Face of the AWU on Facebook

The Australian Workers’ Union (AWU) is set to become more visible on the web with a new Facebook application launched today.

" The Proud AWU Supporter application allows the union's supporters to place the badge of our union onto their profile, and to see which other friends are proud to support the AWU," newly elected AWU National Secretary, Paul Howes, said.

Paul Howes, 26, is a Facebook generation unionist, who wants to use every means possible to communicate to union supporters. He was elected to lead Australia's biggest blue-collar union - the 121 year old AWU - on November 26, 2007.

" The application will also highlight the latest issues the AWU is campaigning around - letting people view our latest headlines and know at a click of a mouse what the union wants done to improve the lives of our members and their families," Paul Howes said.

" Facebook will increasingly be a great way for our people to network and promote campaigns which are of vital concern to the AWU. This is the modern 21st century equivalent of the union badge.

" In the past proud members and supporters wore the AWU badge in their lapels. The AWU is now providing for AWU members and supporters, who want to show their involvement, an easy way to do this in cyberspace.

" Our union has been reaching out to members and supporters using new web technologies for several years; this Facebook application will be another way to help us to organise online, and raise the profile of the AWU in an environment popular with prospective members.

The AWU is planning to make the application available, for our supporters in other social networking sites, such as MySpace, and to proud supporters in the blogosphere and other parts of cyberspace.

" We know that this will help us build new links between friends and to show more of the modern scope of trade unionism to potential members," Paul Howes said.

Click on the logo; Add the AWU application to your site .