News - Australian Services Union NSW & ACT Branch

Today's IRC Decision: 0.3% increase

The Industrial Relations Commission today rejected the NSW Government’s public sector wage cut, awarding 1 in 10 workers in NSW a 0.3% pay rise. For the average worker who has worked tirelessly to get the state through fires, droughts, floods, and the pandemic that’s an additional $4.90 a week – before tax. That’s the thanks that essential workers get from Premier Gladys Berejikilan, and Treasurer Dominic Francis Perrottet and their Liberal Government.

JobKeeper Changes

The Federal Government has made some important changes to JobKeeper.

The good news is that the JobKeeper Payment scheme has been extended until 28 March 2021 to ensure more Australians can stay in jobs and more businesses can survive the economic fallout of this pandemic.

However, the bad news is that as of 28 September the Federal Government has reduced the JobKeeper payment and created a two-tier system.

2020 Annual Survey Winners

Congratulations to our 10 Lucky Winners! Every year we run a comprehensive survey of ASU members to hear their thoughts on their Union. Members' ideas and feedback make our whole Union better. Winners have been notified by email.

JobKeeper Changes: All Member Briefing

The Government have slashed JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments, while a million Australian are still unemployed. The Australian Council of Trade Unions Secretary, Sally McManus called this a “devastating day for millions of Australians.”

ASU Deputy Secretary, Judith Wright, is hosting an All Member Briefing to discuss the changes and answer your questions about the Government's changes to JobSeeker and JobKeeper.

Wage Theft: Qantas Caught Out Again

The Australian Services Union, together with the Transport Workers Union and Flight Attendants Association of Australia took Qantas to court as they have been incorrectly applying JobKeeper and delaying the payment of shift penalties and overtime.

That didn’t fly with us or our members. The Federal Court has just handed down their decision and we won!

We are now calling for Qantas to accept the court’s decision and back-pay all underpaid employees. There is never any excuse for wage theft.

Western Sydney Workers Say Save Equal Pay

Workers across Western Sydney are part of a campaign to save 12,000 community sector jobs. ASU members are leading the campaign to save jobs, save services and Save Equal Pay.

Essential Community Services Face 20% Funding Cut

The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that “Community service organisations will be unable to meet unprecedented demand caused by the coronavirus pandemic due to a looming funding shortfall of up to 20 percent.”

Research shows that 12,000 jobs community sector jobs are at risk if the government walks away from fair funding.

Paid Pandemic Leave Win

Front line workers have continued to provide essential services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to some of our community's most vulnerable peoples. Union members have been campaigning for paid pandemic leave since March. We have already secured it for thousands of members at different organisations who have worked with their Union members to provide it. Now, finally, the NSW & Federal Governments have agreed to provide a paid pandemic leave scheme for workers in NSW - including casuals or contract workers!

Shameful Move by Qantas

Update 6th May 2021: Qantas to keep head office in Sydney, Jetstar in Melbourne

Qantas has already announced 8,500 job cuts since the beginning of the pandemic and the Federal Government have handed over $500 million in subsidies like JobKeeper to Qantas without any protections for the workers.

“This is yet another move by Qantas to rattle the cage of the workforce”. - ASU Secretary Natalie Lang spoke to 7NEWS about Qantas' shameful plans.

The Best NDIS

ASU Secretary Natalie Lang today provided an online Member Briefing to NDIS workers. We have a plan to fix training and to make the NDIS the best it can be. If you missed today's briefing you can catch up here.