ACTU Submission Investor-State Dispute Settlement (ISDS) Bill 11 April 2014

Introduction

The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) supports trade integration that contributes to

sustainable economies where workers are employed in decent and secure jobs. Intensified

competition and unfettered capital mobility may lead to economic growth but it can also exacerbate

inequality, social exclusion and environmental degradation. It is essential that the space for domestic

policy making is maintained so the negative impacts of trade liberalisation and unequal economic

growth can be anticipated and addressed. Domestic policy must also play a role in supporting a more

equitable distribution of the benefits of trade liberalisation and growth more broadly. The role of

government and democratic decision-making in introducing legislation and overseeing policy in the

interest of workers and communities is central to this.

UNION TAKES ACTION ON 'DRACONIAN' SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

APR 09, 2014

The Community and Public Sector Union has lodged an industrial dispute with the Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet over its new social media policy.

The policy punishes workers who post critical comments about the government on social media and forces colleagues to report co-workers for such activity.

The Department’s failure to consult staff and unions over the changes is a clear breach of its enterprise agreement, the union says.

CPSU National Secretary Nadine Flood said: “Encouraging people to dob in a workmate is a new and nasty feature and one that we think is entirely unnecessary to police the use of social media by public servants. Forcing people to spy on their colleagues is incredibly divisive and will only sow the seeds of mistrust in the workforce,” Ms Flood added.

The CPSU was involved in initial consultations over the new policy, which is based largely on 2012 Public Service Commission guidelines, however the ‘dob in a mate’ clause was not in the draft shown to the union.

Ms Flood said: “We have had many members contact us to express their anger and frustration at what can only be described as a draconian policy. Furthermore we’d question whether there’s any evidence it is justified. What is the problem this policy is trying to fix? This is the Australian Public Service we are talking about not a police state.”

“We believe public sector workers should have the same rights as other Australians to engage in online debate, particularly when it’s in their own time and they don’t identify themselves as a government worker. This policy could mean that a public servant could be in breach of the rules if they attended a political rally and their picture is then shared on social media. That is not fair.” In the past the CPSU has been critical of the APSC policy because it over-reaches in seeking to limit what public servants do online privately, particularly where they are not identified as public servants.

However, Ms Flood added: “At the same time people need to be mindful of not being identified as public servants in comment critical of the Government of the day and of their responsibility as public servants as set out in the APS code of Conduct. We have said before that this is an evolving space and employers and Governments need to provide better, clearer guidelines. This policy does nothing to improve that.”

FOR COMMENT PLEASE CONTACT CPSU MEDIA OFFICER JULIAN LEE ON 0409 493 290

Now more than ever it is vital for UTS Professional staff to join together to stand up for your rights, if you are not already a member join today (https://membership.psa.asn.au/join/)

Managing Change and the Kuring-gai campus closure

I would hope all our Professional staff at UTS are aware that “All learning and teaching activities will move from Kuring-gai campus to the City in time for the new academic year in 2016.”

Also “June 2008 marked our first major Kuring-gai campus (Lindfield) milestone, when the lands surrounding the campus buildings were rezoned for residential use.

The residential lands were sold to Defence Housing Australia (DHA) in 2010. DHA’s main role is to provide housing for Australian Defence Force members and their families.  The sale is great news for UTS. DHA is a developer of the highest calibre, a trusted government business enterprise, and a first-rate neighbour for UTS and local Lindfield residents.

In December 2012, UTS entered an in-principle agreement with the NSW Government to swap Kuring-gai Campus for a State-owned asset in Ultimo, allowing UTS to expand its City Campus footprint. Importantly, the swap enables the State to establish a new, much-needed secondary school in Lindfield. Until the transfer to the City campus (end-2015), students and staff at Lindfield will continue to enjoy the full range of services and facilities presently available.”

