.

There is currently very limited capability to safely perform Specialised Rescue. (this means Trench Rescue, confined space rescue and rope rescue) The rescue capabilities in the Ballarat region need to be addressed as a matter of urgency due to the fact that: • Emergency management in Victoria is unable to safely rescue victims in a timely manner • Firefighters and first responders are being exposed to a Workplace Health and Safety Risks, both physical and mental This has been an issue since at least 2014. Timeline: 2014 United Firefighters Union (UFU) notifies the Napthine Government and all MPs that there is an issue around insufficient specialised rescue capabilities, particularly in the Ballarat Region. Operations were carried out in an extremely ad hoc manner, with equipment (planks etc.) being purchased from hardware stores. There was two Provisional Improvement Notices (PIN) put on the Ballarat City trench rescue operation and WorkSafe got involved. In response, the CFA essentially got rid of their trench rescue operations entirely in Ballarat. They just took it off the list of capabilities, failing to solve the problem. 2018 On 21 March 2018 one man was killed and another seriously injured after a trench collapsed in Ballarat. Tragically the second worker died in hospital the following day. The two men, Charles Howkins and Jack Brownlee, were working constructing sewer at the site when the collapse occurred. 26 March 2018 (2 days later) The UFU sent a letter to the Minister for Emergency Services. The UFU received an email from the Minister acknowledging receipt of correspondence. Nothing further was ever communicated. July 2018 Trench Victim’s Families wrote to the Minister to bring the issue to their attention. 2022 Victim’s Families wrote to State Labour Government Ministers and MPs to inform them that there is still no specialised rescue capability in Ballarat. From 2014 to 2022 - The UFU and FRV Personnel have been raising concerns requesting resolution of this gap in capability. The problem has still not been resolved. Throughout this entire period, first responders have continued to attend to specialised rescues, but without the resourcing they need. It is quite simple what Ballarat needs: 1. Equipment An Appliance for Specialised rescue; there are 2 purpose-built units sitting in Melbourne. They were built 8 years ago and have never been deployed, they just sit around gathering dust. There is space at the Lucas Fire Station to permanently house one of these units. 2. Staff Enough trained firefighters to provide a specialised rescue team on all shifts. (10 Crew to cover all 4 shifts, and a reliever shift) 3. Training Ongoing specialised rescue training. 4. Mapping Mapping of local area resources to see if other agencies and organisations could assist with expertise, equipment and resources through MOUs.

Cost of living keeps going up while wages and conditions are continually eroded away, people receiving government support are trying to get by with just $42 a day and living in poverty. The gap between wages for men and women is still around 22.8%. The dream of owning your own home has become out of reach for too many people with rentals also becoming more unaffordable, meaning the demand for public housing is increasing.

These nurses and carers love caring for their residents, but they have been stretched to breaking point by heavy workloads, poor wages and tough working conditions. During the COVID-19 pandemic they have gone above and beyond to keep their residents safe, working double shifts of up to 16 hours, working through their lunch breaks, and often working short staffed. We care about the quality of aged care in Queensland and we call on Arcare management to give their hard-working nurses and carers a fair pay rise.

The NSW Government has the power to change Section 146C of the NSW Industrial Relations Act and end the wages policy that restricts your pay and superannuation increases up to 2.5 per cent. This is a policy that condemns Public Sector workers to falling wages as the cost of living goes up. By cutting your real wages, this destructive policy reduces your discretionary spending, pulling money from local businesses at a time when the NSW is trying to rebuild after two tumultuous years. By signing our petition, you are letting MPs know a wages policy that effectively cuts your wages and damages local economies must go.

You should join this campaign if you love Australian music. It has been totally defunded. If you love Australia content on TV and Film then the $70 million cut must be reversed. If you live in the country you want the $10 million back. If you enjoy this festival, the Fringe Festival Rising, music festivals, the opera, theatre, museums, art galleries; any of these events you should demand Morrison puts the hundreds of millions back in the budget. Less submarines; more gigs.

We deserve a decent pay rise for the work we continue to do. We are essential workers – keeping our communities strong, loved ones safe and doing critical work to support our most vulnerable. We support people with disabilities to actively participate in our community and support those in our community who have been hit hard in recent times. We deserve a pay rise. Only by joining together through the Australian Services Union can we win the wage increases we need and deserve. The Annual Wage Review is the ONLY guaranteed wage increase anywhere in the economy. Sign our petition and join our campaign to win the pay increase we need and deserve.