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YOUNG WOMEN AND SEXUAL HARASSMENT
As debate sparked by the David Jones - Mark McInnes - Allanah Hill controversy continues to simmer across Australia, a South Australian study to be released this week shows an alarming pattern of harassment by men in positions of authority against young women employees.  South Australian Young Workers Legal Service will present its findings to the Women and IR Conference in Darwin this week ...>>read on

SAFETY SACRIFICED TO BUILDING PRESSURES AND BAD LAWS
The construction union says safety on large South Australian building sites has arguably plunged in recent weeks, despite the death of a worker at the desalination plant.

CFMEU Assistant Secretary, Darren Roberts says it's extraordinary that despite all the outcry and publicity surrounding the desal tragedy that similar accidents have occurred across the city....>> read on

WORKCHOICES - WHATEVER THE NAME, NEVER AGAIN
The newly elected President of the ACTU Ged Kearney visited Adelaide on Thursday 22 July to launch the union movement's election campaign in South Australia.

The launch included workers talking about their experiences under WorkChoices and why it is imperative the Liberals not be given another chance to wind back the clock on worker's rights.

SA Unions Secretary, Janet Giles says the launch marks the start in earnest of the grassroots campaign against the return of the Liberals and their discredited WorkChoices legislation. ...>> read on

JUSTICE FOR ARK MUST DELIVER JUSTICE FOR ALL
If construction worker Ark Tribe is jailed for silence it will be an injustice.  If he's vindicated, that still won't fix the flawed laws which are eroding the very foundation of Australian democracy.

That's the view of SA Construction Union Secretary, Martin O'Malley ahead of Mr Tribe's prosecution under unfair and divisive laws targeting the building industry.  Mr O'Malley says regardless of the outcome of Ark Tribe's trial, true justice will not have been achieved until the law that put Mr Tribe's freedom in jeopardy is repealed.

This law expressly undermines basic human rights, it enshrines a coercive power that removes a person's fundamental right o silence, by requiring that if asked, people must speak to the commission, or face 6 months jail for failure to comply.

The only way the Rudd Government can guarantee the rights of Australian citizens is by getting rid of one of the Howard government's most insidious legacies, the Australian Building and Construction Commission.

Mr O'Malley says this case is pivotal and is only one example of the dangers of this law.  The real challenge is for all Australians to speak out against this injustice and demand the repeal of this law, for the sake of the personal rights of each and everyone of us.

Visit the www.rightsonsite.org.au for more information

NEW FAIR WORK MINIMUM WAGE RISE
The new fair work minimum wage rise awarded on 3rd June 2010 by the Fair Pay Commission will help 130,000 low paid South Australian Workers.

The $26 extra a week in the pay packets of the lowest paid workers will take their wage to $570.00 a week.

Now that the vast majority of SA workers are covered under the new federal Fair Work Laws, this decision is even more important than in the past.  It further demonstrates the importance of rejecting Tony Abbott's thinly veiled plans to reinstate the worst aspects of WorkChoices, under WorkChoices, fairness and the cost of living weren't considered, under the new work laws, they are.

SA Unions says a decent living wage is fundamental to a fair society and strong economy ...>> read on

WORKCOVER'S DODGY LEVY CUT
The South Australian union movement is calling for the state government to fix the unfair WorkCover levy decision in a full page advertisement 20/5/10 ..>>click here

The move is a direct response to Business SA's unashamed gloating over WorkCover levy cuts at the expense of injured workers>>.. read on

Union Membership on the Rise in SA
The latest ABS data shows that union membership in South Australia is on the rise, in line with the trend nationally.  In SA, union membership jumped from 19.4% to 20.6%.  SA Unions says it is a strong and heartening recovery after the dark days of WorkChoices. >>..read on

Unions Welcome Long Called for Tax Changes
South Australia's peak unions' organisation SA Unions, welcomed the changes to taxation contained in the Henry Review as good for working families in our state.

The changes reflect key elements of SA  Unions' forward looking strategy "A Fair Share of the Future" which examines ways of securing the state's economic growth in a socially responsible manner.

It's time for mining companies to stop freeloading and contribute to the community infrastructure. >>.. read on

WorkCover Levy Scandal
SA Unions is demanding the state government intervene to protect injured workers' compensation entitlements from being gouged by employers.

