• It's Time for Action: Demand Action on Sexual Assault at UTas
    According to the Australian Human Rights Commission report released on the 1st of August, over half of all students at UTas were sexually harassed in 2016, and 6.5% were sexually assaulted Of these students the vast majority did not seek help from the university, and 0% made a formal report about the incident. While the Vice-Chancellor Peter Rathjen has since come out to say sexual violence is “never OK,” we are yet to see the university take action on any specific incident, or commit implementing a system that offers any real support to students. What students need is not more slogans, or hollow campaigns, but fast and immediate action from the university that tells that they believe us, that it’s not our fault, and that we will have justice. Sign the petition and join the UTas Women’s Collective, and Tasmanian Young Labor members, as we call on the State Government and the University of Tasmania to to commit to implementing: A standard sexual assault reporting model which recognises the rule of law Clear penalties for perpetrators of sexual assault and violence And A full-time trauma informed counsellor that specialises in harassment and sexual violence.
    249 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Heidi La Paglia
  • Stop the Smear Campaign, Your Drivers Deserve Safety
    Last night while another driver was being assaulted, instead of trying to improve their safety, our Lord Mayor was heading a smear campaign against them, stooping so low he's even using school children as a political tool. Physical assaults against Brisbane Transport Bus Drivers are reported once a week, and there's a verbal assault reported every day. Countless more go unreported. Three weeks ago a driver was stabbed, and last October, one was brutally murdered. Our drivers have learned the hard way that Graham Quirk doesn't seem to care. It’s time for the Lord Mayor to stop insulting his drivers, to recognise their hard work, to stop belittling them for their very real fears for their safety at work. It's time for Mayor Quirk to work with Bus Drivers for everyone's safety. All they are want is safety and fair working conditions, things all Australians should have.
    1,116 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by RTBU QLD Branch Picture
  • Australians demand an onion emoji NOW
    Tony Abbott is running a campaign to bring down our current PM for whom you have an excellent top hat emoji for, it is unfair that Tony is not treated equally and have his own emoji that can quickly and simply describe him in a way everyone understands.
    96 of 100 Signatures
    Created by Sue Smith
  • Establish Senate Inquiry Into Job Agencies
    The $10 billion employment services system is one of the biggest and most socially destructive rorts ever perpetuated against a Federal government Every day, private job agencies bully unemployed workers into attending dangerous Work for the Dole sites and other unfair activities in order to make a quick buck. Unemployed workers who refuse to be bullied into one of these unfair activities are penalised. During 2015/16, job agencies imposed a record 2,114,291 million penalties on unemployed workers - up from 311,622 in 2011. Many penalties are unfair - 37.5% of unemployed workers who appealed against a penalty had it overturned by Centrelink. Since 2011, the rate of job agency decisions overturned by Centrelink has increased by 15% - a clear sign the system is broken. The failure of the government to regulate the industry and penalise abusive job agencies has created a culture of fear and intimidation throughout the industry. The suffering endured by the 900,000 unemployed workers participating in this system is incalculable The death of Josh Park Fing at his Work for the Dole site in Toowoomba - one of the 64% of WFTD sites that do not meet basic safety standards - is a product of this punitive and broken system. The punitive job agencies system must be addressed immediately. A Senate inquiry is the first step. The ALP has the power to make this happen.
    1,365 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unemployed Workers Union Picture
  • Stop Dodgy Labour Hire Firms & Support Secure Work
    Dodgy Labour Hire firms are stealing wages, undercutting the fair pay of permanent workers, abusing their staff, ruining communities and escaping punishment and doing it all again. Currently it takes less to start a Labour Hire firm than it does to get your license to drive, and that isn't right. It needs to change. The Labour Hire Licensing Bill 2017 will stop Labour Hire operators who do the wrong thing from doing it again. Click here to read more about the Labour Hire Licensing Bill 2017: https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/Bills/55PDF/2017/B17_0022_Labour_Hire_Licensing_Bill_2017E.pdf
    2,471 of 3,000 Signatures
    Created by QUEENSLAND UNIONS
  • Support the people who power South Australia
    The people who work in South Australia's power industry deserve to be treated equally for equal work. But currently South Australian Power Networks (SAPN) management are trying to break the business in two, using the excuse that they need agreements that comply with the building code. These would force the people who work there onto agreements that: - ban mandatory hiring of apprentices - allow cut-price unskilled labour from labour hire companies - undermine safety and reliability for customers - attack the job security of experienced, reliable South Australians The CEPU/ETU recently successfully campaigned for changes to the building code that would exempt SAPN entirely from it because they perform essential services. Yet SAPN managers have refused to take up the exemption. They want to use the code as an excuse to put the screws on working South Australians. We support quality South Australian work, and the people who perform it. Add your voice below, and tell SAPN to stop playing games and apply for the building code exemptions.
    245 of 300 Signatures
    Created by ETU Australia
  • Stop Issuing Temporary Licences to Shipping Companies Allowing Them to Replace Australian Crew
    The minister and the government should be standing up for Australian seafarers and denying any temporary licences while there are Australian workers available. Its time to stand up for Australian workers and the shipping industry.
