From Dave Oliver
WE’RE a movement of 1.6 million people. We’ve been here for 160 years. And we ain’t going away.
That’s my message in this election year, when the union movement is more relevantl than ever.
It’s our movement that gives workers the power to front up to bosses who want to cut wages, slash conditions or — even worse — cut corners on safety.
It’s our movement that makes it possible to hold political representatives accountable for their decisions. And it’s the collective that amplifies the voices of working people.
We must organise ourselves — it’s time to work towards the best strategic fit. If there are good strategic and operational reasons for unions to amalgamate, such as compatible cultures, supply chain alignments, skill bases and/or economies of scale, we should support and encourage them.
Our message is getting through — despite the efforts of Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull, and their corporate mates, there is widespread recognition of the need for unions.
Around 60 per cent of Australians think we play an important role in the lives of ordinary people, yet only 17 per cent join a union.
So it can’t be business as usual. We need to look at different membership models and how we can use them. We need to look at our recruitment techniques.
Is door-to-door recruitment fit for purpose in every scenario? Can we develop a more wholesale approach?
Our movement must not only keep pace with change — we must seek to shape that change.
The rise of the digital workplace, increasing job insecurity and the rampant nature of globalisation are creating major challenges for unions, not just here but around the world.
The boundaries of work are breaking down. People want more flexibility and control over their time and their lives. The concept of anytime-anyplace work appeals to many who see technology as a potential liberator from their desk, cubicle or workstation.
The challenge for us is how do we ensure this anytime-anyplace flexibility does not become a demand for always and everywhere from the bosses.
The increasing number of platforms forcing workers into a reverse ebay-style auction of bidding on parcels of work presents new challenges.
We need to set up policies and initiatives relevant to today’s workforce.
We know 40 per cent of workers are in insecure employment. This highlights the need to build new forms of protection and industrial rights. This is why we have commissioned research to develop a national system of portable entitlements.
The nature of work has changed. But the right of every worker to a paid day off to recover from illness, to take care of their sick child or elderly parent should not be the price workers pay for that change.
We know many of today’s jobs will be displaced by technological change. We know many workers will move in and out of different industries.
Are we set up for that? The honest answer is we are not. Our structures and our forms of membership are not designed for the inter-industry churn. And if we are prepared to fight for portable entitlements, should we not also fight for portable membership?
Workers don’t always need “bricks and mortar” to get organised. We have seen how — by creating online communities — workers in different locations have organised themselves, an have joined campaigns for change to protect their living standards.
We must build on what we have done, and take it to the next level by converting activism into membership.
The role of our movement is clear. When unions are strong, when people join unions, when we are shaping the policies of the nation, income inequality is lessened, economic growth occurs and living standards improve — so everybody wins.
Why do our people continue to be union members? What drives them? How do we engage them so they not only stay members but help us grow in their workplaces, industries and professions? These are the questions we need your help to answer.
This is an election year, and we will fight for our members.
This includes protecting weekend and penalty rates, making sure everybody has access to the healthcare they need, not just what they can afford, and that retirement means a decent life with a fair pension and superannuation nest-egg. We want to see our public services run by and for the public, that a Fair Go in Australia means everyone getting the support they need to have a better life. And we want everyone to contribute their fair share of tax.
Even if they are a multinational corporation — OK, especially if they are a multinational corporation!
And let me acknowledge the work the education unions have done to ensure our education system is of the highest quality by gaining commitments from the ALP to implement the Gonski program in full should Labor win the next election.
Meanwhile, we have a conservative Prime Minister writing the tale of two commissions.
First a Royal Commission that wasted tens of millions of dollars of public money on an exercise designed to weaken political opponents while doing nothing to address the broader issues in politics, business and society of governance and wrongdoing.
Corruption is a human condition, not a union condition.
This is why we have called for an independent national body to investigate wrongdoing wherever it may be. There is no place for crooks in our movement.
Improving our governance is something we take seriously and recognise as an ongoing process. Our members deserve the best governance standards, which is why we are working with our affiliates to implement improvements, to train officials and delegates and to support them making the changes that improve their practice.
Then there’s the other commission. A productivity commission was set up once again to go after our rights at work. Yet another attack on our take-home pay, working conditions and workplace safety standards.
Whether the government calls an election this weekend or in the spring, we are ready. We have our people on the ground talking with workers every day, engaging in workplaces, in communities and in homes from Cairns to Colac and from Darwin to Devonport.
Regardless of who is in power in Canberra, our movement will continue to campaign on your rights and your issues.
The Build a Better Future agenda will extend beyond this election campaign — and we will be there to see it through.
