PROUD TO BE UNION 
- Greater bargaining power as a group of employees when dealing with your employer rather than individual workers
- Protection against unfair treatment by your employer
- You have a say on matters that affect you and your workplace
- Interpretation, advice and assistance regarding your entitlements and work agreements
- Access to membership benefits: Journey Cover Insurance, Emergency Ambulance Cover, free legal advice on work related issues and more
- Union fees are tax deductible
The main service a union provides for its members is negotiation and representation.
Unions are active watchdogs constantly overseeing any workplace changes that your employer tries to introduce, employer breaches of awards, agreements, entitlements and conditions.
OUR OBJECTIVE
TO PROTECT YOUR EMPLOYMENT, PAY & CONDITIONS & TO IMPROVE COLLECTIVELY THROUGH STRONG UNION MEMBERSHIP, EMPLOYMENT OPORTUNITIES & ENTITLEMENTS.
Negotiation
Negotiation is where union representatives discuss with management issues which affect people working in an organisation. The union finds out the members' views and relays these views to management. There may be a difference of opinion between management and union members. 'Negotiation' is about finding a solution to these differences. This process is also known as 'collective bargaining'.
In many workplaces there is a formal agreement between the union and the company which states that the union has the right to negotiate with the employer. In these organisations, unions are said to be 'recognised' for 'collective bargaining' purposes.
Pay, working hours, holidays and changes to working practices are the sorts of issues that are negotiated. People who work in organisations where unions are recognised are better paid and are less likely to be made redundant than people who work in organisations where unions are not recognised.
Representation
The union also represent individual members when they have a problem at work. If an employee feels they are being unfairly treated, he or she can ask the union representative to help sort out the difficulty with the manager or employer.
If the problem cannot be resolved amicably, the matter may go to an industrial tribunal. Industrial tribunals make sure that employment laws are properly adhered to by employees and employers. They are made up of people outside the workplace who listen to the employer's and the employee's point of view and then make a judgement about the case. People can ask their union to represent them at industrial tribunals. Most cases that go to industrial tribunals are about pay, unfair dismissal, redundancy or discrimination at work.
Unions also offer their
members legal
representation. Normally
this is to
help people get financial compensation for work-related injuries or to
assist
people who have to take their employer to court.
Employers are always trying to cut costs, by reducing staff numbers, ignoring health and safety, reducing entitlements such as penalty rates, workers compensation, sick leave and redundancy rights.
Strong union membership provides the union with the collective strength and resources to ensure your employer abides by workplace agreements, awards and employee entitlements.
help with workplace issues so you and your workmates have a say
provide training and support to Shop Stewards in the workplace to resolve local issues and to represent the workers at employer and union discussions
provide support, representation and protection to individual members experiencing unfair treatment or issues, such as:
- work injuries & compensation claims
- sick, bereavement, long service & annual leave
- roster changes
- dismissal: if you have been unfairly sacked we will provide representation at the Board of Reference, Fair Work Australia, other tribunals and courts
- workplace transfers
- unpaid overtime
- applications to assess additional hours worked
- unfair work performance issues
- under payments for work performed
- penalty payment issues
- reduced hours of employment
- bullying, harassment and intimidation in the workplace
- disciplinary processes, code of ethics interviews
- help subcontractors get unpaid wages and entitlements
- organise campaigns for widespread issues
- provide training and support to your health and safety representative
- negotiate work agreements, entitlements and awards
- provide interpretation, advice and assistance regarding your entitlements. awards and work agreements and ensure your employer abides by them
- Union membership matters, get a better deal through the collective strength of the Union.
- Free work related legal advice & representation - ring 03 96009100
- Improved wages & conditions
- Financial advice - ring 03 96009100