The Electrical Trades Union is serious about workplace safety. It is a matter of life and death. We know that licensing of high-risk trades, health and safety training and right of access for workers' representatives are crucial to a good safety culture. Extending these basic protections to workers in the offshore oil and gas industries could be the difference between a tragic loss and a happy future for thousands of Australian families.

Across the country, students are increasingly facing struggles which impact on their ability to participate in and succeed at university including: -financial difficulties -health problems and -familial responsibilities. These struggles are even more pronounced for disadvantaged students including women students, lgbtiqa students, aboriginal and torres strait islander students, ethno-culturally diverse students, students with disabilities and students from regional and rural areas. At most universities, student organisations help to address these issue through the provision of a range of student services including student counseling, financial support, and autonomous departments which provide an independent voice for students. However, while these services are essential, they are almost entirely reliant on the funding their receive through the Student Services Amenities Fee (SSAF); which is often not sufficient or ongoing This is largely due to the fact that loopholes in the SSAF legislation allow universities to bypass recognising the most pressing needs of students in their SSAF distribution. While the federal SSAF legislation dictates that Universities are required to consult with student organisations about the distribution of their SSAF revenue; many Universities do so in a way that is superficial, and does not ensure the adequate resourcing of essential student services. Further more the SSAF is at risk under the current Liberal government, which has had a longstanding opposition to its existence. 
In order to ensure that all students receive the support they need at university, it is essential that the SSAF is supported, and that student representatives are given more control over student affairs.

My name is Rafael and until Friday I worked into the night cleaning Myer Melbourne. In just 3 months I was underpaid by at least $7000. I spoke out. And a few weeks later I was sacked. When I started, a Myer subcontractor made me work on an ABN number on a flat rate of $20 an hour - that's below the award. We got no sick leave, no super, no weekend rates and we had no job security. It was only when I spoke to my union, United Voice, that I realised I was being underpaid by almost $20 an hour on some days. In three months I missed out on $5000 in wages and $2000 in super. That’s a huge amount of money for me! I asked if I could be employed directly and if I could be paid the Award. But they refused. I rely on my job to pay my rent and my bills, and buy my food. I don’t know what I’ll do now. I have no income. I may need to return to Colombia without completing my studies. I can’t believe I lost my job simply for asking to be paid the legal rate. What’s worse is the other cleaners who’ve been ripped off at Myer are now too scared to try and claim the back-pay they’re owed. I thought workers had rights in Australia. Myer should know better. Just six months ago another Myer subcontractor was exposed for ripping off cleaners. I want my job back. I want all Myer cleaners to have secure jobs with fair pay and for our right to be union members and speak out to be respected. Can you tell Myer to respect its cleaners and make sure I get my job back?

While most nurses are assumed to have a safe working environment, those nurses who undertake hazardous service should receive Commonwealth Honours exactly equal with those received by other State public servants offering similar service. Nurses in psychiatric intensive care units manage the same violent criminals that police and prison staff manage, but while the police and prison guards do receive medals, nurses do not. Virtually all Psychiatric Nurses manage patients deemed to be a "danger to others". Therefore they should have their hazardous service recognised. Nurses who voluntarily surrender their right to a safe working environment by serving as Violence Managers; by joining Epidemic Community Response Teams; or working in dangerous locations such as Casualty Wards should have their hazardous service recognised. Nurses whose work exposes them to the risk of violent assault should receive the National Medal, and those who voluntarily surrender their right to a safe working environment, for whatever reason, are offering service "above and beyond", and so should be eligible to receive the Public Service Medal. Please sign this petition to demand that State Health Ministers submit the necessary applications to Canberra, back-dated to 1987 in accordance with Commonwealth regulations, so that all nurses, whether working or retired, can receive the recognition that their service, and all too often their sacrifice, justly entitles them to receive. At the end of the day, this campaign is an equal work for equal pay, equal recognition for equal service demand.

This will force vulnerable low paid workers to come into work for a shift that could pay less than $10. For many it will cost more to get to and from work than they'll get paid. If they don't show they may not get any more shifts. It's completely unfair.

The MV Wyuna is one of Australia’s most historically valuable examples of early post war shipping. This ship is invaluable, there are no more, she is the last of her line. Similar ships to the Wyuna have long since made their final journey to the breakers yard. Unless steps are taken to ensure Wyuna is preserved then the same fate may very well await the Wyuna.. We all have a responsibility to our future generations to preserve our maritime history.

