New AWU Secretary for WA plans aggressive push into mining heartland

Australia’s biggest resource and energy union will begin an aggressive new campaign to re-establish the Australian Workers’ Union back into Western Australia’s mining heartland with the election of a new WA branch secretary, Stephen Price.

" The extraordinary boom that we are witnessing in WA in our resource industry is delivering big profits to the companies - but the workers are concerned that it is sometimes happening at the cost of workplace safety considerations," Stephen Price, the new WA Branch Secretary said.

Inherently dangerous workplace needs a strong union voice

" I want to hold the State Government to account to ensure their OH&S laws deliver transparency and accountability for working families.

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Elected unanimously

" The AWU will begin a new campaign to re-establish ourselves back in our mining heartland in the North West and Goldfields - as well as in construction-related work.

Stephen Price says he wants to establish good relations with other trade unions in WA.

" There is a definite air of generational change in unions in this state. I want to ensure we work closely with other unions in the never ending battle to improve entitlements and conditions for all union families."

Stephen Price has had a long involvement with the AWU - starting as a member at Gidgee Gold Mine in 1991, becoming a union delegate at Alcoa and then an AWU organiser.

National office welcomes signs of WA renewal for Australia's biggest blue-collar union

" We are now the biggest blue-collar union in Australia - and our position as the biggest and the best can only grow under Stephen Price's leadership ensuring we get more people joining the union as part of the WA resource boom," Paul Howes said.

Mr Howes also paid tribute to the long service of the previous WA Branch Secretary Tim Daly, who aims to continue representing the voice of AWU working people after his pre-selection for the Upper House of the WA State Parliament.