Successful Campaigns

We won. At the meeting of Safe Work Australia yesterday, it was the decision was made to retain the WES for welding fumes.

The possibility of university-wide shutdowns in response to the COVID-19 virus is a terrifying one for casual and insecure workers who have no sick pay or leave entitlements. In Australian public universities, more than half of all teaching at our universities is delivered by casual staff, we are not marginal we are the backbone of the sector. This means that in the event of a shutdown, thousands of university staff are facing the loss of income they rely on to pay the bills and keep food on the table or even job losses. Casual workers who become sick in the coming weeks and months will have to decide whether they can afford to self-isolate or quarantine. This is both unconscionable and dangerous. The responsibility for this disastrous situation lies squarely on the shoulders of university managements who have responded to declining public funding by building an insecure workforce – all while enjoying some of the highest salaries in the world for university executives. So far, only Macquarie University has guaranteed access to sick pay and leave for casual staff in the event of self-isolation or shutdown. This is a welcome decision and we call on all other universities to follow their example. Currently, universities remain open for business, but the COVID-19 travel bans and public health crisis have given spendthrift universities across Australia an excuse to cut jobs. Frontline teaching staff have already lost work and more job losses are threatened. At the same time, staff workloads have intensified as student support needs have escalated. Despite the number of unknowns facing Australian universities, one thing is certain: domestic and international students will need more support – not less – because of the disruption caused by COVID-19. A well-staffed university workforce is fundamental if we are to meet the needs of students during this public health crisis. Casual staff must not pay the price for the COVID-19 outbreak. We are not a ‘soft expense’ to be cut when convenient, nor should we have to choose between our health, the health of our students and colleagues, and putting food on the table. By March 18 all universities must guarantee: · Casual staff continue to be paid if they are required to self-isolate. This is a basic requirement to secure the welfare of casual staff and ensure the safety of the university community. · Casual staff continue to be paid in the event of university shutdowns, even if they are unable to work from home. Casual staff perform work in teaching and research that is core to the mission of universities. Retention and support of casual staff must be a university priority. · Stop job cuts and austerity measures. Universities need more – not less – frontline staff to support and retain students through this difficult time. Endorsed by: NTEU UniMelb Casuals Network, NTEU ANU Casuals Committee, NTEU UoN Casuals Collective, NTEU UQ Casuals Caucus

Recently, the Albanese government delivered on what AEU members have been campaigning for. They will pay pre-service teachers whilst undertaking school practicum placements required as part of their courses. Make no mistake, this decision was only made because union members stood up, campaigned, and demanded the government do more to support pre-service teachers. This is how union action works.

We've won!

Because Cbus did as we told them, which they should have bloody done in the first place :)

We, members of the Independent Education Union, call on the Tasmanian Government to respect workers in public education and across the public sector in Tasmania. Proposals tabled by the Will Hodgman government so far do not adequately address the workload, pay and resourcing issues in Tasmanian public schools. Tasmanian teachers are the lowest paid in Australia, while Support Staff earn on average $25,000 a year and in some cases rely on Centrelink payments to make ends meet. Due to excessive workloads, almost half of teachers say they can’t meet the individual learning needs of students. Educator burnout is high and the best and brightest are being lost from the profession. We support members of the AEU and other public sector unions who in the face of their government’s failure to deliver a decent offer have been left with no option but to take stop work action on 2 and 3 April. Premier Hodgman, it’s time to show some respect for public sector workers, the backbone of Tasmania.

Exciting news – Telstra has reversed its decision to stop supporting the marriage equality campaign. This wouldn't have been possible without the pressure you helped put on to Telstra. You can read CEO Andy Penn's full statement here: http://bit.ly/1WaTxzG Can you take a moment to share this good news with your friends and family on social media or forward this email to you colleagues? Thanks, Community & Public Sector Union

News just in! Fair Work Ombudsman will now investigate cafes up and down Degraves Street! This is an amazing win for all hospo workers!

Pharmacist and Tech members at Epic won a new agreement that covers Qld employees and gives them basic rights and a big pay rise. They can now solve problems at work together through the agreement and have won paid parental leave for the first time.

After meetings held last week, all sacked ETU Crown workers have been offered their jobs back in the casino on existing UNION terms and conditions - and with increased job security. This is another great victory for working people. On behalf of the sacked workers, the ETU would like to thank the entire union movement and the community for their strong support in getting these sacked workers their jobs back. Well done all.