Worker Rights – Independent Education Union of Australia WA Branch

Australian Unions, International Issues, Organising, Union matters, Urgent Action, Worker Rights

What’s happening in the Philippines? [updated]

UPDATE: Read the joint statement released by the Global Council of Unions here The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has called an international day of action in solidarity with unionists in the Philippines.

The latest police crackdown targeting unions and human rights defenders occurs amid a broader climate of government repression in the Philippines. Unionists are arrested, offices are raided, and trade unionists have been murdered.

The 2019 ITUC Global Rights Index names the Philippines as among the ten worst countries in the world for workers’ rights.

To support the global day of action, WA unions and their members are asked to:

Print and sign the attached model letter to President Duterte, which has been drafted by the ITUC. Please then send the letter to communications@ieuwa.org.au as an attachment. The letter will be submitted to the Consulate by UnionsWA President Steve McCartney on Tuesday.
Please DO NOT send them straight to the Philippines government.
Support the Solidarity Action which has been arranged for Perth as follows:
1. Date: Tuesday, 10 December, 2019
2. Time: 9am
3. Place: 21 Biscayne Way, Jandakot
There is also a webinar with international speakers scheduled for early Sunday morning (5am Perth time). For more details on how to access the webinar via Zoom, please click here.

Australian Unions, Change the Rules, Government, Industrial, Media Release, Union matters, Worker Rights

Welcomed action on Wage Theft

Following the completion of the State Inquiry into Wage Theft in July, the Report based on that inquiry has been released which includes 28 recommendations for both Commonwealth and State governments, proposed by the author of the report, former WA Industrial Relations Commissioner Tony Beech, based on submissions to the Inquiry.

The IEUA WA Branch welcomes the initiative which supports the need for a closer collaboration between unions and employers on educating workers about wage theft and the tools available to them to report it.

Australian Unions, Human Rights, IEU Speaks, IEUA, Industrial, Media Release, Union matters, Urgent Action, Worker Rights

Catholic Lockout? Please sign this petition

Further to the media release below, the IEUA-QNT is requesting member support from all state branch members by clicking here and signing this petition. The petition will be forwarded to the Queensland IEU branch for presentation to the employer.

PLease sign this petition now

The following gives some background about this urgent action.

MEDIA RELEASE from our Queensland and Northern Territory Branch:

QLD Catholic school employers become first in Australia to threaten lockout of staff

7000 teachers and support staff would be locked out creating chaos for Catholic schools across Queensland

Gender, IEU Speaks, IEUA, Media Release, Union matters, Worker Rights

IEU Speaks: No Progress on Gender Pay Gap

https://www.wgea.gov.au/data/fact-sheets/australias-gender-pay-gap-statistics

Wednesday 28 August 2019 is Gender Pay Day.

This date illustrates the 59 additional days from the end of the previous financial year that women must work in order to earn the same amount as men earn in twelve months.

Gender Pay Day is an important reminder of the continuing barriers women face in accessing the same opportunities and benefits as men in Australian workplaces.

WA is the “winner” of this dubious honour – again

Australian Unions, Community Engagement, Education, Government, Health, Human Rights, International Issues, Organising, Urgent Action, Worker Rights

School Strike 4 Climate – 15 March 2019

The School Strike 4 Climate movement was inspired by the actions of Greta Thunberg, a Swedish political activist seeking to stop global warming and climate change. In August 2018, she became a prominent figure for starting the first school strike for climate, outside the Swedish parliament building.

The Strike, on Friday 15 March, followed an earlier event in November 2018. The March Strike was supported by community groups, schools, universities and unions, including the IEU. Read our statement of support here.

With climate change as the single biggest global challenge, we will continue to support environmental measures and actions that reflect our union principles of collective action.

Find out more about this movement which is going from strength to strength.