For a history of the site read this: https://www.aila.org.au/projects/NSW/ku-ring-gai/docs/uts_hist.pdf

While we can be excited about the new buildings that are coming and the wonderful vision there has been nothing much shared with Professional staff about how this campus closure and relocation is going to be handled and no change management documentation produced by UTS so that Professional staff can see their vision and future is secure at UTS.

The CPSU have therefore written to the University today asking that they fulfil their obligations as set in our current Support Staff Enterprise Agreement.

Now more than ever it is vital for UTS Professional staff to join together to stand up for your rights, if you are not already a member join today (https://membership.psa.asn.au/join/)

UniSuper has the following connections to the Australian Government’s “detention network.”

The National Tertiary Education Union’s General Secretary is on the Board of UniSuper, as is a representative from the Community & Public Sector Union.

Australia: the country of the fair go . . . for some

27 March, 2014 | Media ReleaseAustralia risks losing its claim as the country of the fair go if the alarming decline in the relative earnings of low paid workers continues.

ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver said the national minimum wage is now just 43.3% of average full time wages, the lowest proportion on record.

“The gap between low paid workers and the rest is the biggest it’s ever been,” Mr Oliver said.

“Only twenty years ago Australia's minimum wage was nearly 60% of average full time wages yet it has declined during both economic booms and times of slower growth with the net result being that low paid workers are being left behind.

“The fact that nearly 19% of Australian workers meet the OECD definition of low pay – those with earnings below two thirds of the median – is equally alarming.

“Australia is meant to be the country of the fair go but the stats speak for themselves – we’re going down the path of the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots – with the ‘have-not’ population growing.”

Mr Oliver said the ACTU will lodge a submission to the Fair Work Commission (FWC) on Friday March 28 calling for a wage increase for Australia’s lowest paid including cleaners, retail and hospitality staff, child care workers, farm labourers, and some factory workers.

“The annual minimum wage review is the only chance for a pay increase for 1.5 million of Australia’s lowest paid workers, and helps set the pay and pay increases of many more” Mr Oliver said.

“Someone on a minimum wage of $622 per week barely has enough to cover their basic costs.

“Australia is becoming a high cost country to live in and for low paid workers it’s getting harder and harder to get by.

“We know that households with low paid adults have experienced a rise in financial stress and deprivation with the number of people seeking welfare assistance nearly doubling.

“If the gap continues to widen, Australians will need to work multiple jobs just to afford the basics moving us towards the ‘working poor’ scenario they have in the US – something Australians have made very clear they don’t want.

“Australians pride themselves on the fair go and enshrined in our laws is a requirement to maintain a safety net of fair minimum wages taking into account relative living standards and the needs of the low paid.

“It is essential that the Fair Work Commission increase the minimum wage to stop the alarming decline in the relative earnings of low paid workers.”

Mr Oliver said the FWC has already acknowledged that if rising earnings inequality is not addressed there may be ‘broader implications both for our economy and for the maintenance of social cohesion in Australia’.
 
“The best outcome for workers will be one that stops the gap growing between low paid workers and the rest of the community.”

Key Facts:
 
•    The Minimum wage is currently $622.20 or $32,355.44 a year
•    The Minimum Wage is now just 43.3% of the average full-time wage (AWOTE), the lowest minimum wage ‘bite’ on record. Five years ago, the Minimum Wage was 46.9% of the average. Five years before that, the ratio was 48.2%.
•    Two decades ago, Australia's minimum wage was nearly 60% of average full time wages, ten years on it was hovering around 50%.
•    The rise in the incidence of low pay is particularly sharp and concerning. In 2002, 13.8% of Australian full-time workers had earnings below two-thirds of the median; by 2012 this had risen to 18.9%.
•    Over the past ten years, average full-time wages rose by $211.30 per week in real terms, or 17.2%. The Minimum Wage was increased by just $31.10 in inflation-adjusted terms, a real increase of 5.3% over the past decade. 
•    The Minimum Wage is only slightly higher in inflation-adjusted terms than it was in 2006. 
•    Statistics show that households with low paid adult employees have experienced a rise in financial stress and deprivation between 2003-04 and 2009-10.23 Over that period: 
o    The proportion that sought assistance from a welfare/community organisation nearly doubled, from 2.3% to 4.2%. Among households with only low-paid adult employees, the rise was even larger, from 2.4% to 6.5%;
o    The proportion that could not raise $2000 for something important rose from 13.1% to 17.6%; 
o    The proportion that went without meals rose from 2.5% to 3.7%, with the proportion among households with only low-paid adult employees increasing from 3.5% to 6.8%; 
o    The proportion that could not afford a holiday for at least one week a year rose 25.7% to 31.4%, or from 33.7% to 38.4% among households with only low-paid adult employees.

