29,11,24 | Superannuation, Workers' rights
The true purpose of superannuation has been safeguarded, following the passage of the Superannuation (Objective) Bill 2023 through the Senate yesterday. The move protects workers’ retirements by confirming superannuation is a workplace right, preserved until...
28,11,24 | Professional issues, Workers' rights, Workplace Health and Safety (WHS)
Our union has welcomed a raft of recommendations outlined in a new report by the Senate Select Committee on Adopting Artificial Intelligence. The recommendations focus on protecting the rights of working people amidst widescale adoption of AI in a variety of...
19,11,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
Our union has successfully resolved a dispute with the Queensland Lutheran schools employing authority over IEU delegates’ right to communicate with staff. Lutheran Education Queensland (LEQ) refused to allow IEU delegates to communicate with all staff via email and...
30,10,24 | Workers' rights
Howard-era WorkChoices reforms “did not go far enough” in the eyes of an influential mining boss. Chief Executive of the Australian Resources and Energy Employer Association (AREEA), Steve Knott addressed the HR Nicholls Society in Melbourne recently, arguing the...
23,10,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
A Federal Court judge has ruled that Qantas must pay compensation to 1700 former ground staff who lost their jobs after the airline unlawfully outsourced the roles in November 2020. The decision is a victory for union members after a lengthy and arduous legal battle...
22,10,24 | Workers' rights
Abolishing junior wage rates and ensuring superannuation is paid on every dollar earned are essential to level the playing field for young workers. Australian Unions have accelerated their campaign to protect young workers, releasing a new youth justice policy agenda....
22,10,24 | Workers' rights
Our union has secured an enhanced redundancy for a specialist teacher, enabled by new fixed-term contract laws. When the member’s employer proposed making their specialist teaching role redundant, it argued the redundancy would be based on the position’s initial...
03,10,24 | Collective bargaining, Workers' rights
Pay rises have hit a 12-year high with union-negotiated increases outpacing non-union deals. Private sector pay increases are averaging 3%, the highest level since 2012, while union-negotiated wage increases are tracking higher at 4%, according to Department of...
02,10,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
Victim-survivors of workplace sexual harassment in Australia will now be able to seek justice more easily and pursue legal action against perpetrators without fear of financial ruin, thanks to new federal legislation fought for by unions. The federal government’s...
03,09,24 | Workers' rights
Our union has welcomed the federal government’s action to strengthen protections against the non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit material, including AI-generated deepfakes, following an increase in image-based abuse targeting school staff and students. The...
27,08,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
New laws allowing employees the right to disconnect from work are the latest in a suite of improvements to Australian workplace laws achieved through the union movement’s advocacy. IEU-QNT Branch Secretary Terry Burke said as of today, school staff will no longer be...
27,08,24 | Collective bargaining, Workers' rights
Lutheran Education Queensland (LEQ) employers continue to ignore the voice of members and maintain a bargaining position that puts employees’ wages, workload and working conditions in last place. IEU-QNT Organiser Andrew Elphinstone said LEQ maintained the current...
18,06,24 | Equity, Workers' rights
The Independent Education Union—Queensland and Northern Territory (IEU-QNT) Branch has expressed deep disappointment over the failure to remove religious discrimination exemptions for faith-based schools in the revised Queensland Anti-Discrimination Act. IEU-QNT...
04,06,24 | Workers' rights
Teachers and school support staff at Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School (IGGS) and Ipswich Junior Grammar School (IJGS) took the first strike action in the school’s history on Tuesday, 4 June 202 as they continued their campaign for better working conditions. IEU members...
04,06,24 | Workers' rights
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) welcomes the Fair Work Commission’s (FWC) decision today to increase minimum and award wages by 3.75%, which will deliver a real wage increase for 2.6 million workers. The above-inflation pay rise means a full-time worker...
03,06,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
After denying underpaying staff for two years, Deakin University has admitted to engaging in multi-million dollar wage theft. The Victorian-based university revealed the underpayments in an email to staff, which the National Tertiary Education Union (NTEU) estimates...
15,05,24 | Workers' rights
IEU members across Queensland and the Northern Territory have celebrated the difference collective solidarity makes, rallying in their thousands as part of Labour Day and May Day celebrations during the 4-6 May long weekend. Members united at celebrations held in...
