As university teachers and support persons, casuals represent and maintain the reputation of the university, as it is casuals who interact with students in the classroom and in providing support services every day.

This is important for the healthy and safety of all local families

Australia needs to be vaccinated as soon as possible. But we’re running last in the race to get it done. We won’t reach the required levels of COVID vaccination without more vaccine supplies and a faster roll out. We can’t rely on a system where workers have to get their jab on weekends or during lunch breaks. Monash University allows full-time workers to get vaccinated on work time. But it won’t pay casuals to do the same. No worker should have to choose between getting vaccinated and paying the bills. The latest plan from the Morrison government will see 2 million jabs per week being administered from September. We need paid leave to attend vaccination and recover from routine side effects. Last year workers in our Union campaigned for and won paid pandemic leave and one day a week carer’s leave for staff caring and home-schooling. This year, together, we can win paid vaccination leave. But we need to work together. We need a strong voice to demand nation-wide paid vaccination leave. We need it for the University, and we need it for our colleagues and students. Sign the petition for paid vaccination leave. Join your union.

The Titanic’s owner, Louis must pay our stolen super and wages back now. Wage theft is a crime in Victoria, our fellow union members fought hard to make that the case. We will report our employer to the Victorian Wage Theft Inspectorate to make sure he can’t get away with stealing from us or any other of his future workers. Louis employs a lot of young workers at The Titanic Williamstown. We don’t want them to think that it’s okay for employers to treat us so badly. We want younger workers to know that this is not acceptable and that they’re entitled to stand up for themselves and demand to be treated with respect at work. That’s why we’ve come together in our union, and why we’re fighting back. Louis, you ignored us when we contacted you individually. Have we got your attention now?

NECA CEO Oliver Judd is opposing wage rises for low-paid electrical apprentices. Judd, a former corporate lawyer, wants to block increases for hundreds of apprentices employed by Electro Group Training in NSW and the ACT. The ETU has negotiated an enterprise agreement that will deliver modest improvements to wages and conditions for our NSW and ACT members at group trainer Electro Group. These apprentices have previously been subject to basic award conditions. NECA is not a party to the EBA, in fact NECA group training is the main competitor to Electro Group. Yet despite this, Judd has asked the Fair Work Commission to block registration of the Electro Group EBA. The NECA CEO, who was paid over $250,000 in 2020, seeks to stop apprentices benefiting from a union EBA they spent months negotiating. ETU members at Electro Group fought hard to get their union EBA. If Judd gets his way, Electro Group apprentices will be stuck on some of the lowest wages paid to any group of Australian workers.

We need the Australian Government get on board with other countries with a real Climate Policy that will also transition Australian workers in to new clean and sustainable jobs. Bendigo workers want to see Australia invest in green energy and steel to reduce Australia's impact on our environment and secure the future for the next-generation of Australians. Bendigo is known as the 'City in the Forest' surrounded by farm land and amazing winery's, the result of the governments inaction on climate change will create job losses, decimate our agricultural and wine industries as well as having devastating effects on our beautiful city. With other counties committing to zero emissions within only a few decades Australian fossil fuels exports will decrease leaving workers to face job losses unless we have a plan. If others have a plan, it is time that we have a plan too. Australia should be part of the solution not the problem.

First Nations People of Australia have a right to self-determination, being the first peoples of this country. This means we have a right to determine who we want to represent us as First Nations Students Officer.

The Higher Education Act (2005) requires by law that University Council members have “an appreciation of the values of a University”. Given RMIT values include being “agents of positive change for our students, the community and beyond”, it is simply untenable that Ziggy Switkowski continues in his role of RMIT chancellor or as a Council member whilst chair of Crown Resorts Board .

In historically male-dominated occupations such as blue-collar trades, amenities for workers are often an afterthought or not provided at all. When they do exist, they are often very unhygienic, unsanitary, far away from the worksite, locked or in an unsafe location. The effects are worse for women who have a wider range of needs for bathroom amenities such as menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding and more. The laws that regulate bathrooms and amenities in workplaces MUST be updated to force companies and workplaces to follow the rules and provide good amenities for ALL workers. The more support we have in this campaign, the more likely we’ll be able to force positive change and make our workplaces safer and more inclusive for everyone.

Hutchison Ports Australia have disgracefully sacked respected Indigenous worker Kevin “Bones” Kelly from their Port Botany terminal. Hutchison has never accused Kevin of any wrongdoing. They say Kevin is not fit to perform his duties, but they have no medical evidence to support this claim. Kevin’s own doctor cleared him for work after a few weeks on workers’ compensation. After he was cleared, he carried out full duties without issue for 11 shifts before he was stood down and then sacked. Kevin is one of many workers recently sacked by Hutchison’s at Port Botany, including a high number of Indigenous workers. Hutchinson’s poor record of Indigenous worker promotion and retention indicates that it is a company rife with systemic racism. Thomas Mayor, National Indigenous Officer of the Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) said: "There was no genuine reason for sacking Kevin and Hutchison have a record of disproportionately sacking Indigenous workers. There can only be one word to describe the company's management, and everyone should learn the truth of it. Hutchison Ports is racist." Kevin was a world champion boxer. He is respected across the maritime industry and across the community. We will stand shoulder to shoulder with the Maritime Union of Australia until he is reinstated – We call on Hutchinson’s to reinstate Kevin “Bones” Kelly, end the sackings and end the systemic racism in the company’s management! Paul Keating, Sydney Branch Secretary of the MUA said: "I have known Kevin for many years. He is a good friend and greatly respected by his comrades on the waterfront and across the MUA. This sacking is utterly unjust. In all my years as a union official, I have never seen the treatment of a worker by an employer in this way. The MUA will not stand for this from Hutchison or any employer. The MUA expects reinstatement immediately."

Coles in-store Butchers have completed an apprenticeship and have extensive product knowledge. Butchers and Meat Packers inform customers on best cuts of meat for a particular receipt and how to cook, prepare and handle that meat. All this will be gone as Coles will now have it’s product processed at a third-party facility and will be brought to the store either gas flushed or cryovaced. In-store butchers and Meat Packers will be replaced with a store service rep that may not have ever worked with meat before or for that matter may not have ever cooked a leg of lamb before. When the public seems to want to know more about their food, and prepare their own food, Coles have decided to offer less. This is a shameful move that shows Coles cares more about profits than people. The only thing going DOWN DOWN at Coles will be the service…. Sign the petition and send Coles a clear message that this is unacceptable. At the height of this pandemic, these workers were putting food on our tables. What Coles is doing is wrong…. Help these workers get a better deal. Authorised by Matthew Journeax Acting Federal Secretary AMIEU 39 Lytton Road East Brisbane QLD 4169

Supermarket workers are risking the health of themselves and their families to keep warehouses running, shelves stocked and fuel pumps running. Coles and Woolworths should not pocket sky-high profits made off these essential workers' backs without recognising workers' sacrifices. In an email to Coles workers, the Chief Operations Officer, Matt Swindells, said "Finally, this week you will have heard that Coles is awarding a discretionary pay increase of 2.5% for all our wages-paid store team members. All team members covered by the 2017 Enterprise Agreement will receive the well-deserved increase from 6 September 2021 and you’ll see it in your payslips as of Wednesday 15 September." What is well-deserved is pandemic pay that is adequate (2.5% doesn't keep up with inflation which lies at 3.8%) and recognises the incredible sacrifice of working with the Delta variant spreading in the community.