News

Uluru Statement: ASU members visit Parliament House

This week First Nations ASU members joined union members from across Australia to meet with politicians about the Uluru Statement. This was the biggest delegation of First Nation Union members at Parliament House ever.

Members attended Noel Pearson's speech at the National Museum of Australia. According to ABC News, "Mr Pearson urged the government not to give up on the decades-long push for constitutional recognition and reiterated his support for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament to be enshrined in the constitution, in line with the calls of the 2017 Uluru Statement from the Heart."

Call for nominations: 2021 HESTA Awards

HESTA is calling for nominations of dedicated professionals working in disability and community services in Australia for the 2021 HESTA Excellence Awards.

With a $60,000 prize pool up for grabs, the national Awards celebrate professionals from the four sectors who are going above and beyond the everyday high-quality care they provide to achieve outstanding health outcomes for Australians.

HESTA CEO Debby Blakey said the ongoing battle with COVID has demonstrated the critical importance of allied health, disability services, aged care and community services professionals in protecting and supporting their communities, as well as to our economic recovery.

“These amazing professionals are supporting Australians to stay healthy and well, and our economy to remain resilient and productive. They’ve often delivered the very highest standards of care in the most challenging of circumstances,” Ms Blakey said.

Scott Morrison Turns Back on Aviation Workers

The Federal Government has announced its aviation industry support package and in doing so turned its back on thousands of airline workers across Australia.

The Government has announced it will not be extending JobKeeper, even in the industries that have been hit the hardest by the pandemic like airlines and tourism. ASU members went to Scott Morrison's office to tell him to #KeepAustraliaFlying.

Add your name to our petition here https://keepaustraliaflying.com/.

Don't Close the Door on Housing

The Australian Services Union and Homelessness Australia are calling on the Federal Government not to close the door on homelessness services.

Currently, the Federal Government has no plan for funding Equal Pay in housing and homelessness past July this year. This could mean job losses and services in the sector, at a time when your work is more critical than ever.

Together we have fought hard to have our work valued and recognised. We’ve seen that we are powerful when we come together and we can win this time too. We fought and won Equal Pay in 2012 and now we need to fight once more.

We’re holding an urgent online briefing for members and workers in housing and homelessness services on March 16 at 12:30 pm.

Men in politics must stop feigning shock

ASU Secretary Natalie Lang has been published in Women's Agenda as part of International Women's Day. Natalie writes "Like most women I know, I’ve been deeply upset and angered by what the events of the last few weeks have exposed.

But, also like most women I know, I’ve always known this existed. The exposure of rape culture, the violence, the harassment – it’s been an unrelenting presence in our schools, our neighbourhoods, our workplaces and our politics.

So what’s with the “shock” expressed by so many commentators and politicians? Women have always known this mistreatment existed. We constantly discuss it. We mobilise against it. We campaign and we rally."

Union Health Offer for ASU members

Union Health Fund is different! 100% member-owned – they’re for union members’ health, not shareholders' wealth.

Australian Services Union members are eligible to join - and if you join today you have a chance to WIN back your entire year’s worth of health cover payments. (T&C apply)

Find out more: https://unionhealth.com.au/asufb