On Labour Day, an apology of sorts

What if all these achievements we celebrate on Labour Day really…

‘We live pretty simple lives, actually’

Life on the minimum wage is a struggle from day to day. By…

Retail workers gear up for a new fight over trading hours

THOUSANDS of retail and warehouse workers across New South Wales will lose much-needed time with family and friends if the O’Farrell Government goes ahead with plans to extend retail trading hours.

Bringing harmony into the workplace

Posted: 12 March 2014

MASTERCHEF contestant Amina Elshafei (pictured) is a chef ambassador for A Taste of Harmony, an annual event that celebrates diversity in Australian workplaces by encouraging colleagues to share food and stories from…

Threat to weekend rates hangs over state elections

VOTERS in South Australia and Tasmania will go to the polls this Saturday in elections that, as always, are dominated by state issues.

But there is one federal issue that also casts a broad shadow over both state…

IWD: Finance gender pay gap is a scandal

MORE than half of workers in the banking and finance industry are women. But on average, they earn $623.60 a week less than men. If Australia has aspirations to be an international finance centre, then this scandal must be urgently addressed, writes Lauren…

Let’s not forget about who the minimum wage is for

LAST week I heard a story that reminded me in no uncertain terms why the annual minimum wage case is such an important part of the work unions do.

These 457 visa abuses must be stopped

Posted: 17 March 2014

IMAGINE you’re a professional cook, with a strong employment history in your home country of Vietnam. You’ve visited Australia, made friends, started to learn English. You’re keen on living there full-time, perhaps…

Nothing super about this company’s behaviour

SECURING your first collective agreement with an employer can be a daunting prospect — particularly if the employer takes an aggressive stance.

Since the Abbott Government was elected, employers have taken this as a green…