The Australian Services Union represents processing and telephony employees at Serco. These employees are the backbone of the Services Australia system, and have worked tirelessly to support Australians during bushfires, Covid-19 and a major recession. These essential workers in the processing team are classified as Casual, so after years of services helping vulnerable Australians, they will be left with nothing. We need the Government to intervene and help save these jobs and help support Services Australia.

NSW Liberal Transport Minister Andrew Constance says time is up for Sydney's world-renowned Freshwater ferries – immortalised by Australian Crawl's song Reckless – that ply the Manly to Circular Quay route. The first of the four ferries is set to be removed from service next year, while the others are likely to be retired as early as 2022. Internationally recognisable, these doubled-ended “Manly ferries” are the iconic jewel in the crown for Sydney Harbour and an Australian institution. The proposed successor Emerald-class ferry will see passenger capacity reduced from 1100 passengers down to 400 passengers per trip. There is no doubt that this will have a major impact on the levels of tourism to Manly, particularly through school holidays and the warmer months. Of course, the Emerald Class will simply not be able to handle the seas across the Heads and operate to the 5m swell limit like the Freshwater-class does. To remove these vessels would be the same as pulling the Staten Island ferries out of New York, the Star Ferries out of Hong Kong or the Cable Cars out of San Francisco. All iconic in their own nature. This announcement is simply the wrong decision.

I was an electrical apprentice and I suffered at the hands of dodgy bosses. I have been underpaid, threatened, bullied daily and not trained or supervised correctly. I wish that my experience was just a once off but it happens to many apprentices and trainees across all industries. Since March, the number of apprentices and trainees that have contacted the Young Workers Centre to lodge a complaint or seek advice has doubled, and now accounts for nearly 50% of our legal centre enquiries. Completion rates are already low enough - 50% of workers drop out of their apprenticeships before they finish their training and they overwhelmingly cite workplace abuse as the reason why. We can’t afford dodgy employers who want to access even cheaper labour for a 1 year period to get away with hiring and abusing apprentices and trainees with no intention of supporting or employing them for the long term. Sign and share this petition so that the apprenticeship and traineeship wage subsidy doesn’t turn into government funded exploitation.

When faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, workers offered to roll over their current Enterprise Agreement so that everyone could focus on supporting South Australians through the public health crisis. The Marshall Liberal Government rejected this, and now after months of negotiations, they are still shamefully in favour of attacking workers’ conditions, including their job security, leaving workers and the community concerned that the Government has an intention to privatise further services. We call on the Treasurer and the Marshall Liberal Government to support these workers by agreeing to stop the attacks on their conditions and commit to secure jobs for essential workers. Sign the petition now! Send the Marshall Liberal Government a clear message that the community supports these essential workers

It happened to us, and we don’t want other workers at Daiso QV to keep doing hours of unpaid work or being forced to turn up to work sick. That’s why we’re standing up for the current and future workers of Daiso QV. Over the years we tried to raise issues with Daiso management but it’s been brushed under the carpet. We’ve been left with no option but to start a petition and tell our stories. Please send a message to Daiso QV that this is not on.

It is important that the team at Alexandria Child Care Centre have equitable conditions that meet the needs of staff and the community using the service. It is important to all City Staff that there is a clear process for applying for the 9 day fortnight and that outcomes are fair, transparent and appropriately communicated.

Reproductive Health and Wellbeing Leave recognises men, women and gender diverse people have special health needs connected to their fertility and sexuality. Reproductive and sexual health care has traditionally been a taboo topic in the workplace, with members preferring to take time off without pay and struggle on without workplace support than directly address their health needs with an employer. From menstrual pain and discomfit to the need for surgical interventions like vasectomy or hysterectomy to assisted reproduction and gender transitioning therapies, Reproductive Health and Wellbeing Leave takes away the embarrassment for employees and employers making it clear that there is workplace support for the most personal health issues. Reproductive and Sexual Health Leave includes: flexible working arrangements- the right to work from home the right to a comfortable working environment to alleviate symptoms or facilitate treatment the right to access up to 5 days leave per year in addition to any personal leave days. Appropriate evidence (eg. Doctor's Certificate) may be required.

It is important because the AFL has reduced a well-established entitlement prior to commencing a restructure of the administrative side of their business, resulting in significant job loss. A significant portion of the impacted employees are already earning significantly less than the average annual wage in their respective states & territories and nationally. A restoration of these entitlements will ensure that impacted employees can exit the business with dignity and with less stress to provide for their families during the fast approaching festive season. Please sign the petition on the right-hand side of this page. By signing this petition, we are calling on the AFL to reinstate their policy to an entitlement to 3 weeks’ pay for every year of service capped at 52 weeks.

With unemployment at record levels, thousands of jobs and billions in investment are waiting on the government’s offshore renewables legislation. We need these projects to create jobs, reduce energy emissions, and help address the climate crisis. Offshore wind could play a big role in decarbonising the electricity system in Australia. 3 huge offshore wind projects are in the works in Australia: Star of the South off Gippsland, Victoria, Newcastle Offshore Wind off NSW, and the Mid West Wind and Solar Project south of Geraldton in WA. These projects connect the immense renewable energy resources off our coasts with the existing transmission lines, population and industry built near the coast. Using our offshore renewable resources can provide thousands of transition jobs for offshore oil and gas workers and other energy workers. Offshore wind projects can be located near existing coal fired power stations. The International Energy Agency says that the strength and consistency of offshore wind make it potentially comparable with gas and coal fired power (IEA Offshore Wind Outlook 2019). The government is offering much less support to ocean renewable energy than it has offered to gas-fired power stations, fracking, and pipelines. If Commonwealth-owned Snowy Hydro is building new energy generation, it should be offshore wind in Commonwealth waters. The Government was supposed to introduce an Offshore Clean Energy Infrastructure Bill in mid-2020 but that time has passed and there is still no draft Bill. Credible offshore wind projects have been waiting more than five years for this legislation. The bill should provide that Work Health and Safety for offshore wind should be part of the national harmonised system, and recognise that the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) is not the appropriate body to regulate offshore renewable energy. The government needs to open its eyes to the enormous renewable energy resources off our coast. More information on the potential for offshore wind in Australia is here https://www.mua.org.au/campaigns/Build-Offshore-Wind-and-A-Just-Transition

Only through a substantial increase in funding with expenditure transparency measures, mandated minimum staffing levels across a mix of skills, and improved wages and conditions of the workforce, can the aged care sector provide the high-quality care that older Australians deserve. The Government can no longer afford its inaction. Join us to demand Action on Aged Care.

Ethnomusicology and Musicology are core discipline areas that teach students wide ranging skills to think critically and deeply about the nature and sustainability of music, music industries, and music cultures from across the globe. The University's decision has been made without disciplinary consultation and is, we understand, grounded in inaccurate enrolment data. Ethnomusicology and musicology courses are viable. Abolishing them would not only be likely of no positive economic benefit, it would significantly diminish the School of Music's capacity to offer its students a comprehensive academic foundation, as well as diminish the academic standing of the University as a whole.

Many restauranteurs consider any bad PR from being caught exploiting staff to be a cost of doing business which is soon forgotten by the public. Having a good write up in The Age Good Food Guide is a huge boost for a restaurant. For too long this publication has abdicated its social responsibility by ignoring ethical considerations and workers rights when reviewing restaurants. Having this publication exclude the dodgy operators would be a game changer in the industry as no restauranteur would want to lose a potential favourable review.