AMWU - campaign SKILLED TRADES

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skilled trades
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The AMWU is campaigning to improve standards and conditions for our members working in skilled trades and in particular, improving conditions and pay for apprentices.

Government and employer inaction has seen apprentice numbers fall dramatically, while employers have been encouraged to treat apprentices as cheap labour while they try to break up trade skills to lower the skill level and pay of skilled trade workers.

Now, with a new Labor Government, we need to take action to fix this mess.

There's never been a better time, and there's never been a greater need.

The only sustainable way to drive the productivity growth we need is through proper workforce skills development, and it's selfish for employers to rely solely on the taxpayer to deliver skilled workers to their door as though they themselves had no responsibility at all.

Use the links above to find out more about these issues and raise the issue with your workmates, friends and political representatives.

Charlie Clarke
Chair
AMWU National Skilled Trades Committee

Send An Email

First Name*	Your Message The Hon. Julia Gillard, MP Minister for Education The Hon. Kate Ellis, MP Minister for Youth Dear Ministers, It's time to invest in real skills and a real future for our kids. We need education and training to ensure we have the skills to compete in the 21st century. We need to give the next generation a fighting chance for high-skill, high-wage jobs, not dead end careers in low-skill, low-wage employment. I urge you to remove the Howard Government's ideological policies that have stripped our TAFE colleges of funding and created a cartel of private training providers, earning profits for themselves while delivering poor skills and training outcomes for young workers. Yours sincerely.
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Public investment in education and training has increased by an average of 40% in OECD countries, but Austalia's investment has fallen by 7% over the past 10 years. Education and training are the keys to ensuring high-skill, high-wage jobs for the next generation of Australians. It's about securing our economic future by ensuring we have the skills to compete in the 21st century. Sign our petition calling for the new Labor Government to take immediate action to reverse the disastrous policies of defunding education created by the old Coalition Government.

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Question
Should the Howard Government dump its failed 457 temporary skilled migration scheme and instead concentrate on proper funding for local apprenticeships?

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Results

71% said 'YES' 29% said 'NO'

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