Wage theft – The shadow market empowering migrant workers to enforce their rights
05/12/2022
1670198400
Download This Unions NSW research demonstrates that the exploitation of migrant workers in Australia is endemic and a direct result of the current visa system that makes workers reliant on their employers due to the precarious nature of their visa status.
Read MorePublication Topic
Overworked, overloaded, overlooked and preparing to leave – 2022 NSW Public Sector Survey
10/10/2022
1665360000
Download This report reflects the experiences of a section of this workforce; those who worked for the NSW Public Service during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of these workers continued going into work, putting themselves and their families at greater risk of COVID-19, while experiencing increased workloads and a public sector wide pay freeze.
Read MorePublication Topic
Jobs worth fighting for: Five ideas to reform Australian workplaces
22/08/2022
1661126400
Download Unions NSW is bringing together unions, employers, civil society and governments to address the nation’s shared economic challenges and some of the most pressing issues in our workplaces.
Read MorePublication Topic
It’s Broken: Workers’ Compensation in New South Wales since 2012
04/07/2022
1656892800
Download This report by the McKell Institute outlines the inadequate state of NSW’s workers’ compensation framework since major reforms to the system occurred in 2012. Workers’ compensation is a fundamental workers’ entitlement, and is central to every Australians’ safety net, having operated in some form for over 100 years, and in New South Wales since 1910. While all responsible policy makers, businesses, and trade unions are on a unity ticket when it comes to ensuring Australian workplaces are safe, the unfortunate reality is that hundreds of thousands of Australian workers are hurt on the job each year, necessitating workers’ compensation schemes to ensure that those who suffer workplace injuries are not driven towards poverty.
Read MorePublication Topic
Wage Norms And The Link To Public Sector Salary Caps
05/06/2022
1654387200
Download This report addresses the nature and effects of wage norms and their links to public sector salary caps. Questions addressed include: what are the recent patterns of nominal and real wages growth? What is the role of wage norms in explaining these patterns? What influences does public policy have on those norms, particularly through public sector pay. What would be the result of changing those policy settings? It pays particular attention to the role of public sector ‘salary caps’, and makes special reference to the situation in the New South Wales public sector.
Read MorePublication Topic
Unions NSW Response to Women’s Economic Opportunities Review
06/03/2022
1646524800
Download Unions NSW’s submission to the NSW Government’s Women’s Economic Opportunity Review focuses on ten recommendations to support women in the workforce, create the opportunities and conditions for women to succeed and improve women’s economic security throughout their lifetime.
Read MorePublication Topic
Unions NSW 2021 Annual Report
24/02/2022
1645660800
Download In 2021, Sydney Trades Hall celebrated 150 years of fighting for working people. However, the actual celebration has had to wait like so many other celebrations. Across our state, hundreds of thousands could not do their jobs due to lockdowns, especially in Sydney’s west and south-west.
Read MorePublication Topic
Gender Equality Position Paper
27/10/2021
1635292800
Download Unions NSW values equality, justice, integrity and progressing the lives of working people. Unions NSW will, in partnership with affiliates, use its powerful civil society voice and formidable industrial influence to advocate to government and employers for workplace gender equality.
Read MorePublication Topic
Final Joint Submissions re Migration Amendment
01/09/2021
1630454400
Download The Department to consider altering discretionary provisions to vest courts with powers to make additional enforcement orders including adverse publicity orders and banning orders prohibiting employers from employing migrant workers and people under the age of 25 for a fixed term following a finding of non-compliance.
Read MoreCurrent publications
No Community Left Behind: Survey of Workers in Lockdown
11/08/2021
1628640000
Download Unions NSW Annual Report 2020
18/02/2021
1613606400
Download COVID-19 touched every industry, workplace and worker in 2020. It drove us into lockdowns, isolation, social distancing and working from home. For some, the greatest challenge was turning themselves off mute or maintaining personal space. However, for many workers the very viability of their industry was threatened.
Read MoreProcurement
Publication Topic
Build it here: The economic cost of offshoring major transport projects in New South Wales
18/06/2021
1623974400
Download Public procurement is a major driver of economic activity, constituting 15% of GPD – higher than the OECD average of 11%. Through competitive tender processes, governments in Australia have awarded 13% of all public procurement expenditure to international bidders.
In awarding tenders for major projects, governments must balance public expectations with the need to ensure that major expenditure commitments represent value for money.
Read MoreMigrant Workers
Working for $9 hour
17/06/2021
1623888000
Download Labour is vital to the Australian horticulture industry. Seasonal variation and the transient nature of the work makes the farmworker population difficult to measure. It is estimated that approximately 142,000 people work in the horticulture industry. Fruit grape and nut farms employ around 104,000 workers and vegetable farms employ 38,000 workers.
