UNITE is Australia’s newest union. It is a fighting union for fast food and retail workers in Victoria.
August 13th, 2007
Only 12% of people aged under 25 are a member of a trade union. This Friday August 17th the ABC’s JTV program will investigate why this is so. Are unions irrelevant to young people or is there a problem with the politics and approach of the established unions. If this trend continues what will it mean for the future of trade unions in Australia?
Reporter Steve Cannane spoke to several people including Anthony Main Secretary of UNITE, Jeff Lawrence Secretary of the ACTU and Danielle Archer from the Young Unionist Network in Victoria to get some different points of view. Click on the link below to watch the Vodcast on the JTV site.
Click here to watch the JTV vodcast - Young over unions?
July 15th, 2007
A typical Victorian worker on an Australian Workplace Agreement (AWA) earns 23 per cent less than a comparable worker on a collective agreement, according to a study commissioned by Industrial Relations Victoria the Age newspaper reported today.
This is much greater than the 16.3 per cent shortfall for workers nationwide. The gap for Victorian workers is greater probably because of the different industry composition in Victoria. Victoria has fewer well-paid mining jobs and a bigger AWA use in retail, fast food and hospitality.
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July 4th, 2007
SKA TV is currently producing an excellent weekly television show covering work and trade union issues. It can be seen every Monday at 8.30pm on Channel 31. The episode on July 16th will be on young people and work. It will feature UNITE Secretary Anthony Main and NUW Organiser Godfrey Moase. Be sure to check it out and support our own independent media.
For more info contact theunionshow@yahoo.com.au
June 24th, 2007
Do you get paid your superannuation? Do you know what superannuation is? It seems a growing number of workers are owed superannuation entitlements from employers.
Superannuation is basically a pension scheme. It has a compulsory element whereby bosses are required by law to pay a proportion of their employee’s wages (currently set at nine percent) into a superannuation fund, which can be accessed when the employee retires.
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May 23rd, 2007
UNITE launched its latest campaign this week called the ‘UNITE Workers Rights Compliance campaign’. This campaign is being strongly supported by the City of Melbourne.
The Workers Rights Compliance Campaign aims to ensure that businesses in the City of Melbourne are adhering to the basic minimum standards required by law. It is common knowledge that in the areas of fast food, retail and hospitality many employers are not doing this.
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May 14th, 2007
In response to a call from the Starbucks Workers Union (SWU) in the US, UNITE is proud to be participating in an international day of action in solidarity with Starbucks workers on May 17.
UNITE members and supporters will be holding an action outside Starbucks on Swanston Street in the Melbourne CBD. At the store located between Lonsdale and Little Lonsdale streets (across from QV). Please join us between 4pm & 5pm Thursday May 17.
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May 13th, 2007
In the past week UNITE Secretary Anthony Main spoke at two large seminars at the Victoria University (VU). Both were organised by VU, as part of the curriculum, to let students know about their rights at work.
At the first seminar, held at the Newport campus, over 60 VCAL students and apprentices packed the auditorium to hear Troy McGuiness from the postal workers union (CWU), and Anthony speak about the problems facing young workers.
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April 25th, 2007
In mid April, leader of the Labor Party, Kevin Rudd gave a speech to the National Press Club. In the speech he outlined several parts of his IR policy which he will implement if he is elected to power later this year. Rudd explained that contrary to previous statements he would not be tearing up Work Choices, instead he will be tinkering at the edges of the legislation whilst retaining significant parts of it.
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April 23rd, 2007
Celebrate May Day with UNITE. Attend the 2007 May Day march.
Assemble 1pm Sunday May 6th at Trades Hall, corner of Victoria and Russell Streets Carlton.
May Day is a day when we celebrate internationalism and working class struggle throughout the world. UNITE would like to send May Day greetings to workers and young people across the globe especially to those who stand with us in the fight to organise the areas of fast food and retail.
Read the article below - May Day a brief history, originally published by the Melbourne May Day Committee.
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April 10th, 2007
UNITE calls on all members and supporters to attend the Union & Community family day. The event has been organised by the Victorian Trades Hall Council as part of the campaign to get rid of Howard and his anti worker IR laws.
Come along to the Myer Music Bowl on Sunday 22 April 12 noon - 4pm for a picnic with music, comedy, speeches and more.
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April 1st, 2007
Over 300 people attended a demonstration to launch UNITE’s Boost Our Pay campaign on Friday March 30. The demonstration was held on the busy Swanston Street in Melbourne outside the main strip of fast food restaurants.
By UNITE reporters, Melbourne
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March 15th, 2007
Melbourne’s best hip hop acts supporting fast food and retail workers!
On March 30 UNITE is organising an open air gig and demonstration to launch our new campaign Boost Our Pay. The demo will take place only meters from the doors of some Melbournes busiest fast food outlets on Swanston St in the City! It will feature local hip hop acts Illzilla, SS Pecker and Mata & Must.
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March 12th, 2007
UNITE spent part of the Labour Day weekend campaigning amongst young people at the Push Over music festival. Our volunteers staffed an information stall and handed out hundreds of leaflets promoting the launch of our new campaign, Boost Our Pay.
Whilst most other unions are totally out of touch with the needs of young workers, UNITE found that our slogans against youth wages, against AWAs, for a $16 minimum wage and for secure hours really hit a cord.
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March 6th, 2007
Come over to the UNITE stall at the Push Over festival!
The Push is a non-profit, state-wide youth entertainment organisation in its 15th year of operation. It was established to provide opportunities for young people to access affordable, alcohol free events and to have the option to participate in the life of the local community.
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March 4th, 2007
The fight for equal pay continues!
In the 1920s women workers were only payed about half of what male workers earnt. In some workplaces even this was not paid and women received only 30- 40 % of men’s wages. It was through organsing women in unions that the struggle to achieve equal pay was won. Today the striggle for equal pay continues with young workers who sometimes only recieve between 40 –60 % of adult rates. This is helping employers to make massive amounts of profits.
By Kylie McGregor, UNITE President
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