APS3 Biosecurity Officers are deeply disappointed that after many months, department representatives have proposed an APS3 to 4 broadband process that is not fair or reasonable. The process that has begun makes access to the broadband dependent on applying for promotion through a rigorous recruitment process. This was not the intention of the broadband when we negotiated our EA in good faith.

STEM professionals of Defence, are an essential part of the Department of Defence and our work must be respected and valued. STEM professionals are under increased pressure to deliver, while across the country staffing numbers are cut, funding is slashed and your voice is ignored. We see the results all around us – project overruns, waste, cost blow outs. At the same time APS wages are stagnating, conditions are reduced, and job security is diminishing.

Thousands of workers at Merivale have been trapped on a “zombie” workplace agreement that is almost ten years old. The deal means thousands of workers are left without penalty rates for evening and weekend work. That’s right: we’re paid the same rate whether we am working at 1pm on Monday afternoon or 2am on Sunday morning. Young workers like us have lost thousands of dollars compared to what we could have earned under the award. Even worse, Merivale did not even live up to its own agreement and workers have been underpaid thousands of dollars. It’s not right, it’s not fair, and we’re not taking it! We’ve hit the media and, together, we’re taking action to demand fair pay! Sign our petition! Join the union!

Last month, 20 year old apprentice boilermaker Dillon Wu died at work, overcome by fumes while welding in a confined space. Dillon had been working at the site – Marshall Lethlean in Melbourne – for just two weeks. He was supplied to the company by the Australian Industry Group (AIG). The company knew the worksite was unsafe, and had prepared a safety report regarding 11 high-priority hazards. Following an anonymous complaint, WorkSafe had been to conduct a safety inspection at the site on the morning Dillon died. The inspector left the site at 9.30am. Dillon was dead by 10.00am. It was the absolute duty of the AIG to provide a safe workplace for Dillon. Instead, he was sent into a tank to grind welds, without ventilation, without a gas monitor, without supervision, and without certification to weld in a confined space. Instead, he was sent to his death. Every worker should come home safe from work. Deaths on the job are 100% preventable. When workers die, employers must be held responsible. We must stop deaths like Dillon’s. Sign our petition to make industrial manslaughter laws a reality.

I am a lover of our great national game. In the five years of David Peever's stewardship we have seen ugly corporatism infect the sport. Millions of Australians are rejecting corporatism and believe that the rules have to be changed. Mr Peever is running contrary to what Australians want by picking fights with the players union and leading an organisation that has had to get an external review to say that it suffers systematic arrogance. The growth of this toxic culture happened on Mr Peever's watch; he must go for the good of the game.

Melbourne’s famous Degraves Street is a den of thieves. We are demanding the Fair Work Ombudsman conduct raids up and down the street. Lawyers for Hospo Voice, the hospitality union, analysed payslips and rosters of workers at five venues with underpayments totalling $50k and award breaches that include below-award wages, non-payment of shift and public holiday penalty rates, superannuation and leave entitlements. Wage theft at these Degraves Street venues has been uncovered: Degraves Espresso, RMB Café, Xpressomondo, Little Cupcakes and The Quarter. Employers are getting rich by gaming the system. They know the chances of getting caught are remote and the worst they have to fear is being forced to pay back stolen wages. That’s why hospo workers fought for and won a commitment from Premier Daniel Andrews to criminalise wage theft if he is re-elected.

Professional and academic staff are integral to the quality of our education. Research higher degree and undergraduate students will both be negatively impacted by this proposed restructure, as already pressured staff are put more under the pump with increased workload and reduced support. FUSA Student Council would also wish to acknowledge the huge financial and emotional burden on staff and their loved ones that comes with job insecurity.

Every worker deserves a secure job they can count on. But even when a collective agreement provides for casual conversion, companies like Bulla ignore and break the rules. Frankie had been a loyal employee at Bulla’s Derrimut cold store , employed as a casual and working full time hours every day for 12 months. He had been told by Bulla that after 6 months work, he would be made permanent in line with the EBA conditions. Having a young family to support, this was very important to Frankie. After 6 months of casual work had passed Frankie asked for conversion. He was ignored. After waiting for 12 months he spoke to the delegate, and management finally handed him a contract. The offer was for a seasonal short term role, not the full time job he was entitled to. Frankie was given just 48 hours to sign the contract. The following day he politely raised the issue. Bulla’s response? 'We are no longer offering you a contract, and your employment is terminated effective immediately.' He was escorted off site past his shocked workmates for asking a fair question. Stand united in support with Frankie and against companies that have too much power - all workers deserve a job they can count on!

There are approximately 19,000 Victorians in receipt of aged care packages and more than 14,500 on waiting lists, many of whom will be in receipt of Council delivered Home Care. Council’s withdrawal from home support services will impact on these individuals and their families increasing system fragmentation and uncertainty.

Baxter Laboratories in Boronia manufactures sun and skin care products for some of Australia’s best known brands such as Coles, the Cancer Council, Dermaveen and Lucas’ Paw Paw Ointment. Workers at Baxter Laboratories want a living wage. NUW members are fighting for a fair pay offer and better working conditions. After 4 months of protracted negotiations, members took protected industrial action and stopped work for 24 hours on 11th October. Like so many other hardworking Australians, workers at Baxter Laboratories are struggling to make ends meet because they are not paid a living wage. Meanwhile workers are being asked to work harder and faster. To add insult to injury, Baxter Laboratories is withholding back pay on the grounds that the first offer that was put out to a vote was not accepted. Workers should be entitled to vote down unfair pay offers without being penalised for it. Send Brent Baxter a message, that you buy sunscreen and you support workers being paid a living wage!

By forcing unemployed workers out onto rural farms, Scott Morrison is stripping Australian citizens of their right to freedom of movement. This will create a deeply segregated society - one where only certain, privileged citizens have basic workplace rights and freedoms. Over the past few months, Morrison has continued to trample on the rights of unemployed workers. He has taken away their rights to appeal unfair penalties made by private employment services providers; he has stripped their rights to a 'reasonable excuse' for not attending activities and appointments; and he has significantly expanded the coercive and dangerous Work for the Dole program. Australians who have become unemployed - due to no fault of their own - are being systematically branded as second-class citizens. Scott Morrison's plan will not create one single job for unemployed workers. It will only punish them for his government's own failure to create enough jobs. Let's send Scott Morrison a clear message - Create Work, Not Punishment!

Max (left) was underpaid $7000 in hospo on the Sunshine Coast and sent threatening letters to stop him claiming his wages. Andreas (middle) was paid $10/hr cash in hand at a restaurant in Sunnybank and couldn't recover his wages because he didn't receive pay slips. Sulu (right) was underpaid $13,000 over two years packaging ready made meals. Young workers are more likely to experience wage theft because we are often unaware of our rights at work, can find it hard to speak up and don't know where to seek help. In Brisbane's Fortitude Valley, 60% of businesses don't comply with the law, with most contraventions relating to wage theft. But hundreds of these cases will never make it to court, because the current legal system is expensive, lengthy and stacked in favour of bad employers who underpay their workers. If you've experienced wage theft or know someone who has contact the Young Workers Hub on 0448 681 116. Let's end wage theft!