Read MoreNSW Budget
Publication Topic
Young, free and living precariously
05/06/2021
1622851200
Download There has been significant media reporting and public commentary on the impact on young people of the COVID-19 pandemic and the related economic recession. However, there is limited empirical research into the experiences of young people during the height of the 2020 pandemic. This discussion paper is the result of a survey of over 300 respondents conducted during the final months of 2020.
Read MoreNSW Budget
Publication Topic
24-hour childcare and tradie toll relief needed in State Budget
05/06/2021
1622851200
Download A new report finds tradies and shift workers were the state’s forgotten people during COVID and recommends a trial of 24-hour day care and toll relief to help our blue, pink and fluoro-collared workforce.
The McKell Institute research for Unions NSW will be presented to Treasurer Dominic Perrottet as a State Budget option paper. It finds many of the workers in question suffered greatly reduced incomes and work hours at the height of the pandemic, all while facing a higher degree of exposure to COVID.
Read MorePublication Topic
Inquiry into Job Security
12/04/2021
1618185600
Download The industrial environment in Australia over recent decades has seen increases in productivity and flexibility with the majority of benefits geared towards business. Flexibility has manifested as increasing levels of casualisation, part-time work, short-term contracts and the use of independent contractors, all inherently insecure and precarious forms of work.
Read MoreMigrant Workers
Publication Topic
Wage Theft: Horticulture report
19/03/2021
1616112000
Download At time of writing migration to Australia is at an all-timelow. Many nations have begun their roll out of vaccines for the COVID-19 virus however the pandemic still poses a serious threat to lives and economies. To limit the spread of the virus in Australia the federal government has continued its restriction on international arrivals and particularly its halt on immigration to Australia.
Read MoreInquiry into the Fair Work Amendment (Supporting Australia’s Jobs and Economic Recovery) Bill 2020
05/02/2021
1612483200
Download Unions NSW is the peak body for trade unions and union members in New South Wales with 48 affiliated trade unions and Trades and Labour Councils, representing approximately 600,000 workers across New South Wales. Affiliated trade unions cover the spectrum of the workforce in both the public and private sectors.
Read MorePublication Topic
Wage Theft
Wage Theft: Lighting up the Black Market
27/07/2018
1532649600
Download In some sections of the workforce underpayment of wages has become routine. Employers are unashamedly advertising below Award rates for vacant positions.
This seedy underbelly of exploitation and wage theft has been exposed through high profile examples of migrant worker exploitation. Workers have been threatened against making complaints, with employers taking advantage of workers who have poor English, are on temporary work visas and are young.
Read MoreMigrant Workers
Publication Topic
Wage Theft: the Shadow Market
14/12/2020
1607904000
Download The exploitation of temporary migrant workers in Australia is a common and known problem that appears to be endemic throughout Australian workplaces. This exploitation persists despite numerous government inquiries,¹ legislative reforms and in 2019, the establishment of The Migrant Workers’ Taskforce whose recommendations are yet to be implemented.
Read MorePublication Topic
NSW Independent Bushfire Inquiry
22/05/2020
1590105600
Download This submission will provide an overview of union concerns in relation to the 2019-20 NSW bushfires, and make several recommendations with respect to primarily industrial concerns. The submission will be structured around the Terms of Reference of the Inquiry. For the purposes of this submission, “Bushfires” will refer to the bushfires in NSW over the devastating 2019-20 season which are the subject of the Inquiry.
Read MoreMigrant Workers
Publication Topic
Visa Assist Annual Report 2020
14/10/2020
1602633600
Download Visa Assist is a partnership between Unions NSW and the Immigration Advice and Rights Centre
(IARC), designed to advocate for and advise union members with immigration matters.
Read MorePremier’s lack of confidence in local industry an opportunity missed
08/02/2023
1675856272
Download Migrant Workers
Publication Topic
No Worker Left Behind – Survey Results 2020
17/08/2020
1597622400
Download Unions NSW’s survey is the first large-scale data set regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and related govern-ment economic and social restrictions, upon temporary migrants. Temporary migrants have been particularly impact-ed because of the reluctance of the Australian government to extend access to its JobKeeper and JobSeeker schemes to visa holders.
Read MoreFuture Work
Publication Topic
Future Work report: A robot took my job
12/08/2020
1597190400
Download Unions NSW commissioned YouGov to conduct a survey of Australian attitudes and feelings towards automation. This research demonstrates a deep anxiety about automation, and a hunger for governments to intervene and help.