Contact Details Carla De Campo, 0410 579 575 and Eleni Hale, 0418 793 885

Download File:  ACTU Release: Minimum Wage Inequality

HOW FAIR ARE OUR UNFAIR DISMISSAL LAWS?

IF tomorrow when you arrived at work your boss suddenly and unfairly sacked you, how strong do you think your legal protections would be?


Now more than ever it is vital for UTS Professional staff to join together to stand up for your rights, if you are not already a member join today (https://membership.psa.asn.au/join/)

New laws to help bullied workers find reprieve

27 December, 2013 | Media Release

Union’s welcome new laws that came into effect on January 1st 2014 that give bullied workers a way to solve stressful, damaging and sometimes deadly workplace bullying issues.

ACTU Assistant Secretary Michael Borowick said unions have been fighting for these changes for over a decade. “We put bullying on the agenda as a workplace issue and welcome these long awaited laws which we hope will directly and swiftly assist bullied workers.” 

“Every day unions hear heartbreaking story after story of bullying in the workplace and the significant ramifications on the health and wellbeing of these workers.”

“As far as I’m concerned the change in laws hadn’t come soon enough.”

Mr Borowick said the new laws meant a worker could now lodge an application with Fair Work Australia seeking an order that bullying stop.  Fair Work had to respond within two weeks of an application being lodged.  

“Previously these workers had very limited if any recourse to assist them in workplace bullying situations. 

Instead the bullying was often ongoing sometimes to the point where the person was forced to leave that job, required stress leave or/and medication and in some tragic cases committed suicide.

“An order “that bullying stops” is focused on preventing any further bullying and this should not only help workers avoid the health and safety issues that arise but it could decrease the financial cost of bullying on the economy which is estimated to be anywhere between $6 and $36 billion annually.” 

Unions regularly receive complaints from workers. Recent cases include:

•    A civilian working in the police force who was segregated, ganged up upon and after five years was forced to leave that workplace suffered post-traumatic stress;

•    A nurse who was publically degraded and also punished for taking time off to care for a sick  husband and son with change of shifts without notice;

•    A retail worker who was verbally abused and humiliated, not allowed to take leave and filmed by the manager who then shared the footage with other staff was forced to apply for worker’s compensation;

•    A dental worker was subjected to constant and unwavering bullying and harassment including about her personal life and about her injuries. Despite all her efforts the bullying would not cease; and,

•    A person working in a male dominated industry, who experienced sexual, physical and verbal abuse because she is female and gay. She received prank calls on her mobile and at home and a senior colleague grabbed her breast and said, “I can do that because I out rank you.” 

Mr Borowick said that these changes do not set out to prevent bullying occurring but they will aim to stop it. However it is estimated that the new laws will only assist 80 per cent of the workforce.

“It’s unfortunate that the laws will not cover 100 per cent of workers. We are looking into the details and await more information about who has been left out.”

Contact Details Jane Garcia on 0434 489 533

Download File:  ACTU Release: Bullying Now more than ever it is vital for UTS Professional staff to join together to stand up for your rights, if you are not already a member join today (https://membership.psa.asn.au/join/)