December 2002
BHP workers fight Xmas hampers censorship
Australian Workers’ Union steelworkers have walked off the job for 24 hours in a symbolic protest against the company’s censure of steelworkers’ use of the Internet.
AWU Road workers mourn workmate
Australian Workers Union road crews on the Princes Highway have called a day of mourning after a roadside incident claimed the life of their workmate.
November 2002
Esso is to blame
The Victorian Coroner’s findings clearly show Esso is to blame for the Longford gas explosion that killed two men, AWU national secretary Bill Shorten said today.
Unions and volunteers ship Computer classroom to PNG
Volunteers and unionists have transformed a donated cargo container into a computer classroom in which to teach Papua New Guinean students computer skills.
National Forge meeting critical to workers’ future
The Australian Workers Union is calling on a meeting between National Forge, financier GE, the car industry, receivers and unions to develop a restructure plan to save National Forge from closure.
ROAD WORKSITES MUST BE SAFER, SAYS AWU
The Australian Workers’ Union is calling for tougher measures on Victorian road worksites after two AWU members were injured, one critically, in a traffic incident on Friday.
Coronial Database may cut workplace death toll
More than 7,500 Australians die of unnatural causes that need to be investigated each year.
October 2002
Workplace hazard alert: Greedy Boardrooms
Executives’ excessive payouts and bloated salaries are a workplace hazard threatening the future viability of Australian workplaces, the AWU National Secretary told the Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry.
AWU fights ‘serial killers’
A mass meeting of 300 Australian Workers’ Union delegates at Dockland’s stadium has endorsed an AWU campaign for a world-first national database of coronial information.
AWU TO MEET WITH CORNING OVER CLOSURE
The Australian Workers Union will meet with Corning at its Noble Park plant this afternoon to assist in developing a fair and reasonable closure package for its 90 Corning workers.
National Forge Creditors meeting
The first creditors meeting of automotive parts manufacturer National Forge will be held Monday 28th October.
Vic Jockey Super Win a lesson for other states
The Victorian Government announcement today of a $1.1 million racing industry scheme to fund Victorian Jockey’s superannuation and retirement was a major victory for jockeys, says the Australian Workers Union.
September 2002
AWU mourns death of Newcastle workmate at ex-BHP site
The Australian Workers’ Union is mourning the death of one of its members, Greg Rees, who was killed in a workplace incident at the former BHP steelworks in Newcastle yesterday.
ANSETT COLLAPSE: ONE YEAR ON
On the first anniversary of the Ansett Airlines collapse, the Australian Workers’ Union demands the Federal Government explain why it is profiting from the $10 ticket tax.
400 forgotten Ansett survivors
On the eve of the first anniversary of the Ansett Airlines collapse more than 400 Ansett employees remain in aircraft maintenance jobs.
Detention centre dispute widens to Christmas Island
AWU detention centre staff at Christmas Island joined their mainland colleagues at about 1pm (3pm EST) today by walking out of the compound over Occupational Health and Safety issues.
AWU detention centre staff stop work over safety concerns
The Australian Workers’ Union is investigating concerns from its members at Port Hedland detention centre that it is not safe for staff.
"Let us inspect Port Hedland D C," says AIRC
The Australian Workers’ Union welcomes the Australian Industrial Relations Commission request to personally inspect the Port Hedland detention centre in a bid to resolve a seven-day safety dispute.
Poor resources raise fears of riots, says AWU
The Federal Government’s failure to properly resource its mandatory detention policy is threatening the safety of Port Hedland detention centre staff and fueling fears of detainee riots.
Research confirms AWU fears over dangerous mining hours
A comprehensive report into the extended shifts in the Tasmanian mining industry released today has confirmed Australian Workers’ Union fears that miners are working excessive hours.
Port Hedland workers give ACM bad report card
Port Hedland detention staff have given a bad report card to Australasian Correctional Management’s performance on 11 key operational issues ranging from workplace safety to ACM’s procedures to stop detainees’ acts of self-harm.
140 workers locked out at Stegbar
Window manufacturer Stegbar has locked out 140 of its employees this morning after enterprise bargaining agreement talks broke down over job casualisation.
Stegbar workers victory ends lock-out
JOINT STATEMENT OF THE AWU AND CFMEU forestry division
August 2002
Jobs the priority before fertiliser merger go-ahead, says AWU
The Australian Workers’ Union has lent its support to the merger of Incitec and Pivot, provided the companies commit to preserving manufacturing jobs.
AWU wins construction rules case
Australian major projects can proceed with greater certainty after the Australian Workers’ Union won a five-year legal battle against the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union’s attempts to intrude in AWU industries.
