Australian Unemployed Workers' Union
Australian Unemployed Workers' Union | |
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Founded | 2014 |
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Website | auwu.org.au |
The Australian Unemployed Workers' Union (AUWU) is an Australian union representing unemployed, underemployed, and unwaged workers', as well as all recipients of Social Security in Australia. The AUWU is a national organisation, with divisions and branches operating in every State/Territory in Australia.
History
Australia has a rich history of unemployed workers' struggles:[1][2][3] from the 1840s Depression to the 2008-9 Great Recession, unemployed workers have organised themselves and fought to have their grievances heard and their demands addressed. With somewhere between 30-100 unemployed workers' groups emerging at the end of the 1970s alone,[4] out of work workers have continuously been "active agents" in agitating to change an socioeconomic system that some say creates systemic, structural unemployment and disproportionately punishes them.[5]
Australian forerunners to the AUWU include the Victorian Unemployed Workers' Union (UWU) circa 1977-1990, the Wollongong Out of Workers Union (WOW), and the depression-era organisations of the 1930s.[1]
The AUWU was founded in 2014 and began as a small, grass-roots advocacy group.[6] Since then, the AUWU has grown enormously, with branches in every State/Territory in Australia and a membership base of over 15,000 members.
Coverage
Membership is open to all and free (however, some voting rights are limited to unemployed and under-employed members). Members agree to the AUWU's list of demands, guiding principles, and constitution.[7][8]
List of demands
AUWU members and supporters are unified in their support of a "List of Demands" (much like the L.O.G of claims by the Wollongong Out of Workers' Union):[9]
Fair welfare
- Raise all Centrelink benefits to the Henderson Poverty Line.[10]
- Abolish work for the dole (WFD).
- End discrimination against Centrelink recipients (including income management).
- Remove punitive eligibility for Centrelink payments.
- Abolish use of privately owned employment services industry and reinstate Commonwealth Employment Service.
Fair work
- Undertake extensive government-run job creation programs (i.e. job guarantee program).
- Secure employment for all workers.
- Enforce minimum wage and award conditions in all workplaces.
- Reduce working week to 35 hours.
- Lower retirement age to 60.[8]
Activities
The AUWU provides the following services to its members (all of which are Free):
- A free 1800 Advocacy Hotline.
- A regularly updated Rights Guide for unemployed/underemployed workers' navigating the Social Security system, jobactive system, and the Employment Services Industry.
- Local branch meetings, presentations/invited speakers, and events.
- Email/Online Advocacy support services
- Advocacy and "know your rights" training sessions
- In-person Advocacy support services
The AUWU additionally carries out campaigns[11], produces original research, senate submissions, and reports[12], analyses Australian unemployment crises[13], gathers stories of unemployed workers' lived experiences[14], runs a regular "Fight Back" podcast[15], among many other activities.
In the media
In a June 2017 interview with the Courier-Mail, Greens senator Lee Rhiannon expressed support for the AUWU, and revealed she has donated $300 to the union.[citation needed]
2GB broadcaster Ben Fordham has publicly criticised the union, claiming it 'coaches people how to dodge responsibilities when it comes to work for the dole or finding a job...' AUWU member Ewen Kloas's response to this criticism was published by news.com.au.[16]
In a statement to news.com.au, Liberal senator and Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash opined that, "Australian taxpayers and indeed those looking for work would be offended by a 'union' whose sole purpose appears to be keeping members out of gainful employment and encouraging them to shirk their responsibilities," and added that the organisation needs to "take a good hard look at itself."[16]
The organisation was heavily criticised by YouTuber and comedian friendlyjordies.
See also
- Wollongong Out of Workers Union
- Unemployed Councils
- Workers Alliance of America
- National Unemployed Workers' Movement
References
- ^ a b Fox, C 2000, Fighting Back : the politics of the unemployed in Victoria in the Great Depression, Melbourne University Press, Carlton South, VIC.
- ^ Broomhill, R 1978, Unemployed Workers: a social history of the Great Depression in Adelaide, University of Queensland Press, St. Lucia, Queensland.
- ^ Bolton, G. C. 1972, A Fine Country to Starve in, University of Western Australia Press, Nedlands, W.A.
- ^ Mendes, Phillip (2003). Australia's Welfare Wars. Sydney: University of New South Wales Press. p. 173. ISBN 0868404853.
- ^ Fox, Charlie (1991). Working Australia. North Sydney: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 0044423519.
- ^ Schneiders, Ben (18 October 2014). "Australian unemployment union wants to represent the out of work". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 14 July 2017.
- ^ "AAWU Constitution & Guiding Documents". Retrieved 22 April 2019.
- ^ a b "AUWU List of Demands". The Australian Unemployed Workers' Union. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
- ^ Southall, Nick (6 May 2011). "Working for the class: The praxis of the Wollongong Out of Workers' Union". libcom.org. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
- ^ "Poverty Lines Australia". Melbourne Institute, University of Melbourne. 2018-10-18. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
- ^ "AUWU Campaigns".
- ^ "AUWU Research & Submissions".
- ^ "AUWU Analysis".
- ^ "AUWU Stories".
- ^ "AUWU Fight Back Podcast".
- ^ a b "Unemployed workers union hits back at 'bludgers' club' claims". news.com.au. Retrieved 14 July 2017.