WE’RE a movement of 1.6 million people. We’ve been here for 160 years. And we ain’t going away.
That’s my message in this election year, when the union movement is more relevantl than ever.
It’s our movement that gives workers the power to front up to bosses who want to cut wages, slash conditions or — even worse — cut corners on safety.
It’s our movement that makes it possible to hold political representatives accountable for their decisions. And it’s the collective that amplifies the voices of working people.
We must organise ourselves — it’s time to work towards the best strategic fit. If there are good strategic and operational reasons for unions to amalgamate, such as compatible cultures, supply chain alignments, skill bases and/or economies of scale, we should support and encourage them.
Our message is getting through — despite the efforts of Tony Abbott and Malcolm Turnbull, and their corporate mates, there is widespread recognition of the need for unions.
Around 60 per cent of Australians think we play an important role in the lives of ordinary people, yet only 17 per cent join a union.
So it can’t be business as usual. We need to look at different membership models and how we can use them. We need to look at our recruitment techniques.
Is door-to-door recruitment fit for purpose in every scenario? Can we develop a more wholesale approach?
Our movement must not only keep pace with change — we must seek to shape that change.
The rise of the digital workplace, increasing job insecurity and the rampant nature of globalisation are creating major challenges for unions, not just here but around the world.
The boundaries of work are breaking down. People want more flexibility and control over their time and their lives. The concept of anytime-anyplace work appeals to many who see technology as a potential liberator from their desk, cubicle or workstation.
The challenge for us is how do we ensure this anytime-anyplace flexibility does not become a demand for always and everywhere from the bosses.
The increasing number of platforms forcing workers into a reverse ebay-style auction of bidding on parcels of work presents new challenges.
We need to set up policies and initiatives relevant to today’s workforce.
We know 40 per cent of workers are in insecure employment. This highlights the need to build new forms of protection and industrial rights. This is why we have commissioned research to develop a national system of portable entitlements.
The nature of work has changed. But the right of every worker to a paid day off to recover from illness, to take care of their sick child or elderly parent should not be the price workers pay for that change.
We know many of today’s jobs will be displaced by technological change. We know many workers will move in and out of different industries.
Are we set up for that? The honest answer is we are not. Our structures and our forms of membership are not designed for the inter-industry churn. And if we are prepared to fight for portable entitlements, should we not also fight for portable membership?
Workers don’t always need “bricks and mortar” to get organised. We have seen how — by creating online communities — workers in different locations have organised themselves, an have joined campaigns for change to protect their living standards.
We must build on what we have done, and take it to the next level by converting activism into membership.
The role of our movement is clear. When unions are strong, when people join unions, when we are shaping the policies of the nation, income inequality is lessened, economic growth occurs and living standards improve — so everybody wins.
Why do our people continue to be union members? What drives them? How do we engage them so they not only stay members but help us grow in their workplaces, industries and professions? These are the questions we need your help to answer.
This is an election year, and we will fight for our members.
This includes protecting weekend and penalty rates, making sure everybody has access to the healthcare they need, not just what they can afford, and that retirement means a decent life with a fair pension and superannuation nest-egg. We want to see our public services run by and for the public, that a Fair Go in Australia means everyone getting the support they need to have a better life. And we want everyone to contribute their fair share of tax.
Even if they are a multinational corporation — OK, especially if they are a multinational corporation!
And let me acknowledge the work the education unions have done to ensure our education system is of the highest quality by gaining commitments from the ALP to implement the Gonski program in full should Labor win the next election.
Meanwhile, we have a conservative Prime Minister writing the tale of two commissions.
First a Royal Commission that wasted tens of millions of dollars of public money on an exercise designed to weaken political opponents while doing nothing to address the broader issues in politics, business and society of governance and wrongdoing.
Corruption is a human condition, not a union condition.
This is why we have called for an independent national body to investigate wrongdoing wherever it may be. There is no place for crooks in our movement.
Improving our governance is something we take seriously and recognise as an ongoing process. Our members deserve the best governance standards, which is why we are working with our affiliates to implement improvements, to train officials and delegates and to support them making the changes that improve their practice.
Then there’s the other commission. A productivity commission was set up once again to go after our rights at work. Yet another attack on our take-home pay, working conditions and workplace safety standards.
Whether the government calls an election this weekend or in the spring, we are ready. We have our people on the ground talking with workers every day, engaging in workplaces, in communities and in homes from Cairns to Colac and from Darwin to Devonport.
Regardless of who is in power in Canberra, our movement will continue to campaign on your rights and your issues.
The Build a Better Future agenda will extend beyond this election campaign — and we will be there to see it through.
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