AWU supports creditors vote for Pasminco restructure
The Australian Workers’ Union has lent its support to Pasminco creditors’ decision today to go ahead with the restructure of the zinc and lead company by issuing shares in lieu of debt.
JUSTICE AT LAST FOR WOODLAWN MINERS
After more than four years, 158 former employees of the Woodlawn mine are set to receive $6.5 million in unpaid entitlements after the State Government approved a plan to convert the mine into a waste facility.
Pacific Hydro wind farm a win for local jobs, says AWU
The Victorian Government’s announcement today to approve 120 wind generators that would help generate up to 10 per cent of the state’s power within five years is a win for local jobs, says Portland’s largest union, the Australian Workers’ Union.
July 2002
THE FUTURE OF THE ALUMINIUM INDUSTRY
One of the world’s leading experts in the aluminium industry and current executive director of the Australian Aluminium Council, Mr Ron Knapp, will be guest speaker at the AWU’s two day national aluminium seminar in Melbourne today.
Jobs the priority before fertiliser merger go-ahead, says AWU
The Australian Workers’ Union has lent its support to the merger of Incitec and Pivot, provided the companies commit to preserving manufacturing jobs.
Water and sewerage under threat after AWU workers stood down
Water and sewerage services are under threat in Melbourne suburbs covered by City West Water after more than 50 AWU workers were effectively stood down amid a dispute over a maintenance contract.
AWU Glass workers fight for job security
Australian Workers’ Union glass workers at Pilkington’s Dandenong plant have voted to take industrial action from 6am tomorrow after the company failed to give workers a commitment about their job security.
AWU Glass workers win job security and bolster role of the AIRC
Australian Workers’ Union glass workers at Pilkington’s Dandenong plant voted overwhelmingly this morning to return to work ending a five day stoppage after the company gave a commitment to job security.
City West Water workers vote to return to work after breakthrough AWU agreement
Disruptions to water and sewerage services in the western suburbs and CBD have been averted after a breakthrough deal between Australian Workers’ Union members at City West Water and the Serco Group.
CSL using bully tactics to silence unions bid to save Aussie jobs
Shipping line CSL was using bully tactics to silence the Australian Workers’ Union and the ACTU in their bid to save Australian jobs, which are being threatened by replacement foreign crews.
June 2002
AWU Demands Concerning Alcoa Health Study
The preliminary findings of a study conducted by alumina company Alcoa into the health of its Ausralian workforce has revealed some concerning statistics, AWU National Secretary Bill Shorten said today.
AWU Wins Redundancy Bonus for Members Only
The AWU has negotiated a $300,000 redundancy payment negotiated for workers at a failed Melbourne rope factory will flow through to union members only.
May 2002
AWU campaigning to protect shearers from Q fever
The Australian Workers’ Union is running a campaign to inform Shearers about the dangers of Q fever and of a free vaccination program to prevent the illness.
AWU holds peaceful sit-in at City West Water office
Australian Workers’ Union sewerage and water maintenance workers staged a peaceful sit-in at City West Water St Albans’ office this morning in protest over a tender process.
AWU joins delegation to deputy Prime Minister to save Aussie ship workers jobs
The Australian Workers’ Union is part of a union/employer delegation to meet with deputy Prime Minster John Anderson this afternoon to talk about the future of Australian ship workers’ jobs.
AWU Opens News Sydney Office
The national AWU has opened a new office in the NSW Labor Council building in Sydney, in addition to the main national office in Melbourne.
AWU Supports Pasminco Restructure to Save Jobs
The Australian Workers’ Union has lent its support to the decision by administrators of zinc and lead company Pasminco, to restructure the company by issuing shares in lieu of debt.
AWU working with country women to boost farm safety
The Australian Workers’ Union has joined forces with the Country Women’s Association in a WorkSafe campaign to stop workplace deaths on farms.
CSL shipping dispute set to trigger cement shortage
A shortage of cement caused by the grounding of shipping vessel CSL Yarra was a growing concern if the dispute over foreign crews was not resolved soon, Australian Workers’ Union National Secretary Bill Shorten warned.
Fertiliser production halts in AWU wage dispute
About 250 Pivot workers at three Victorian sites, Geelong, Portland and Yarraville voted to stop work this morning after enterprise bargaining agreement talks with the fertiliser company broke down.
Vote ends AWU maintenance workers 10-month wage ordeal at Qantas
After 10 months of tough negotiations, Australian Workers Union Qantas maintenance workers today voted to accept a wage deal that delivers guaranteed pay rises ranging from 6 per cent upwards.
