Election Factsheets
The 2004 Federal Election will be a pivotal one for workers. Find below tools and resources for activists to use while campaigning in Election 2004.
ACTU Work and Family Factsheet – read what union members say about balancing work and family responsibilities, the Work Life collision, and about what the ACTU’S Work and Family Test Case.
ACTU Work Factsheet – read how the world of work is impacting on Australian workers, the changing face of the workplace, the future of work and the Liberal vision.
ACTU Health Factsheet – read what health professionals say about the state of bulk billing and our hospitals, five things the Howard Government’s Medicare ads don’t tell us and things that you can do.
ACTU Education Factsheet – read what teachers and students say about the state of our education system, counting the costs to education of eight years of Liberal Government and things you can do.
More Information
ACTU Work and Family Test Case 2004 Key Documents
ACTU Claims Rights For Parents & Carers - the ACTU is seeking new rights for parents and carers to family-flexible work arrangements in an historic national test case which starts today before a full bench of the Australian Industrial Relations Commission in Melbourne. (Media Release -01 September 2004)
Cath Bowtell’s Opening Address To The ACTU Work And Family Test Case - the ACTU’s Work and Family Test Case is about resolving the inevitable conflict that arises when a worker is simultaneously expected to be available to their employer and available to their family argues ACTU Advocate Cath Bowtell in her opening address to the Australian Industrial Relations Commission.
Tables To Accompany Opening Address – tables and statistics referred to in the opening address.
Work and Family Fact Sheet - what the ACTU is claiming, what claims have been settled and statistics that outline the major social changes that have intensified pressure on employees struggling to balance work and family life.
Work And Family Test Case 2004. ACTU Outline Of Contentions - An outline of the contentions and evidence in the ACTU's Work and Family Test Case 2004.
ACTU Work And Family Test Case Evidence - research, papers and articles submitted as evidence in the ACTU's Work and Family Test Case.
The Australian Industrial Relations Commission – has set up an area for the Work and Family Test Case with the applications, submissions, transcript and other material from all the parties involved in the case.
The AIRC has also produced a factsheet with a timeline for the case, who is presiding, and about the claims.
Media Releases
Children suffer when parents work long hours: ACTU Family Statement - The Federal Government is tying to hide the negative impact of its new workplace laws on Australian families by failing to prepare a Family Impact Statement says the ACTU. (29 November 2005)
Families worse off under individual contracts: PM is wrong, again - ACTU President Sharan Burrow will argue that families will be worse off under the Governments IR reforms at a conference at Monash University today, presenting evidence that shows individual contracts (AWAs) lead to longer working hours and provide fewer family-friendly provisions. (24 October 2005)
Unions win 2 years parental leave and right to PT work for working parents - The ACTU is very pleased to achieve a set of new rights for working Australians that include up to two years of unpaid parental leave after the birth of a child and the right to request part time work when parents return to work.(8 August 2005)
More Family Flexibility For Workers: Extra Carers' Leave - Australian workers may soon be able to access up to 10 days of their paid sick leave to care for sick children and relatives or to meet family emergencies the ACTU said today. (17 June 2004)
Men Need Time Off For Family Emergencies: National Survey - workplaces need to accommodate both short term emergencies and more routine family responsibilities if they are to meet the different priorities of men and women when it comes to managing work and family life says the ACTU. (15 June 2004)
Family Payments Will Not Cure Voter's Work/Family Worries: New Poll - People want family flexible working hours much more than they want extra family payments from Government, a major post-Budget Newspoll survey released today shows. (02 June 2004)
Minister Dodges Facts On Childcare - the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Larry Anthony is dodging the facts in the debate over childcare. (10 May 2004)
Childcare Sector In Danger Of Collapse - child care costs for families are set to double by 2008 and workforce shortages mean the child care sector is in danger of collapse unless there is urgent action in tomorrow’s Federal Budget say childcare providers, unions and welfare groups today. (10 May 2004).
