Category: Australian Council of Trade Unions

Fair Work Act and Multi-Employment Bargaining as Jobs and Skills Summit Priorities

Parties participating in the Australian jobs and skills summit have identified removing “unnecessary limitations” to single and multi-employer agreements as a priority to be addressed, along with improving the Fair Work Act. Speaking at the summit on Sep. 1, Employment Minister Tony Burke said there were a number of issues with the Fair Work Act…


Major Trade Union Says Energy Price, Wage Controls Will Help Economy Grow

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has proposed radical reforms to spur productivity in the country, including controls on energy prices and stopping impending personal tax cuts. Yet federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers has responded, saying that while ideas were welcome, they would not necessarily be adopted at the September Jobs and Skills Summit. The…


Skills Migration Visa Boost Not the Only Answer to Labour Crunch: Australia’s Treasurer

Australia’s Treasurer Jim Chalmers argues a short-term boost in migration numbers is not the silver bullet to workforce shortfall as an industry leader urges the government to allow up to 200,000 overseas migrants to come to Australia a year to fill job vacancies. It comes as more than 100 business leaders, unions and state governments…


Australian Government Should Raise Minimum Wage by 5 Percent in 2022: ACTU

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is calling on the federal government to increase the minimum wage for low paid workers by five percent to help them keep up with rising living costs. In its submission to the Fair Work Commission (FWC), the ACTU requested that the minimum hourly rate be raised to $21.35…


Australian Unions Warn of Strikes as COVID-19 Workplace Safety Concerns Go Unaddressed

Australian Council of Trade Union (ACTU) has said that they may take industrial action across the country if the businesses and the federal government do not make COVIDsafe working conditions a priority. The ACTU released a statement following a meeting with Australian work unions on Jan. 17 saying that the unions would do everything they…


Unions Criticize Religious Bill’s ‘Statement of Belief’ For Increasing Stress and Discrimination to Workforce

A representative of the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has attacked the government over its timing of the religious discrimination bill arguing that “if we were going to have a debate about a divisive bill, it could not have come at a worse moment.” Liam O’Brien, Assistant Secretary of the ACTU, argued that the Australian Coalition…


Australian Industries Urge for Consistent Easing of Isolation Rules to Relieve Stress on Supply Chain

Australia’s peak industry employer association is calling on the government to loosen isolation rules for a wider range of essential workers in the economy, similar to the latest changes to the food and grocery sector, to relieve the huge stress the supply chain is currently facing. “Tomorrow’s national cabinet meeting must agree to workable, consistent…


Record High Number of Australians Working Multiple Jobs

A record number of Australians are juggling two or more jobs as COVID-19 lockdowns and restrictions push workers into the gig economy, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has revealed. Newly released data from the ABS revealed that 6.5 percent of the Australian working population now had more than one job during the June quarter,…


Union Calls for Paid ‘Vax Leave’ for All Australian Public Servants

The New South Wales (NSW) government should lead the nation by example and provide all public sector workers paid vaccination leave, the state’s peak union body said. “One of the barriers workers are facing to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is finding the time to do it while they are working,” Unions NSW wrote in a…


Australia Increases Minimum Wage to $20.33 Per Hour

Industry groups have criticised Australia’s minimum wage has increased to $20.33 (US$15.45) per hour, saying it was hard to fathom the move given there were still businesses struggling from the COVID recession. The Fair Work Commission announced the 2.5 percent increase, which equals 49 cents per hour or $18.80 per week—to the minimum wage on Wednesday….