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January 31, 2020
JANUARY 31, 2020 – On the 18th of January this year, the AMWU lost one of our long serving comrades, Dave Goodger. Dave joined the AEU, one of the unions that amalgamated to create the AMWU, in 1956 at the age of 16 as an apprentice at the Eveleigh rail yards.
December 13, 2019
DECEMBER 13, 2019 – The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) is disappointed but unsurprised by today’s High Court decision to grant special leave to Mondelez International and the Australian Government to appeal the decision of the Federal Court in Mondelez v AMWU.
October 01, 2019
OCTOBER 1, 2019 – The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) is recommending an overhaul of policies to promote manufacturing in regional Australia along with a major push to create new jobs. AMWU National Research Officer Adam Wieladek will outline a series of proposals designed to create highly skilled and well-paying manufacturing jobs when he gives evidence today to the Senate Inquiry into Jobs for the Future in Regional Areas.
September 25, 2019
SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 – I would like to thank the committee for providing the AMWU with the opportunity to give evidence in relation to this important legislation. The AMWU believes that these are bad laws and I would like to provide a brief historical example to illustrate why we have come to this opinion. In 2001, James Hardie put $293 million into a trust fund designed to meet all future compensation claims for asbestos victims. They then moved the corporate headquarters to the Netherlands, taking an estimated $1.9 billion dollars in assets with them. They promised the Supreme Court in NSW that this money would be available, should the compensation fund that was established fall short. However, in 2003, James Hardie severed links with their remaining Australian companies, cutting off any call on those funds now held in the Netherlands. Because Australia did not have the required treaty arrangements in place with the Netherlands, all the assets and incomes of the parent company were out of reach of James Hardie’s Australian victims, despite the assurances they gave to the court.
August 21, 2019
AUGUST 21, 2019 – The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) welcomed the long-awaited decision handed down today by the majority of the Full Court of the Federal Court in Mondelez v AMWU & ors. Mondelez, which owns Cadbury, took the AMWU and two of its members to Court in a bid to strip all shift-workers of their personal leave.
January 25, 2019
JANUARY 25, 2019 – Each year across the country the AMWU holds forums for its Delegates. This year, the Delegates Forum is more important than ever - and it is coming up soon. The time to Change the Rules is now. With a federal election coming up this may be our only chance to talk ideas, strategies and report back on important events before we kick out this chaotic Government. These plans we make together will build our new united union and make us stronger than ever. As Delegates you are the core of our union and your ideas and experience are vital in ensuring we as a union and as a collective, lead the way in changing the rules in our workplaces and community. Please mark these dates in your diary and make your leave arrangements, so you are free to attend. Tasmania: 26th February South Australia: 4th March Western Australia: 5th March New South Wales: 12th March Victoria: 14th March Queensland: 25th and 26th March
January 24, 2019
It’s now three weeks into January and your new year resolution to drink less, go to the gym, and learn a new language have all gone to hell. Never fear though because everyone knows that the year doesn’t actually start until after the Australia Day public holiday. So, with your 2019 actually starting next week, hit the pause button on Marie Kondo and check out our seven life hacks for getting your work and life on track this year: How not to drown in student debt 101; Why you should stop being a scab and join your union; Money money money, must be funny, but so is checking your payslip; How to get free money - do your goddamn tax return; You're gonna get old so deal with it; Make your holidays work as hard for you as you work for them; Industrial relations is fascinating and I want to know more.
January 21, 2019
JANUARY 21, 2019 – The Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union has welcomed the announcement that, if elected, a Shorten Labor Government would deliver a national procurement policy that will create more local manufacturing jobs around Australia.
January 14, 2019
JANUARY 14, 2019 – Elections for State and National Officers will be held in 2019. Nominations open on 14 January 2019 and must reach the Returning Officer not later than 5:00pm Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT) on 21 February 2019. For more information, including notices of election and nomination forms, click here.
January 04, 2019
JANUARY 4, 2019 – In 2019, we are fighting to Change the Rules. But when it comes to taking your annual leave, we’re about to teach you how to Game the Rules. Play it right and you can turn your 20 days annual leave into over 40 days off.
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