Help Stop Cuts to Essential Health Care in Australia

Dear members Over Christmas the Turnbull Government unleashed more cuts to Medicare when they thought no one was watching.   Pap smears, blood and urine tests, X-rays, ultrasounds and MRIs will no longer be free if the Government gets its way.  But just like we have over the last two years – we can stop them. As a nurse, I know how important these tests are. Pap smears help detect cancer. Blood and urine tests are a vital part of diagnosing problems before it’s too late. Ultrasounds are vital for pregnant women and MRIs & X-rays are essential to diagnose problems. They save people’s lives. Yet the Turnbull Government, just like the Abbott Government, seems intent on destroying Medicare and Americanising our healthcare system. Australian Unions delivered Medicare for all Australians – its central purpose is to ensure that no matter who you are, or where you are from, you can access free quality health care. Join with us to demand Prime Minister Turnbull act to reverse these cuts so these tests remain free. We made Tony Abbott back down on the Medicare co-payment twice. Let’s demand Prime Minister Turnbull do the same. Sign the petition and spread it far and wide. Let’s make this an issue he cannot ignore.      Ged Australian Unions Team  http://www.australianunions.org.au/

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Our Rights at Work

Don't let Turnbull ruin Christmas

Did you know this week the Productivity Commission  handed down their final report into workplace relations?

But still no word from the Turnbull Government on whether they are going to cut wages just in time for Christmas.

Send the Prime Minister a message and tell him all we want for Christmas is penalty rates.

The Commission’s recommendations are of vital importance to working people with many of our fundamental rights on the chopping block if the draft report handed down last year is unchanged.

Penalty rates, worker’s allowances, the minimum wage and other hard-won working conditions are all up for grabs.

We are hoping the Commissioners have listened to reason and withdrawn moves to cut weekend rates for hospitality, retail, entertainment, café and restaurant workers.

But if not, the take home pay of more than 4.5 million hard working Australians will be slashed by about 30%.

These workers are already some of the lowest paid in our society - and at a time when many are struggling to make ends meet - this will be a huge blow they simply can’t afford.

Penalty rates are in place as compensation for working unsociable hours that take workers away from their families and events that only happen on the weekends.

But the Turnbull Government and greedy employers don’t seem to care about the sacrifices workers make and will do everything in their power to cut wages.

Even if this means workers will have less money to spend at the very businesses Turnbull is claiming he wants to help. That’s why we must make a stand to stop them.

Tell the government today that they have no right to rip penalty rates away.

Australian Unions recently released disturbing figures that show the true impact of any cuts to penalty rates, not only on workers and their families but on entire communities.

Regional Australia alone will take a hit of up to $1.55 billion every year if penalty rates are scrapped. We can’t let this happen.

The Prime Minister needs to know that these regional workers are voters too and one in five work in the retail and hospitality industry.

It’s time for the government to stand up for working Australians and protect our living standards.

Send the PM a message now.

In union,

Mark Lennon

Secretary, Unions NSW

Damian Cobley-Finch Funeral Details

“My aim for Acoustica is to bring people of all

ages together, create community bonds, encourage music and performing arts and celebrate

inclusiveness; and of course listen to some great music,”

Cr Damian Cobley-Finch 

Damian was a long time member of the UTS CPSU Branch serving as a delegate and represented many members over the years. He worked as a Counsellor/psychologist in the Universities student services until retirement.  
Damian was also a strong Labor Party member. Serving in his local council of Leichhard in many ways.

He knew how to stir up the rat bags as well. 

Alan Barnes past UTS branch President said; "a man that knew right from wrong".



"His conduct in public office and as a private citizen was exactly the same - he believed passionately in public service and local activism dedicated vast quantities of his time accordingly." Darcy Byrne

Can you pass on funeral details to comrades and friends at UTS PSA/CPSU.
Damian's funeral will be at St Augustine's Church 3 Jane St., Balmain NSW 2041 at 2:30 next Tuesday December 8th.

Superannuation Attack

Members Beware. The banks are coming after your super. Contact the cross-bench Senators before it’s too late. Our not-for-profit system of industry superannuation has seen workers retire on significantly larger nest eggs than those who used superannuation schemes run by the banks. But legislation is currently before Federal parliament that would fundamentally change the nature of our not-for-profit system of industry superannuation. That means more workers’ super contributions would be handed over to the banks. Which in turn, would mean $267,000 less at retirement for a 25 year old earning $50,000 in 2010. Taken as an income stream, it would be thousands of dollars less every year. That would make a huge difference in retirement. Contact the cross-bench Senators and tell them to vote to stop this. The union movement built our not-for-profit industry superannuation scheme. Now it is worth $1 trillion per year the banking sector want to get their fingers on it. That means more workers’ money diverted to corporate profits. Contact the cross-bench Senators now to defend our superannuation system. In union, Emma Maiden Assistant Secretary Unions NSW

Keep Super Safe Campaign

Australian Unions built the most successful financial story in Australia – industry superannuation. Now Malcolm Turnbull wants to dismantle it.

The Turnbull Government is proposing changes that will hand over our super to the big banks. I’m writing to ask you to contact the cross-bench Senators and tell them to vote to stop this.

Industry superannuation has low fees and high returns because they are run in the interests of their members, not to make profits for banks. All profits are returned to members, there are no sales people and it is secure. All of this is at risk if Turnbull succeeds in letting the big banks get their hands on our super.

If you’re young these changes will cost you the most. You could end up paying up to a quarter of your retirement savings in fees. We can’t let this happen.

After a lifetime of work and saving, you deserve better than that.

We built superannuation. Now we need to defend it.

Contact the cross-bench Senators today.


Ged
Australian Unions Team
http://www.australianunions.org.au/

GST HIKE

The Multinationals and Co-operations  in Australia who do not pay any taxes are the ones who should be paying up not our poorest workers.