02,05,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
IEU members will have an even greater voice at work thanks to new workplace delegate provisions in the Fair Work Act. IEU-QNT Assistant Secretary/Treasurer Paul Giles said the changes to the Act ensure new workplace rights and protections for union delegates. ...
01,05,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
Our union’s Industrial Team has recently achieved significant wins for members, including challenging an unfair dismissal, defending a member against untrue allegations, and maintaining accommodation entitlements. IEU-QNT Industrial Officer Melanie Stellmacher said...
01,05,24 | Member action, Workers' rights
IEU members across Queensland and the Northern Territory are set to celebrate the difference collective solidarity makes as part of Labour Day and May Day celebrations this coming long weekend (4-6 May). IEU-QNT Assistant Secretary Rebecca Sisson said each year, the...
30,04,24 | Early childhood, Workers' rights
Workers in key feminised industries should receive at least a 9 per cent pay rise in the Annual Wage Review, according to the Australian Council of Trade Union (ACTU)’s reply submissions filed today with the Fair Work Commission (FWC). ACTU Secretary Sally McManus...
30,04,24 | Workers' rights
IEU-QNT members have paid our respects to those workers who lost their lives or were injured due to a workplace incident/accident at this year’s International Workers’ Memorial Day (IWMD) event in Brisbane. Every year, 28 April marks International Workers’ Memorial...
26,03,24 | Workers' rights
The union representing over 17,000 principals, teachers and staff across Queensland and Northern Territory non-government schools has called for urgent improvement to the wages and working conditions of staff employed in the Vocational Education and Training (VET)...
19,03,24 | Equity, Workers' rights
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has outlined a suite of changes needed to improve Australia’s employment Awards to better reflect the needs of a contemporary workforce. Awards are the legal documents that outline the minimum pay rates and conditions of...
12,03,24 | Equity, Member action, Workers' rights
The Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) is calling for new laws that provide up to 10 days of paid leave for workers to treat and manage conditions related to reproductive health. QCU General Secretary Jacqueline King said the It’s For Every Body campaign wants new...
07,03,24 | Equity, Union win, Workers' rights
Australian unions have welcomed the federal government’s announcement that superannuation will be paid on top of government paid parental leave from 1 July 2025. Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Assistant Secretary Joseph Mitchell said the paying of...
29,02,24 | Reconciliation, Workers' rights
Our union and the Queensland Teachers’ Union (QTU) have released landmark industrial guidelines to establish just and fair benchmarks for the employment of First Nations education workers. The publication of the guidelines is the latest phase in our union’s campaign...
27,02,24 | Collective bargaining, Member action, Member benefits, Union win, Workers' rights
Australian unions have welcomed news working people’s wages are finally rising after years of going backwards. It comes as the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported last week that wages rose by more than the annual inflation rate for the first time since...
20,02,24 | Workers' rights
In 2024, Labour Day/May Day celebrations will take place across the long weekend of 4-6 May. This annual event is both an important reminder not to forget those who fought hard for decent and fair working conditions in Australia, as well as a celebration of their...
15,02,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
Our union has welcomed and commended the ‘right to disconnect’ being enshrined in legislation as part of the Closing Loopholes Bill. The new laws represent a major win for IEU members facing unrelenting workloads in schools. Independent Education Union – Queensland...
09,02,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
The cumulative effect of these legislative reforms represents the biggest changes to workplace laws in the last 25 years and goes a long way to restoring fairness and a level playing field for employees. Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Secretary Sally...
06,02,24 | Collective bargaining, Member action, Workers' rights
IEU members working in Toowoomba Catholic primary schools are leading by example to make use of important new provisions to tackle workload. Darling Downs IEU Organiser Matt Kliese said it was impressive local Chapters were proactively preparing to establish the Local...
06,02,24 | Industrial advice, Workers' rights
Toowoomba Catholic Education and Downlands College have sought leave from the High Court of Australia to appeal against last year’s Federal Court decision that two former teachers were entitled to pay increases contained in new collective agreements despite resigning...
06,02,24 | Union win, Workers' rights
An IEU member who had been on a fixed-term contract for three years has secured a continuing (permanent) position thanks to IEU support and changes to legislation. IEU Industrial Services Officer Mark Moorhead said the member was initially placed on another one year...
