Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (National)

The Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union fights for a fair deal for Australian workers – both at work and in the community. We believe in a fair and equal society of all, with the provision of public social services including education and health care and of dignity in retirement.

We represent tens of thousands workers in all areas of manufacturing around Australia, including:

  • food and confectionery;
  • metal and engineering;
  • printing, design and packaging;
  • technical, laboratory, supervisory and administrative; and
  • vehicle building, service and repair.  

As union members, we work together to protect your rights at work.

The AMWU aims to ensure our members receive the pay, conditions, safety and respect they deserve at work.

We also offer a range of services and benefits for members, including free legal representation, emergency transport cover, funeral benefit, discount holiday accommodation, discounts on cars, and much more.

The AMWU runs campaigns to advance our members' interests at a local, national and global level.

We campaign for a better deal at work, for the strengthening of Australian industry, and for good, secure jobs for all Australians.

For over 160 years, the AMWU has been part of many significant improvements to the lives of working people, including the 8-hour day, paid maternity leave, rights for apprentices, family-friendly conditions, superannuation, and many more

New Campaign Campaigns

  • Don't leave workers exposed
    The Workplace Exposure Standard for Welding Fumes is a general exposure standard that sets the upper limit of exposure a workplace can have for welding fumes. It's a critically important tool to keep workers safe as welding fume is a known carcinogen and can also cause serious illness such as lung damage and emphysema. Everyone deserves to be safe at work. Unfortunately, Australian exposure standards already lag behind many other countries; removing them all together puts workers at greater risk.
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  • Support Aussie Manufacturing
    Manufacturing in Australia matters, and it always has, but with decades of government neglect thousands of highly skilled, secure, safe, and fair paid manufacturing jobs have been lost. It’s manufacturing workers who’ve kept food on our tables and made sure we had PPE during a pandemic. Now they’re being ignored as we head into national economic recovery. Manufacturing thrives when governments invest in it. Australia could be a world leader in manufacturing. We need politicians to step up.
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  • Keep apprentices on the tools
    As an apprentice, I spend one day a week at TAFE and the other four days learning on the job. I can't imagine what an apprenticeship would be like without on the job training. Stripping away on the job training would be disastrous for our skilled tradespeople. We are calling on the Government to commit to keeping on the job training for all apprenticeships.
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  • Say no to Streets
    I’m a production worker at Streets Ice Cream in Minto, NSW. I’ve worked there for over 15 years making iconic Australian ice creams like Golden Gaytime, Magnum, Cornetto and Paddle Pop. I can’t tell you my name because my boss has imposed a strict media policy that means I could be sacked for speaking out. Employers like Streets are taking advantage of cop out clause in legislation that lets them terminate agreements that have been negotiated between workers and their employer. Employers are using cop out clauses all over the country to terminate agreements that have been fairly negotiated. I need you to sign my petition below to send a message to Streets that Australian consumers will not accept workers being treated so unfairly.
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  • Make it here
    Australia's unemployment rate is at record highs. By spending money on locally manufactured goods, instead of imported ones, the government can support our economic recovery.
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  • Hands off our Ovato agreement!
    Ovato workers have fought long and hard to secure the pay and conditions they have on site. Some Ovato employees have been with the company for over thirty years. Workers have been doing their best to support the company through the pandemic, agreeing to reduce their hours in good faith, only for the company to turn around and attack their pay and conditions. Workers are feeling angry, betrayed, and lied to. They've been let down by a company they gave their loyalty to.
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  • Stop sticking it to workers
    Workers in Australia have a right to join and participate in their union. The Federal government should not be allowed to tell workers what they can and can't wear. This is a blatant attempt by the Federal government to stop workers being active in their union. Sign our petition to tell the Federal Minister that this is unfair.
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  • Governor Philip Lowe: put your money where the money is! Pay Note Printers Fairly!
    It's not enough for CEOs and people like the Reserve Bank Governor to say that wage rises are important for our economy - they need to put their money where their mouths are. Workers at Note Printing Australia work hard, and are extremely skilled. As well as printing Australia's complex, anti-forgery bank notes they also print the notes of up to 100 other countries. They also print our passports! All workers are asking for is: - A fair pay increase (currently they are offered less than inflation) - An update to their classifications, - domestic violence leave , and - to offer pathways to permanency for long-term casuals. Support the workers: tell the Reserve Bank to PAY UP!
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  • Support Australian Chocolate Jobs
    We represent thousands of workers in the confectionary industry. Right now these workers are working hard to deliver good quality chocolate eggs to families this Easter. Senator Pauline Hanson has urged people to stop buying Australian made chocolate Easter Eggs because they are Halal-certified. At Cadbury alone, there are 1100 workers across Victoria and Tasmania We need to your help to tell Pauline Hanson to support Australian confectionary workers. Thousands of jobs are at stake. Senator Hanson can't be allowed to jeopardise thousands of Australian jobs just to make a cheap headline.
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