Australian Services Union (ASU)

Solar thermal campaign persistence pays off

About 100 people attended a community celebration in Port Augusta on September 2 to mark a huge win for the local community: the state government鈥檚 support for Australia鈥檚 first solar thermal power plant with storage in Port Augusta.

This was the culmination of a seven-year campaign and it will have a far-reaching impact on the future of renewable energy in this country. US company SolarReserve will begin construction of the 150MW plant in 2018. It is expected to be completed in 2020.

Don鈥檛 privatise Sydney鈥檚 Inner West buses

More than 300 unionists and local residents protested outside the electorate office of Liberal MP for Drummoyne John Sidoti on August 4.

Chanting 鈥淛ohn Sidoti鈥檚 got to go!鈥 and waving placards opposing the NSW government鈥檚 planned privatisation of public buses in the Inner West, the protest elicited much support from passing motorists and pedestrians. There was no response, however, from Sidoti鈥檚 office.

Flags from the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU), Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) and the Australian Services Union (ASU) were prominent.

Women short-changed by superannuation face poverty

In launching Not so super, for women: Superannuation and women鈥檚 retirement outcomes鈥 by David Hetherington and Warwick Smith on July 20, Australian Services Union (ASU) national secretary David Smith said: 鈥淎ustralia鈥檚 compulsory superannuation system is failing women. According to the latest figures, women are retiring with around half as much superannuation (53%) as men.鈥

Unions say: 'No Profit From Rape'

About 100 union activists and their supporters rallied and chanted outside Macquarie Tower on April 6 to support the ASU in its campaign to ensure Rape and Domestic Violence Services Australia (RDVSA) is not privatised and is given the necessary funding for its growing work load.

Natalie Lang, ASU NSW and ACT branch secretary, spoke passionately about how the union will continue to fight for funding for the specialist sexual assault and domestic violence counselling service 1800RESPECT.

City of Melbourne council workers strike

Council workers at the City of Melbourne聽went on strike for two hours from 3.30 pm on September 27聽and rallied outside Melbourne Town Hall. The rally was followed by a protest march along Swanson Street from Bourke to Flinders streets.
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The workers are demanding a new agreement with better聽pay and conditions. City of Melbourne is the richest聽capital city in Australia.

Disability and respite services saved in Moreland

Socialist councillor Sue Bolton convinced Moreland Council on July 13 to reinstate the after-hours Aged and Disability Home Support Services for existing clients as well as new ones. Bolton said she was enormously grateful to the parents of children with disabilities who spoke up on behalf of all the parents who were unable to come to the meeting or who didn鈥檛 think it was possible to fight the cut. 鈥淭hose parents put a human face on the implications of a very bureaucratic cut: their stories had an impact on the other councillors鈥, Bolton told 麻豆传媒 Weekly.

Victory in equal pay case draws near

There has been intense activity in 2011 around the social and community services pay equity wage case pursued by the Australian Services Union (ASU) and four other unions. The claim, which was lodged in March 2010, is rapidly approaching its conclusion. Since late January 2011, there has been: 鈥 A new round of site visits, during which members of the Fair Work Australia tribunal hearing the case visited public sector workplaces to see how the work compared to that in the non-government sector.

Unions must also challenge Labor

For many union leaders afraid of a Coalition victory on August 21, campaigning against Tony Abbott in the federal election simply means campaigning for Julia Gillard. With a conservative win on the cards, unions have escalated their pro-ALP campaigning. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) 鈥 which has filled Labor鈥檚 coffers with more than $340,000 for the election campaign 鈥 has enlisted officials for ring-arounds in marginal seats.

Community workers march for pay equity

Tens of thousands rallied around Australia on June 10 in support of the Australian Services Union鈥檚 (ASU) pay equity test case for community sector workers. The ASU has opened a test case with Fair Work Australia under the equal remuneration power of the Fair Work Act. The ASU claim is for pay rises of about 25% for community sector workers. It follows a successful application in the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission last year.