06,02,24 | Workers' rights
Elon Musk, CEO of electric car giant Tesla, is in dispute with Swedish workers and their unions after more than two months of strikes. This represents the first cases of industrial action against Tesla anywhere in the world, with ten Swedish unions so far taking...
01,02,24 | Workers' rights, Workplace Health and Safety (WHS)
Half of workers in insecure jobs have continued working while sick or injured, according to new research from the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU). Fifty-two per cent of respondents to the 2023 ACTU’s Work Shouldn’t Hurt Survey reportedly continued to work...
07,12,23 | Union win, Workers' rights
Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Secretary Sally McManus said the union movement welcomed the passing of major parts of the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Closing Loopholes) Bill 2023, which comes as an early Christmas present for working people. “The...
14,11,23 | Collective bargaining, Member action, Workers' rights
The passing of new legislation that would get wages moving and help restore the rights of working people is being blocked in Parliament following a shameful campaign by big business. The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) Sectary Sally McManus said the Closing...
31,10,23 | Equity, Workers' rights
In a significant step towards promoting family well-being and gender equality in the workforce, the Australian government has introduced legislation to extend paid parental leave to 26 weeks by 2026. IEU-QNT Assistant Secretary Rebecca Sisson said the landmark move...
10,10,23 | Industrial advice, Workers' rights
Our union has seen an increase in the frequency of non-compete clauses in employment contracts. In a worrying trend, IEU-QNT Industrial Services Officer Melanie Stellmacher says employers across all sectors were increasingly using restraint-of-trade, otherwise known...
04,10,23 | Workers' rights
The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) have called on employer lobby groups, the Federal Opposition and Crossbench Senators to remove the roadblocks they have placed in the way of the Closing Loopholes Bill advancing in Parliament. The Bill was designed to...
29,08,23 | Union win, Workers' rights
IEU members at a Queensland Catholic school have been allocated paid time to complete compulsory professional development (PD) after previously being expected to complete it in their personal time. Organiser Mary May said members at the school had, for a number of...
29,08,23 | Union win, Workers' rights
Our union’s advocacy has led to a member being paid out their long service leave (LSL) entitlement upon termination, despite the employer trying to withhold it. Industrial Services Officer Mark Moorhead said recent industrial cases where employers were trying to do...
28,08,23 | Workers' rights
Big businesses are enjoying record profits while ordinary Australians struggle to cope with crippling cost-of-living pressures. This month alone has brought announcements of a $1 billion profit for Coles (up 4.8%), a $1 billion profit for Origin Energy (up 83.5%) and...
28,08,23 | Equity, Workers' rights
A Melbourne chef proved she was paid $15,000 less than male colleagues, yet her former employer won’t be held to account. Elena Sabbatini told The Age she “gave pretty much everything” for her job at Peter Rowland Group, an upmarket caterer based in Docklands. Ten...
11,08,23 | Collective bargaining, Hear Our Voice, Workers' rights
In an Australian first, thousands of Queensland Catholic school employees in over 100 schools are set to lose a full day’s pay for taking a five-minute work stoppage and a range of limited work bans on Tuesday, 15 August 2023. IEU-QNT Branch Secretary Terry Burke said...
09,08,23 | Industrial advice, Workers' rights
Our union’s support has helped a member transition to retirement after their employer gave them incorrect advice. The member was interested in a reduction from five to three working days per week as part of a transition to retirement, as they are entitled to under...
07,08,23 | Collective bargaining, Member action, Workers' rights
Nurses employed by the Royal Flying Doctor Service of Australia (RFDS) in Queensland are fighting for better pay rates, with most currently receiving more than 25% less than colleagues in public and private hospitals. Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union (QNMU)...
07,08,23 | Industrial advice, Workers' rights
Retirement from the workforce marks an exciting and significant milestone in a worker’s lifetime, and our union is here to support members through the process. Before deciding to transition to retirement, members should carefully consider their preferred timeframes,...
07,06,23 | Industrial advice, Workers' rights
Our union’s advocacy has led to an employer quickly withdrawing their direction for an IEU member to undergo an independent medical examination (IME) as part of their return to work. Industrial Services Officer Melanie Stellmacher said several recent industrial cases...