April 2002
ARE SHEARERS BEING FLEECED?
The Australian Workers Union will release the first major national survey of Shearers to date at the Rural Press Club on Monday 22nd April 2002
AWU Bass Strait workers awarded up to 8% pay rise
Australian Workers’ Union construction workers laying gas pipeline on the $450 million infrastructure project between Tasmania and Victoria have been awarded pay rates across nine classifications of about eight per cent.
AWU joins steel task force call for tough stance on imports
Australian Workers’ Union National Secretary Bill Shorten said today’s Ministerial Task Force on Steel was a "constructive first step" to protecting Australian steel jobs from the effects of the US’s decision last month to impose import tariffs of up to 30 per cent.
State’s dairy workers deserve a fair go, says AWU
The Australian Workers’ Union has launched a statewide campaign to deliver dairy farm workers their correct entitlements.
Workplace safety laws must be a priority, says AWU
The Australian Workers Union urged the Victorian Opposition today to treat workplace deaths seriously by increasing the severity of the punishment against workplaces that are recklessly negligent with their employees’ safety.
March 2002
"UNFAIR DISMISSAL LAWS – A MONSTER OR A MOUSE?"
The Australian Workers Union (AWU) is convening a conference of employment stakeholders to assess the impact of Unfair Dismissal proceedings.
A bipartisan Steel taskforce a necessary first step, says AWU
Australian Workers’ Union National Secretary Bill Shorten said today’s Steel Summit decision to form a Ministerial taskforce including union involvement to look at tougher anti-dumping measures and more stringent local content provisions was a good first step to save jobs.
AWU Bass Strait workers to return to work after airfare win
A group of about 100 Australian Workers Union, AMWU and ETU construction workers will return to work on a $450 million infrastructure project laying gas pipeline between Tasmania and Victoria after successful talks in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.
AWU workers win choice deal in BHP superannuation
A mass meeting of 1000 steelworkers at Wollongong this morning endorsed a deal that gives workers choice on superannuation, negotiated between BHP and steel unions late Wednesday night.
Howard Government asleep at the wheel on Australian steel
The National Secretary of the Australian Workers’ Union, Bill Shorten, said the Federal Government’s reaction yesterday to the United States’ decision to impose a 30 per cent tariff on steel imports was too little too late.
Howard shuts out steelworkers in steel crisis talks, says AWU
An urgent steel industry summit called by the Federal Government later this month cannot develop a real national strategy to deal with the United States’ 30 per cent steel import tariff if it does not involve workers and their representatives - the steel unions - says the Australian Workers’ Union.
Independent report gives industry super fund top marks
An independent report analysing the two rival superannuation proposals to manage more than $600 million of BHP workers’ superannuation savings has found the indutry-wide Superannuation Trust of Australia offered comparable services at a cheaper price.
Maintenance workers walk in protest at stalled talks
In a long running dispute with Qantas over its proposal for a wage freeze, more than 250 Australian Workers’ Union maintenance workers and hundreds of Australian Manufacturing Workers Union members in Melbourne voted to walk off the job for 24 hours this morning.
February 2002
AWU STOPS QANTAS STAND DOWNS IN COURT
The Federal Court of Australia today adjourned an injunction by the Australian Workers’ Union and AMWU after Qantas agreed to end its practice of standing down workers unable to do forced overtime.
Qantas: More AIRC Conciliations
The AWU re-listed Commission hearings to continue the dialogue between the Unions and the Company. The re-listed occurred in Sydney on 6th February 2002 before Senior Deputy President Watson.
QANTAS ESCALATES DISPUTE BY STANDING DOWN MAINTENANCE WORKERS
Qantas has carried out its threat and stood down hundreds of Melbourne maintenance workers at Tullamarine who were unable to perform overtime work on the weekend.
January 2002
QANTAS escalates dispute after calling off talks with independent ump
Less than 24-hours after calling off talks in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission to find a fix to the protracted dispute with its maintenance workers, Qantas has threatened stand-downs.
AWU BLOWS WHISTLE ON BHP SUPERANNUATION BLUNDER
A mass meeting of more than 2000 BHP steel workers this morning endorsed a union campaign to protect BHP workers’ superannuation.
HOT WEATHER BANS TO HIT RACE MEETINGS
Australian Workers’ Union racetrack workers have voted to halt work when the outdoor temperature reaches 35 degrees."In protest over the Victorian racing industry’s failure to adopt a hot weather policy after three years of meetings with the AWU, about 130 racetrack workers have voted to enforce hot weather bans themselves this summer,’’ Australian Workers’ Union state secretary Bill Shorten said today.
National Secretary: Paul Howes