We are now weeks away from the federal election being called. In challenging times, it is a time for working people to stand together to protect what we have achieved.
Specifically, I am referring to the big industrial relations agenda that unions like ours across the country have successfully campaigned for and won. These wins include provisions such as:
- Strong new rights for workplace delegates including paid training leave
- Improved access to workplaces for unions to deal with work health & safety
- Rebalancing the Fair Work Commission
- Made wage theft a crime and increased fines × 5
- Banned pay secrecy clauses
- More rights for casuals and a path to permanent work
- Limits to fixed-term contracts
- Stronger rights for parents and carers for flexible work
- 10 days paid family & domestic violence leave for everyone, even casuals
- Right to disconnect
- Better equal pay laws
- Same job, same pay for labour hire workers
- New rights for contractors that prevent employers insisting on ABNs
- Multi-employer bargaining
- Abolished the draconian Australian Building & Construction Commission (ABCC) & Registered Organisations Commission (ROC)
- Made it illegal to advertise jobs below the award wage
- Made it easier and quicker to recover unpaid wages and super
- Stronger laws to stop sexual harassment & discrimination
- Two weeks extra paid parental leave
- Super paid on parental leave
- Increased super and payday requirements for employers
- Criminal charges for employers for workplace deaths
- Future made in Australia supporting Australian manufacturing jobs
These advances are under attack from Peter Dutton who has already said publicly that he plans to wind back the clock on workplace rights.
The Australian Council of Trade Unions and the Victorian Trades Hall council will be campaigning with the support of unions across the country to ensure your rights at work are protected.
Interested in finding out more? Get in touch!