Read More‘The robot apocalypse is coming — and they will take our jobs’
20/02/2020
1582156800
Download Secure, well-paid jobs are slowly evaporating and being replaced by electronic and digital alternatives. But if we don’t take action soon, our economy will be ruined.
Read MorePublication Topic
Hazardous Air Quality: The New Normal?
23/01/2020
1579737600
Download New South Wales has experienced an unprecedented
drop in air quality over the 2019-2020 summer. Bushfire
smoke has blanketed rural and urban areas for days at
a time. With experts warning that climate change will
cause more intense and frequent bushfires, New South
Wales must prepare for the new normal. Unions NSW
has produced this document to propel this discussion
forward into concrete actions the NSW Government can
take to protect people’s health.
Read MoreEnsuring Integrity Bill – Submission to Senate Inquiry
29/08/2019
1567036800
Download The Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Ensuring Integrity) Bill 2019 (Cth) provides excessive and unnecessary external oversight of the leadership, staffing and internal operations of registered trade unions. It confers significant power to the Minister, employers and broader corporate interests to interfere with the democratic operation of trade unions.
Read MorePublication Topic
Wage Theft
award
below award
CALD
culturally and linguistically diverse
international students
job ads
migrant workers
minimum wages
right of entry
temporary migrant workers
underpaid
underpayment
wage theft
Wage Theft Report
07/12/2018
1544140800
Download Unions NSW undertook an audit of job advertisements on Chinese, Korean and Spanish language websites. The audit found 78% of businesses advertised rates of pay below the minimum Award wage.
Read MorePublication Topic
Work Health Safety
AD Act
adverse action
AHRC
anti-discrimination
Australian Human Rights Commission
change the rules
discrimination
harassment
me too
metoo
safety
SD Act
Sexual harassment
women
work health and safety
Sexual Harassment Discussion Paper
04/10/2018
1538611200
Download This discussion paper arises out of the #MeToo movement, which has created significant momentum for change to prevent sexual harassment and provide avenues for justice. In the context of significant media attention and a social media storm there was leadership from law firm Maurice Blackburn, which developed several legislative asks to make it easier for women to come forward and seek justice if they have experienced workplace sexual harassment. Now Australia was formed in March 2018 to help guide those currently experiencing sexual harassment or those with historical experiences of sexual harassment to the appropriate legal and psychological support. In May 2018 Unions NSW began to organise a roundtable discussion at NSW Parliament to discuss possible options for reform. Then in July 2018 the Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) announced a national inquiry into sexual harassment.
Read MorePrivatisation
Publication Topic
electricity
NSW not for sale
privatisation
privatised
public assets
public infrastructure
public services
stop the sell off
Privatisation of State Assets – Submission to Senate Inquiry
09/02/2015
1423440000
Download The Federal Government’s Asset Recycling Initiative seeks to incentivise State Governments to privatise assets. The initiative emphasises the short term profits of privatisation, but overlooks the broader policy implications and long term economic issues.
Read MorePrivatisation
Publication Topic
electricity
NSW not for sale
privatisation
privatised
public assets
public infrastructure
public services
stop the sell off
Electricity Privatisation – Submission to Senate Inquiry
03/08/2015
1438560000
Download Despite claims about the economic advantages of privatisation made by the NSW Liberal Government, the privatisation agenda of the last three decades has resulted in cuts
to public services, finalisation of few large scale infrastructure projects and an
ongoing budget deficit.
Read MorePaid Leave
Publication Topic
dad and partner pay
Paid parental leave
PPL
primary carers
superannuation
women
Paid Parental Leave, Submission to Senate Inquiry
03/08/2015
1438560000
Download Unions NSW is vocal in the campaign for universal paid parental leave (PPL) that is
guaranteed through government legislation and paid at wage replacement rates for 6 months. Access to PPL provides the best outcomes for new parents and babies while also encouraging women’s increased participation in the workforce.
Read MoreNSW Budget
Publication Topic
: budget
NSW budget
NSW Liberal National Government
public sector efficiency dividend
wages growth
NSW Budget Briefing 2018
04/10/2020
1601769600
Download The NSW Liberal/National Government delivered a classic ‘election budget’ with short-term spending announcements and limited commitments to recurring expenditure for services and staffing.
Read MoreMigrant Workers
Publication Topic
417
457
backpacker
exploitation
international student
student visa
temporary migrant workers
TSS
visa
wage theft
Temporary Work Visas – Submission to Senate Inquiry
27/03/2020
1585267200
Download NSW believes temporary work visas should be built around a framework that provides workers with a timely and accessible mechanism to lodge claims against exploitative employers and are paid on par with local workers.
