Australian Unions

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is the largest peak body representing workers in Australia. It is a national trade union centre of 46 affiliated unions and nine trades and labour councils.

Campaigns

  • Australia needs a pay rise
    Wages are falling behind for millions of workers. This is not just because of the pandemic, but has been happening over a decade. Complicated and outdated work laws that were written thirty years ago are now preventing workers from being able to bargain for decent wages and secure jobs. Only 14% of workers are covered by a current enterprise agreement. Industries that employ mainly women, like care or education, have some of the lowest wages and least number of enterprise agreements. Workers who have the same jobs across employers or sectors should be able to come together to bargain for decent pay and similar conditions. Unless we update work and bargaining laws, we can’t fix the wages crisis.. Work and workplaces have changed. We need work laws to suit now and the future. It just makes sense.
    4,999 of 5,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
  • Support the Climate Change Bill and real climate action
    This Bill is a major and important step towards real, concrete action after a decade of denial by the Liberal-Nationals under Abbott, Turnbull and Morrison. Enshrining the targets of reducing emissions by 43% by 2030 and down to net zero by 2050 is an important first step. The Australian union movement supports carbon pollution reduction and the transition to a clean energy economy. Australian workers can’t afford more denial or delay. Working people are at the front lines of the climate crisis – from firefighters, first responders, health-care workers and workers whose jobs are wrecked by climate-worsened droughts, fires and floods. All workers in all workplaces are affected by the climate crisis. Australian unions know that more work is needed at every level to support workers and communities affected by the changes we are facing in climate, industries and jobs. This Bill is a vital step to ensuring that this work happens.
    2,690 of 3,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
  • Make Rapid Antigen Tests Free and Accessible
    Unions and business urged Scott Morrison to make rapid antigen tests free back in October. He could have chosen to act but he did nothing. The UK and US Governments have already acted to make rapid covid tests free and accessible to their citizens, once again Scott Morrison is leaving Australia behind. Right now, a single test can cost up to $20, if you’re lucky enough to find a chemist that still has them. That’s $100 for a family of five. That might be small change to the Prime Minister, but it’s out of reach for many families. When asked whether he would make rapid antigen tests free for Australians who need them, Mr Morrison suggested it wasn’t the Government’s job to fix the problem anyway. When a journalist specifically put to Mr Morrison that “not everyone can afford Rapid Antigen Tests”, the PM glibly replied, “some people can, some people can’t”. We've seen time and time again that when the going gets tough, Scott Morrison goes missing. We can't afford this inaction right now. It's time for the Federal Government to step up and make rapid antigen tests free and accessible.
    154,010 of 200,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
  • Stop more changes and cuts to Medicare!
    Medical experts have already warned these changes will increase out of pocket costs – this means patients could be left paying hundreds of dollars for some common procedures and up to $10,000 for rarer conditions. The Liberal Government has already cut billions in funding for Medicare and other health programs since 2014. What’s worse is that they froze the Medicare indexation rate, which undermines bulk-billing. And they’ve already bungled the vaccine roll-out, the most important public health program in a generation. Now we need to stop the Liberal Government from wrecking Medicare.
    114,838 of 200,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
  • Coronavirus: Guarantee Paid Special Leave For All Workers
    As Australians, we stick together with our mates – we don’t leave people behind. But there are 3.3 million Australian workers with no access to paid leave – this represents 32% of all working people. If these workers become ill they will either attend work sick or potentially be subject to self-isolation quarantine at home without means to pay their bills. We can't wait - people are already being forced to go into quarantine and losing income. Many workers are also being forced to use their leave and some are even being stood down without pay. We are demanding that the Morrison Government guarantee two weeks paid special leave for all workers. Sign this petition to demand access to two weeks paid special leave for all workers affected by Coronavirus (COVID-19).
    116,122 of 150,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
  • Coronavirus - A guaranteed wage subsidy to save jobs now!
    Working Australians have been dealt a body blow by the impact of the coronavirus. Millions of workers are facing the very real prospect of losing their job and they need the government to act. Sign our petition and tell the Morrison government it must provide a guaranteed wage subsidy to all working people immediately to save jobs. Other countries' governments have already done this. The UK government is guaranteeing 80% of people's wages. It’s time Scott Morrison gave Australian workers the same assurance that they are not being abandoned. Scott Morrison has announced a wage subsidy for Australian workers, but it excludes 500,000 casuals and over 1 million temporary visa holders. Let the Prime Minister know that it is only by keeping people in jobs that the future of Australian workers, their families and their communities can be secured. If we guarantee wages now we will keep people in jobs and out of welfare. Sign the petition for a guaranteed wage subsidy and let Scott Morrison know Australian workers need a government that puts the well-being of workers first.
    44,371 of 45,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
  • Reinstate JobKeeper
    Affected workers desperately need adequate financial support from the Government, particularly those who work in the hardest hit sectors of hospitality, retail and aviation. These lockdowns are a direct result of the failures of the Morrison Government, and while the vaccine rollout continues to flounder there will be millions of workers who will need support. Without proper financial support, workers are left without money to get by, and they won't be able to spend in their local communities. Denying workers JobKeeper isn't just cruel, it's also bad economics. Scott Morrison must urgently reinstate JobKeeper. Workers need financial support they can rely on.
    84,806 of 100,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
  • Paid Vaccination Leave for All Workers
    The latest plan from the Morrison Government predicts 2 million jabs per week from September. But too many employers are not allowing workers to take the necessary time off to get the job. Those at the greatest risk include casuals and low paid essential workers. No worker should have to choose between getting vaccinated and paying the bills. Last year workers in their unions won paid-pandemic leave and Job Keeper. This year, together, we can win paid vaccination leave. We need a strong voice to demand nationwide paid vaccination leave to give workers paid time off to get the jab and recover from any side effects.
    18,230 of 20,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
  • We Won’t Wait
    Workplaces have a key role to play in supporting a woman facing family and domestic violence. Paid family and domestic violence leave can give a woman – and it nearly always is a woman – the time, support and job security she needs to escape and recover from an abusive relationship. One in three employers now offer this leave. All State and Territory Governments do as well. But two out of three employees are still missing out. A woman's safety shouldn't depend on her employer. We must give all workers access to paid family and domestic violence leave. It takes paid leave to leave. And we won't wait, because women can't wait.
    21,926 of 25,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
  • Australians need secure and reliable jobs
    Insecure work is a serious problem for Australian communities and families. Having a secure job is connected to so many basic things like mental health, food, housing, and being able to plan your life. And when people don’t have stable or secure jobs, they have less money to spend in local businesses which affects the local economy. We need the Albanese Government to deliver on its promise of returning Australia to a country where people could rely on quality, secure employment.
    23,437 of 25,000 Signatures
    Created by Australian Unions
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