    1,922 of 2,000 Signatures
    Created by Maritime Union of Australia
  • Tell Wilson to stop ripping off their security guards
    UPDATE: Norm is now taking on Wilson Security in the Federal Court in Canberra. Show Norm you've got his back on March 8 at 10:00am - more details: http://bit.ly/2Ce2LcK "Together with my union, United Voice, I've tried, over and over again, to get Wilson security to stop stealing from their employees. It is systemic wage theft, from people who really can't afford to lose any money. I'm losing more than three thousand dollars a year - and there are hundreds of people just like me. "Most security guards are on really low wages. The whole industry tends to work on rotating rosters - four days on, four days off. A lot of security companies try to save money by scheduling overtime shifts on Sundays. But Wilson Security has gone a step further - they're picking and choosing when 'overtime' shifts occur - so they can avoid paying overtime. 500 security guards are being ripped off in the ACT alone.
    230 of 300 Signatures
    Created by Norm, United Voice member
  • Cleaners deserve jobs we can count on!
    I'm Judith, and I've been a cleaner for a long time. I've never seen anything like this. In the government's new contract, there’s no jobs guarantee – meaning 7,000 cleaners will all be forced to reapply for our jobs, without entitlements like sick leave that we’ve built up over years of service. And there’s no hours guarantee – which we can’t afford, and also means we won’t be able to keep state schools and public buildings clean. We’ve only got until the end of the year to change this, so please add your name to tell the Premier that cleaners need job security - the more of us who speak out together, the louder our voices are!
    5,300 of 6,000 Signatures
    Created by Judith Barber
  • KEEP SALMON JOBS IN TASSIE
    Tasmania’s salmon industry supports 5,000 jobs across the state – and most are in regional areas where jobs are already hard to come by. The Salmon industry has the potential to support many more local Tassie families, if it has the support of government. Demand for seafood will more than double over the next 15 years, which is a huge opportunity for our state. Tasmania produces environmentally sustainable salmon, employing unionised workers with quality jobs. But all this is at risk, if politicians give in to the anti-fish fanatics – it could mean thousands of Tasmanians will lose their livelihoods. Too much is at stake. Send this letter to the Tasmanian Premier to show your support for keeping Salmon jobs in Tassie.
    160 of 200 Signatures
    Created by Tassie Salmon
  • University of Tasmania: Students deserve a safe campus!
    Despite signing onto the Universities' Australia Respect Now always campaign only last year, and making a commitment to the ongoing Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) project aimed at stamping out sexual assault on campus, the University of Tasmania (UTas) is actively welcoming a convicted sex offender on campus. Nicholaas Bester, who is currently a Phd student at the University of Tasmania (UTas) Sandy Bay campus, was convicted and jailed in 2011 for sexually abusing a 15 year old student at St. Michaels Collegiate girls college, where he was head of science. At the time of his parole, Bester was admitted to UTas as a student and received a phd scholarship. In 2015 Bester stated on social media his first crime was 'awesome' in a conversation so offensive it was reported to Tasmania Police and resulted in him being charged with producing child exploitation material. He served a prison sentence for this in 2016, during which time he remained a student at UTas. Despite multiple complaints being made about Besters presense on campus, the University of Tasmania has put students at risk by: - Accepting Bester as a resident in the John Fisher student accommodation complex, where he lived in close proximity with many students. - Making no attempt to terminate Bester’s student status after he was reported to the police for predatory behaviour at the University gymnasium. At the time, an agreement was made with Bester that he would no longer attend the gym, but UTas continued to accommodate him on campus. When questioned, the university deputy vice-chancellor for research, Bridgid Heywood said that "there is nothing in the universities' rules which precludes Bester from continuing his research." However, this appears to ignore the university behaviour policy which states that all staff and students have a right to work and / or study in an environment that is free from inappropriate behaviour, including the sexually harassing and abusive behaviours which Bester has engaged in. The universities decision to support Bester's phd status despite his continued criminal and inappropriate behaviour poses a clear threat to other university students, and in particular the underage students whom attend campus for pre-university units. This is ironic given the university sectors national commitment to creating safer campus environments after the release of the national union of students women's survey last year which showed that over 72% of women experience some form of sexual harassment or violence while studying . Sign the petition to demand that the University respect their commitment to improve student safety, by immediately terminating Nicholaas Bester's Phd scholarship, and banning him from attending all University of Tasmania campuses. *Under Federal and state legislation, universities' are autonomous self-accrediting institutions. The university has the authority to terminate a phd student position according to its own policies.
    3,568 of 4,000 Signatures
    Created by Heidi La Paglia
  • Hands Off Penalty Rates
    I’m Selina and I work at my local club in Queensland. At the moment I still get penalty rates, which helps pay my rent and put food on the table. But on July 28 Clubs Australia made a submission to the Fair Work commission to axe our Clubs Award and move club workers and managers onto the hospitality award, where penalty rates have already been cut. My husband and I are trying to save for IVF. But penalty rate cuts will make it even harder to put a little bit aside each week so we can reach our dream of starting a family. https://youtu.be/LzSP4EYQz20 Losing penalty rates will make life a lot harder for us. It’s a pay cut I can’t afford and I don't deserve. Keeping the Clubs Award means maintaining weekend rates for clubs workers as well as the safety net of pay and conditions for club managers and staff, from the person pouring your beer, to chefs, waiters, ops and duty managers. Clubs hold a special place in our communities. They provide good local jobs, are run by members, and put profits back into the community. We need to stand together to say “Clubs Australia, we want to keep the Clubs Award and protect the penalty rates, pay and conditions of clubs workers and managers”.
    6,113 of 7,000 Signatures
    Created by Selina, Club Worker Picture