Read MoreInternships
Publication Topic
code of practice
Intern
unpaid internship
unpaid work trials
work placement
Unpaid Work Placements – Submission to NSW Inquiry
07/02/2014
1391731200
Download Unpaid work such as internships, need effective regulation and enforcement to ensure they promote learning and development opportunities. Unions NSW believes all forms of unpaid work should be covered by a national code of practice, enforceable through the Fair Work Commission.
Read MoreGig Economy
Publication Topic
Airtasker
casualisation
disruptive employment
exploitation
gig-economy
independent contractors
NDIS
sham contracting
technological change
wage theft
Future of work and workers – Submission to Senate Inquiry
20/02/2018
1519084800
Download The pace and scale of changes in work are impossible to accurately predict. It is the role of Government to ensure we enter the uncertainty of the future well prepared; to ensure the benefits of technological advancement can be shared fairly and safeguards are put in place to ensure technology isn’t used as a tool to undermine pay and working conditions.
Read MoreGig Economy
Publication Topic
Airtasker
disruptive employment
exploitation
gig-economy
independent contractors
sham contracting
transfer of business
wage theft
Avoidance of the Fair Work Act – Submission to Senate Inquiry
02/02/2017
1485993600
Download The nature of work, technology and trading hours have changed significantly since our industrial relations framework was established. However, there are ample provisions for employers to accommodate the needs of the ‘modern workforce’ built into the Fair Work Act. Deliberate attempts by employers to avoid the Fair Work Act to meet the needs of their business and promote ‘efficiency’ are lazy and often driven by greed and profit.
Read MoreGig Economy
Publication Topic
agreement
Airtasker
Airtasker agreement
disruptive employment
exploitation
gig-economy
independent contractors
injury insurance
innovation
safety
sham contracting
wage theft
Airtasker report
04/10/2016
1475539200
Download A case study into the employment practices and employment conditions available to workers who use the online platform Airtasker.
Read MoreElection Funding
Publication Topic
campaign
election campaigning
electoral communication
electoral expenditure
expenditure caps
political communication
third party campaigner
union campaign
Political Freedoms – Submission to Federal Inquiry
25/09/2015
1443139200
Download Unions NSW is concerned by state or federal government attempts to place restrictions on the implied freedom of political communication by seeking to restrict the spending of specific groups of third party campaigners during election periods. Such a move would be contrary to the principles of supporting the current freedoms associated with people’s right to participate in the democratic process of elections and would burden the implied freedom of political communication.
Read MoreElection Funding
Publication Topic
campaigning
election funding
elections
electoral expenditure
political donations
Political Donations – Submission to NSW Inquiry
07/05/2015
1430956800
Download Unions NSW response to the NSW Government’s 2014 Panel of Experts on political donations.
Read MoreElection Funding
Publication Topic
acting in concert
election
electoral expenditure
electoral funding act
expenditure caps
local government
state government
third party campaigner
union campaign
Local Government Expenditure Caps – Submission to NSW Inquiry
18/09/2018
1537228800
Download The Electoral Funding Act introduced expenditure caps for local government elections where previously there were no limits on spending. The caps are inconsistent, inequitable and are set at a level too low for candidates or third party campaigners to engage meaningfully in the electoral process.
Read MoreElection Funding
Publication Topic
build a better future
campaign
election campaigning
third party campaigner
union campaign
Federal Election – Submission to Senate Inquiry
03/11/2016
1478131200
Download Unions NSW and affiliated unions participated in the 2016 Federal Election as a third party
campaigner through the ‘Build a Better Future’ campaign. Third party campaigners play a crucial role in the electoral process, providing voters with an avenue to collectively pool their resources and raise issues important to them. Unions NSW opposes any changes to the Commonwealth Electoral Act, 1989 which would restrict the ability for third party campaigners to participate in electoral campaigns.
Read MoreElection Funding
Publication Topic
campaigning
election
NSW not for sale
third party campaigner
union campaign
Campaigning at Polling places – Submission to NSW Inquiry
17/07/2015
1437091200
Download Third party campaigners play an important role in elections, raising the profile of issues important to voters. As member based organisations, unions work to educate and mobilise large number of activists and members to take part in political activities, including polling day. It is important NSW legislation supports this civic engagement and does not seek to limit the ability of third party campaigners and their volunteers to participate in election campaigns.