The WorkCover Board having decided to reduce the employer levy contribution to the fund effectively means injured workers will pay for a financial windfall for employers.  This is a scandalous decision by a Board which is clearly willing to compromise the welfare of injured workers for the financial benefit of business.

SA Unions specifically calls on the ALP to implement the WorkCover policy commitment it made at is last state convention, to reinstate fairness into the scheme >>.. read on

Good Result for Working Families
SA Unions says Labor's election victory is a good result for working families in South Australia, securing important and hard fought industrial rights....>> read on

Liberals Confirm Workers' Fears
SA Unions says the Liberal Party's decision not to publicly reveal details of its Industrial Relations policy will send a shiver down the spine of every worker who values their job and their pay.   Iain Evans, Liberal Industrial Relations spokesman does not seem to understand the difference between the state and federal IR system and indicated that the SA Liberals IR position would be dictated by their federal masters ....>> read on

Radio Campaign Ad ..>> Don't Risk Redmond with your Working Conditions

WorkCover a Hot Topic
The Liberals' swift release of its WorkCover policy has been welcomed by SA Unions and indicates the depth of public concern surrounding this issue.  Injured workers are paying the price of unfair laws that were put forward by Labor and supported by the Liberals, so both major parties are culpable, but both have the chance to right the wrongs.....>> read on

AEU - Arbitration Decision
The AEU welcomed the Industrial Relations Commission's resolution of the wages and award component of the Public Education Agreement and says educators remain extremely keen to see real improvements in teaching conditions in a future determination.  The AEU congratulates its members who have remained united through a long and difficult period. ....>> read on

Employment Figures for SA
ABS Trend Labour Force Survey data (released today) show that South Australian employment increased 0.3 per cent (+2,600 persons) in January 2010, raising total employment to 802,400 persons.  This marked the first time that SA employment has exceeded 800,000 persons.  Employment has risen for five consecutive months, and was 1.5 per cent higher than the same time a year ago.  Both full and part-time employment increased in SA last month.

There were 41,200 unemployed persons in SA in January 2010, 1,500 (3.5%) fewer than the month before.  Compared to a year ago, unemployment has fallen by 13.3 per cent (-6,300 persons).  South Australian unemployment is at its lowest level since July 2008.

The SA unemployment rate declined 0.2 percentage points last month, to 4.9 per cent – the lowest unemployment rate since June 2008 (4.8 per cent) and the third lowest unemployment rate of all Australian states and territories.  Compared to the national average, the SA unemployment rate was half a percentage point lower.

WorkCover Unfairly Punishes the Injured
An analysis commissioned by SA Unions and conducted by Uni SA has found that changes to the state workers compensation scheme WorkCover have resulted in unfair suffering and hardship for injured workers with no real improvement in the scheme's performance...>> read on

Asbestos Awareness Day 27 November 2009
SA Unions is using national Asbestos Awareness Day to warn against complacency in the fight against asbestos related diseases.

While South Australia has made progress in the fight for justice for asbestos victims, concern remains for potential future victims.

Asbestos Awareness Day was marked by a memorial breakfast at Jack Watkins Park, on the site of the old Islington Rail Yards in recognition of those who campaigned to raise awareness about the last legacy of asbestos...>> read on

SA Campaign - Don't Risk 2nd Rate Safety
Australia has a chance to have the same Occupational Health & Safety laws in every state and territory around the country that protect workers with the world’s best safety standards.

But proposed new laws lower safety standards and put Australian workers at risk.
....>> click here for more information

WorkChoices Last Nasty Gasp
SA Unions has described today's decision by the inaptly named "Fair Pay" Commission as a final nasty swipe from a discredited Industrial System in its death rattles. Read on>> 

We Don't Want Your Construction Laws Here
SA Unions says to Gillard that there is no need for special construction industry laws in this state, and that such laws are hurting our building industry and worker safety. Read on>>

Fair Work Australia Welcomed by SA Unions
SA Unions welcomed the decision of the State Government to be the first state to formally adopt the new Fair Work laws.  It has been done in a way that guarantees South Australians will continue to have a say about industrial laws for our state. Read on >> 

Clean Start Campaign
Contract cleaning firms have flocked to the historic Clean Start Union Collective Agreement, and now contracting firms cleaning more than half of Australia's capital cities have signed.

Nearly 30 companies in total have now signed.  They signed because cleaners stuck together and campaigned together until the companies agreed that they deserve fair jobs and decent pay.  >>.. read on
For more information visit the Clean Start Campaign Website.

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