40 Victorian families have been let down by the Federal Government. The product carried by the MV Portland between Portland, Victoria and Kwinana, Western Australia is: - Mined in Australia - Refined in Australia - Transported exclusively in Australia This is AUSTRALIAN COASTAL TRADE pure and simple. If these jobs aren't safeguarded, what job in Australia is safe? We need to back in our people and our skills, and ensure companies that profit from Australian wealth also support Aussie communities and people.

The Turnbull Government is proposing a GST hike to as high as 15%. This will hurt ordinary working people with families - particularly those on lower and middle incomes. The GST is a "regressive" tax - that is, it taxes a pensioner at the same rate as a multi-millionaire. That just doesn't make sense with inequality on the rise. Meanwhile, Malcolm Turnbull is delivering huge tax-breaks to venture capitalists and wealthy investors. We need a tax system where everyone, including big business pay their fair share. A hike on GST is not the solution!

Under a policy that had been in place for five years, all Federal government departments and agencies were required to start using 100% recycled paper this year. This policy was cancelled in the weeks before Tony Abbott was replaced as Prime Minister. Over the last few years, Australian Paper have invested in new recycling technology that allows 100% recycled paper to be made locally in Australia. This policy decision will cost thousands of jobs, will be bad for the industry, and will be harmful to the environment. We call on Malcolm Turnbull to reverse this decision and ensure all Government paper is 100% recycled.

The Victorian Government has promised to invest in the Melbourne Metro Rail tunnel, which will benefit commuters as well as creating over 4,000 jobs in Victoria. But this critical infrastructure investment depends on federal funding, and the federal Liberal Government has previously refused to back new rail projects. Victoria needs shovel-ready jobs, and the Metro Rail Tunnel is an important infrastructure project for Melbourne. We call on Malcolm Turnbull to invest in jobs for Victorians and support the Melbourne Metro Rail Project!

Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Island Countries are currently negotiating a regional free trade agreement: PACER Plus. The PACER+ is another in a line of secret trade agreements that push a trade liberalisation agenda and promote the rights of corporations over people. Australian Unions have come together against CHAFTA and the TPP to call for trade deals that are balanced, support jobs, protect the rights of working people and promote a healthy environment. The PACER+ agreement will disproportionately affect Pacific Island nations. It will: - Give unprecedented rights to corporations Pacific governments will face restrictions on their regulation of foreign businesses. They will not be able to regulate to keep prices low, or ensure that services are available to everyone in the community. - Undermine access to essential services PACER+ will require Pacific countries to 'list' service sectors (including health, education, and water), allowing Australian and NZ companies to compete to provide these services in the Pacific. This will undermine access to services (especially for vulnerable people, like the unemployed or the rural poor) - Lead to a loss in public services like health and education PACER+ is calling on Pacific nations to drop tariffs on imported goods. This will result in a significant loss of government revenue - up to 19% in Tonga, 18% in Vanuatu, and 12% in Samoa. This loss in revenue is more than their total health or education budgets. - Lead to business closures and job losses Remoteness, small economies of scale and lack of human resources make it difficult for Pacific businesses to engage in global markets. Opening Pacific markets up to Australian and New Zealand corporations may wipe out Pacific businesses due difficulties in competing with their cheaper prices. - Undermine indigenous rights to land Land is central to indigenous people's spiritual and economic life. The removal of restrictions on ownership of land by foreign companies and investors will impact on Pacific communities' ability to determine their own economic future. (Source: Union Aid Abroad - APHEDA)

Who Will Be Affected? Approximately 80 dedicated workers are at risk — many of whom are women and part-time employees who have built their working lives around supporting older people in our community. However, this issue extends beyond jobs. Impact on Older Residents The Council's exit from aged care services could result in the following consequences for older residents and their families: Higher costs for older people and their families. Reduced quality and choice of care. Less consistency and continuity for clients. Disruption to trusted relationships between clients and their carers. The loss of a local, community-focused service delivered by Council. Older residents deserve care that is affordable, reliable, and compassionate — not a system where cost-cutting comes before people. Council Must Listen Workers deserved to be consulted before such a significant decision was made. Clients and their families deserve transparency and timely information about what is happening. Our community deserves accountability and openness in decisions that affect essential services. Stand With Us We urge you to tell Melton City Council to reverse its decision, to not exit aged care services, and to continue providing the quality services that our community needs and deserves by signing this petition.