Bye Bye Baby Bonus - The ACTU has today welcomed indications that the Howard Government's failed Baby Bonus scheme will be scrapped in next week's Budget but warns that a comprehensive package of help is needed for working families, especially action to fix the 'poverty traps' parents face. (07 May 2004)
Australia Lags Behind On Work & Family Balance - new evidence lodged by the ACTU in support of its Work and Family Test Case shows Australia is second last among the western OECD nations on work and family balance. (Media Release - 30 April 2004)
Childcare Fees Skyrocket: Working Families Need Relief - relief for working families from rising childcare fees should be at the top of the national agenda given new figures that show the cost of childcare has skyrocketed by 30% in the past two years. (07 April 2004)
PM Fails To Fix Childcare Fees/Staff Shortage: Crisis Now Looms - a crisis now looms in Australia's childcare system as a result of the Prime Minister's failure to fix the problem of rising child care fees and the national shortage of childcare workers. (07 April 2004)
Childcare Must Be Election Priority - John Howard should announce a commitment to increased funding to support improved wages and working conditions for professional child care workers - as part of his early childhood education policy launch on Wednesday. (07 April 2004)
Work And Family, Medicare, Federal Election Top ACTU Agenda - new initiatives to improve people's ability to balance work and family commitments, Medicare and the 2004 federal election will be at the top of the agenda when the ACTU Executive meets in Melbourne today. (30 March 2004)
ACTU Executive Resolves to Extend Work & Family Test Case - the ACTU Executive today resolved to extend its Work and Family Test Case to include a claim for a new employee entitlement of five days paid leave to care for a child or relative. (30 March 2004)
Union Push For Five Days Paid Leave To Care For Elderly Parents - the ACTU is seeking up to five days paid leave so that workers can care for frail or elderly family members as part of a broader push to address the pressures of an ageing population. (15 March 2004)
Most Workplaces Do Not Provide Paid Leave For Mothers: New Data - the ACTU has renewed its push for more family-friendly workplaces in the wake of new research that shows a majority of Australia’s workplaces (57%) do not provide paid maternity leave for mothers. (23 February 2004)
ACTU Congress 2003
Work and Family, Paid Maternity Leave, Child Care and Working Hours were major issues on the agenda at the ACTU Congress 2003 to be held from the 18-21 August in Melbourne. For more information:
Resources For Organisers Kit
Below are some resources which can be downloaded as PDFs. The tools in this pack are designed to assist delegates and organisers to recruit new members or encourage activist involvement in either bargaining for improved family rights at work, or supporting the test case. Unions can individually brand materials and should feel free to adapt them to meet the needs of their membership and workforce. Further copies of materials can be ordered through the ACTU by contacting Giorgia Moar (gmoar@actu.asn.au) or (03) 9664-7359.
• Letter From ACTU President Sharan Burrow
• Resources For Organisers Kit Cover
• Introduction
• Facts About Work And Family
• Survey
• Sample Witness Notices
• Suggestions For Workplace Activities
• Work and Family Poster
Speeches and Opinion
ACTU Secretary Greg Combet's National Press Club Speech - Australia needs fresh and more progressive policies which address the inequalities stemming from economic change, a need for a long-term economic agenda, and a lift in the integrity of government argues ACTU Secretary Greg Combet. (02 June 2004)
Living And Working In Australia - Strong economic growth is not building wealth for all Australians and there are a large number of people in this country who are struggling argues ACTU Secretary Greg Combet. (14 November 2003)
ACTU National Executive Meeting Press Conference - Hugh McKay outlines the trends in Australian society emerging from his social research and ACTU President Sharan Burrow congratulates the new ALP leader Mark Latham. (02 December 2003)
Mark Latham's Speech To ALP Conference - Work and family balance, a fairer workplace, casuals, Medicare and better opportunities for working Australians and their families were key issues for Mark Latham in his speech to ALP conference today. (29 January 2004)
Labor's Industrial Relations Policy - In this speech to ALP Conference Craig Emerson, Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations, outlines how a Latham Labor Government will promote productive, harmonious and family-friendly workplaces where the benefits are fairly shared. (01 February 2004)
Women and Work - Harvester Man and his model family are officially dead and we need a raft of new measures to re-calibrate work and family life in Australia argues ACTU President Sharan Burrow. (25 July 2003)
Howard All Talk, No Policy On Mat Leave - confusion about the Howard Government’s policy on paid maternity leave is making it harder for Australian women to access what is a basic employment right in 100 other countries argues ACTU President Sharan Burrow. (10 June 2003)