Read MoreElection Funding
Publication Topic
acting in concert
briefing paper
campaign
elections
electoral expenditure
electoral funding act
expenditure caps
NSW government
state government
third party campaigner
union campaign
Brief of Electoral Funding Act
04/10/2018
1538611200
Download The Electoral Funding Act (NSW) significantly restricts the ability of third party campaigners, like trade unions from participating in state elections. The Act halves the expenditure cap for third party campaigners and restricts third party campaigners from acting in concert.
Read MoreDomestic Violence
Publication Topic
domestic violence
dv
family violence
paid domestic violence leave
paid family violence leave
we won’t wait
Domestic Violence Leave – Submission to Senate Inquiry
26/09/2018
1537920000
Download There is an urgent need for a universal entitlement to ten days paid domestic violence leave. This submission draws on evidence from front-line union members on the cost and time involved in living with and leaving violence and the urgent need for paid leave.
Read MoreDomestic Violence
Publication Topic
1800 RESPECT
domestic violence
dv
family violence
privatisation
RDVSA
violence against women
1800 Respect – Submission to Senate Inquiry
06/10/2018
1538784000
Download Unions NSW response to the Federal Liberal Government’s move to privatise the 1800 RESPECT telephone counselling service. Under the Government’s plan, high value jobs will be replaced with lower paid, insecure work. This will undoubtedly affect service delivery and impact thousands of Australians who have come to rely on the service in their darkest hours.
Read MoreApprenticeships and Traineeships
Publication Topic
Apprentice
Apprenticeship
TAFE
Trainee
Traineeship
Training
Vocational Education
Apprenticeships and Traineeship – Submission to NSW Review
04/10/2018
1538611200
Download The Unions NSW submission makes recommendations which support the current apprenticeship and traineeship model and advocate for greater safeguards against the exploitation of apprentices and trainees. The submission is based on surveys conducted with TAFE students in Nirrimba, Ultimo and Mount Druitt.
Read MoreUnions NSW Annual Report 2019
14/02/2019
1550102400
Download A major win early in 2019 was the High Court decision to overturn the draconian electoral funding laws that stopped community-based organisations, churches or unions pooling their financial resources to advocate for their issues and members during a state election campaign.
Read MorePublication Topic
Unions NSW Compulsory Third Party Insurance Scheme Submission
Unions NSW CTP Submission
Unions NSW WC Submission
Unions NSW Workers Compensation Submission
Submission to the 2018 review of the Compulsory Third Party insurance scheme
17/06/2018
1529193600
Download Unions NSW welcomes this opportunity to make a submission to the 2018 review of the Compulsory third Party insurance scheme. Unions NSW supports the submissions of its affiliated unions.
Read MorePublication Topic
Model WHS Legislation review
Model Work Health & Safety Review
Review 2018 model act
Unions NSW Model Act Review Submission
Submission to 2018 Review of the model WHS laws
13/04/2018
1523577600
Download Unions NSW is the peak body for Trade Unions in NSW representing over 60 affiliate unions with a membership of over 600 000 members from both blue and white collar industries.
Read MorePublication Topic
2012 workers compensation cuts
2016 submission
first statutory review
injured workers
return to work inquiry
Unions nsw submission
Workers compensation
Submission to 2016 Review of Workers Comp system
09/10/2016
1475971200
Download It was Mahatma Gandhi that said “the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members”.
Read MorePublication Topic
Unions NSW Dispute Resolution Submission
Unions NSW WC Dispute resolution submission
Unions NSW WC Submission
Unions NSW Workers Compensation Submission
WC Dispute Resolution Review
Workers Comp Dispute Resolution Review Submission by Unions NSW
Submission re Workers Comp Dispute Resolution
16/02/2018
1518739200
Download Unions NSW welcomes the opportunity to make a submission to the Department of Finance, Services and Innovation on improving workers compensation dispute resolution in NSW
Read MorePublication Topic
100 stories
2012 workers compensation cuts
2016 submission
first statutory review
injured workers
return to work inquiry
stories
Unions nsw submission
Workers compensation
100 Stories from Injured Workers
30/10/2018
1540857600
Download In 2016 Unions NSW conducted a Return to Work Inquiry taking evidence from injured workers about their experience of the workers compensation system. The 100 stories from injured workers formed a central part of the Unions NSW submission to the 2016 review of the workers compensation system.
Read MorePublication Topic
CAM Review
SIRA CAM Review
SIRA Claims Administration Manual Review Unions NSW
Unions NSW CAM Submission
Unions NSW WC Submission
Unions NSW Workers Compensation Submission
Submission re Workers Comp Claims Administration Manual
25/05/2018
1527206400
Download Unions NSW welcomes the opportunity to provide a response to the
Claims & administration manual guidelines (CAM) review discussion
paper.
Read More
