At the direction of CUB, the 55 workers were called to a meeting and informed without prior notice that they were terminated. The workers were then ‘invited’ to reapply for their jobs with a company called Catalyst Recruitment, which is in the Programmed/Skilled Group. The invitation to apply for a job: - came with no guarantees; - would be on individual contracts; - would be covered by a barely compliant non-union EBA; - would result in in a massive loss of terms and conditions, including an approximate 65% reduction in monetary entitlements. CUB knew that their greedy money grab actions would not go down well with the workers or the ETU, so it had sneakily pre-organised the engagement of a company called "5 Star Electrical Services" to provide replacement workers, at rates that severely undercut the sacked workers. So CUB, just like Patricks during the Waterfront dispute, have rid itself of its committed union workers and the hard fought terms and conditions, and have replaced it with a temporary cheap non-union labour force. CUB and Programmed/Skilled are now trying to force the sacked workers to forego their work/life balance and existing hard fought terms and conditions, in order to “maybe” get some form of their job back. The 55 long-time and loyal CUB workers are holding firm against this unprovoked attack on their jobs and rights - and the ETU will stand with them all the way. Having had their livelihoods ripped away from them overnight, these workers have been left with no way to support their families or meet their commitments. We're looking to other union members to step up and lend these workers a hand, to help get them through these tough times so they can continue to stand strong against CUB's deceitful and malicious conduct. There is an important principle at stake in this fight, one that affects the security of all our jobs. Please help support these workers as they resist this attack on their rights - and on your rights.

Two thirds of women experiencing family violence are also working. Family violence doesn't just happen at home - it follows women to work as they are harassed, stalked and threatened on the job. Family violence leave gives survivors the time they need to visit the police, lawyers, doctors and go to court. It gives them time to move home, take their children to new schools and escape the cycle of violence. Sign the petition to tell The Australian and big business that everyone has the right to feel safe at work, and everyone should have the right to paid days away from work if they are subjected to family violence.

Despite claims to the contrary, weekends still mean something in Australia. Time with family and friends, relaxing, catching a match. But for many Australians, weekends mean work. Despite positive federal election results for weekend workers (some of the most vocal critics of weekend rates are now gone from Federal Parliament) employers continue their campaign to cut weekend penalty rates. We’re keeping on coming together to Save Our Weekend and defend weekend rates.

Right now in Australia, employers are shirking their duty of care to employees experiencing family violence. Despite community pressure, many employers are still denying people experiencing family violence the time they need to attend doctors’ appointments and court dates. That’s why union members are asking the Fair Work Commission and Governments to give people subjected to family violence a minimum of ten paid days away from work. It is the responsibility of our whole community to end family violence, and to support people experiencing violence right now. Employers say that this is a 'private issue' rather than something we must tackle as a society. They even argue that we should have to trade off other work rights to get it! They are refusing to step up and help to end this crisis. Survivors have suffered for too long behind closed doors. We all have a part to play in ending violence: it’s time that employers played theirs. Tell employers everyone has the right to feel safe at work, and everyone should have the right to paid days away from work if they are subjected to family violence.

Australia is essentially giving away its offshore oil and gas to multinational corporations for free. Stunning media reports have revealed that the primary tax on oil and gas (the "PRRT") is projected to fail to collect any meaningful income despite Australia becoming the world's largest gas exporter [1]. Lost tax income means lost opportunities to properly fund schools, hospitals and childcare centres; boost Newstart back above the poverty line; and build critical infrastructure for the 21st Century. The Tax Justice Network, in partnership with over 20 civil society organisations including ACOSS, the ACTU and leading environment groups, is calling on the Australian Parliament to hold an Inquiry into the failure of the PRRT to collect meaningful income, and to ensure that the Australian people benefit fairly from the exploitation of our own natural resources. References: [1] http://www.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/turnbull-government-called-on-to-explain-where-australias-offshore-gas-wealth-is-going-20161009-gryaoi.html

Most charities contract with private companies to raise funds over the phone or face to face in the streets. Oftentimes, these private companies engage workers as sham contractors as a way of avoiding the legal responsibilities they owe to their employees. This means fundraising workers can end up working full-time hours while taking home nothing or next to nothing in pay at the end of a week. This isn’t fair. The charities who engage these private fundraising companies have the power to fix this problem. They have the power to fix up their contracting chain and make sure their fundraising workers are paid legally.

Workers have been beaten and attacked by police during peaceful demonstrations, leaving one man dead. Over 20 union activists have been jailed, with raids on transport unions and the teachers' union deregistered. Yet workers and their unions remain steadfast in their fight for justice and are currently holding strikes.

Insurance companies like Gallagher Bassett make millions of dollars every year out of financial rewards for terminating compensation claims. They focus on booting injured workers off compensation to maximise their own profit. This comes at an extraordinary cost to injured workers who are forced to fight these insurance companies to get the help they need to recover. Insurance agents are dealing in human misery. We need to stop rewarding them. We are the Injured Workers Support Network and we are here to support injured workers and to change our broken system.

The Victorian Ombudsman released a damning report that slams the behaviour of Workers Compensation Insurance agents like CGU. It revealed that CGU made $15 million out of the Workers Comp system in 2014/15. But that profit came at the expense of injured workers and their families. CGU was caught using selective evidence to terminate workers comp claims, as well as flouting independent medical panels' decisions. In one case, the treating Dr of a worker said that CGU's "unreasonable" behaviour was putting the worker's recovery at risk. Allianz and QBE have publicly apologized for their treatment of injured workers. CGU's response was to lock the door on injured workers. CGU are making massive profits whilst they figure out ways to avoid paying for injured workers' costs. But while they celebrate, injured workers are contemplating suicide. Insurance agents are dealing in human misery. We need to stop rewarding them for it.

Health care is a universal right and should be about patient care. A private operator will have to generate profit. That can only be achieved by underpaying or reducing staff and scrimping on services. Ultimately it’s the patients that suffer. If it's the choice between treating a private patient or one on Medicare we all know who misses out. We want to ensure our hospitals remain in public hands for the benefit of everyone. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFTflWk8h5Q

Universities around Australia are funding detention centres on Manus Island and Nauru by doing business with the same companies that provide the security at these centres. We want to keep our Universities ethical. Tell them to stop contracting and contributing to companies like Serco, Wilson's Security and Broadspectrum who profit from Offshore Detention. This campaign, run by the National Union of Students, aims to highlight the plight of Asylum Seekers and to show that students and the community don't want their Universities associated with companies involved in Offshore Detention. Sign the petition and share to let people know that you want your University Ethical!

Southport Sharks club prides itself on being a leader within the Queensland Clubs Industry, the same industry that is calling for the slashing of penalty rates. Clubs Australia, the UNION for club employers, made a public submission to the Fair Work Commission calling for weekend and public holiday penalty rates to be slashed by up to half of the current rates. This could see employees’ lose up to $110 a week from their pay packets - a cut they can’t afford and don’t deserve. Southport Sharks wants you to believe it’s a community club that cares about locals – sadly for the locals they hire that’s not the case. Southport Sharks claims to be one of the largest and most successful Queensland clubs with over 50,000 members. Such a successful club can surely afford to stand up for its staff when their rights are under attack?!