UWU members launch climate safety plan
The Climate Safety Plan is a call for the Government to step up and invest in what we need to stay safe.
It’s been a big month for workers facing heat, extreme weather, even a cyclone.
This November, UWU members, Australian Unions and over 80 other organisations launched Renew’s Climate Safety Plan. UWU members shared stories about how heatwaves, floods, and bushfires have impacted them at work, risking their workplace health and safety. Members also spoke about the ongoing impacts on our communities and the cost of living as climate change drives up costs for energy, housing and everyday expenses. As floods, fires and heatwaves hit harder, workers, our families and our communities have been stretched to our limits.
The Climate Safety Plan is a call for our government to step up and invest in what we need to stay safe:
- Climate-proof homes, schools and workplaces
- Build a resilient healthcare system
- Boost our emergency workforce
- Make insurance affordable
- Fund community services and local governments
- Secure farming and our food supply
- Deliver climate-ready social support
- Centre community voices, experience and leadership
Workers and our communities are at the forefront of climate change, we feel it every year when our workplaces heat up, when extreme weather causes disruptions to our work, schools and infrastructure and the costs of our energy bills as we shiver through winters and sweat through summers without affordable and accessible clean energy, poorly built homes and hot suburbs.
Learn more about the Climate Safety plan here: https://renewaustraliaforall.org/what-we-want/climate-safety-plan/
Australian Unions are seeking new binding national laws to better protect workers from the impacts of extreme heat, climate disasters like bushfires and floods, airborne diseases and pollution.
Early November UWU members were in Canberra at the launch of a new report about Work Health and Safety in the era of Climate Change.
Why? Because Australia’s current laws don’t enforce:
- Safe temperature limits
- Air quality standards
- Heat stress protocols
- Emergency plans for extreme weather
With rising heat, natural disasters and air pollution, unions say it’s time for stronger protections.
If you want to know more about your rights during the heat, extreme weather and climate impacts, check out our blog on your rights when working in heat and our work on UWU Climate Justice.
PAY DAY SUPER MEANS NO MORE 'MISSING' PAYMENTS
Pay Day Super passed parliament last month. This is how it will help you.
Although Pay Day Super has been a union campaign for a few years now, in November, the government finally made it law. The new law is not coming into effect until July 2026, but it’s expected to have a big impact on super balances.
Prior to the Pay Day Super law, employers were only required to pay your super every 3 months. In practice, what this meant was that a lot of unpaid super went unnoticed by employees, because it was hard to keep track of. Although most employers do the right thing, the Australian Taxation Office estimates $5.2 billion worth of super went unpaid in 2021–22.
But from July next year, your super must be paid in the same pay cycle as your wage. It will be much easier to check up on your super payments, so if any are missing, you’ll be able to address it quickly.
UWU members keep aged care on the national agenda
Our stories are helping members of parliament understand the changes needed in aged care .
UWU Aged Care members had a busy few days in Parliament last month, meeting with Ministers and MPs from across parties and states to keep aged care on the national agenda.
We met with a huge range of pollies who have a stake in aged care and disability support:
- Ali France – Health, Aged Care and Disability Committee
- Carina Garland – Chair, Employment and Skills Committee
- Sam Rae – Minister for Aged Care and Seniors
- Madonna Jarrett – Member for Brisbane, focus on workforce equality
- Andrew Charlton – Minister for Science, Technology and the Digital Economy
- Tony Burke – Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
- Trish Cook – Former nurse and new MP for Bullwinkel
- Senator Dorinda Cox – Advocate for equity and culturally safe care
- Senator Sue Lines – President of the Senate and long-time union ally.
Our meetings with these key decision-makers covered federal MPs and state and local government representatives across political parties. Each of these MPs plays a crucial role in shaping the reforms needed to fix the issues impacting aged care. Our delegation carried the voices of UWU members and aged care workers, who really understand the pressure points in our workplaces — bringing us one step closer to real change and better aged care for all.
NSW CORRECTIONS officers demand safety at work
5000 prison staff walked off the job after a serious assault on four staff by an inmate was addressed with a ‘slap on the wrist’.
About 5000 prison staff across 36 NSW correctional centres walked off the job in powerful industrial action last month after a serious assault from an inmate was not treated seriously.
These workers are taking a stand for safety, respect, and fair treatment after repeated assaults and unsafe conditions have been ignored. All workers deserve to be safe at work.
UWU members and correctional officers and prison administration staff in SA, NT, and TAS stand in solidarity with their fellow members in NSW. When correctional officers anywhere are put at risk, we all stand together.
HISTORIC WIN FIXES BROKEN CONTRACTING SYSTEM
These NSW school cleaners are relieved to finally be moved to direct and secure government employment – with a 5% pay rise from January.
After decades of outsourcing, hundreds of school cleaners in the Hunter and Central Coast will finally receive the pay, job security, and respect they deserve.
The historic win follows years of campaigning by school cleaners and the United Workers Union to fix a broken contracting system. The transition and the new award recognises the essential role cleaners play in keeping schools, TAFEs, and other government buildings safe and healthy for students, staff and the wider community.
Cleaners will move to direct government employment in January 2026 with:
- A 5% pay rise
- Fairer working conditions
- Access to sick, family, long service, parental, and carers leave
This is a well-earned victory built by cleaners, for cleaners.
ANBERRA AIRPORT UNDERMINING GUARDS' PAY AND CONDITIONS AFTER RIDICULous attacks on organiser fail
Canberra Airport is teaming up with dodgy security contractor MSS Security to undermine security guards’ pay and conditions.
In late 2024, Canberra Airport awarded the security contract to MSS Security, who quickly declined to guarantee it would respect all existing pay and conditions. Canberra Airport also ignored requests from workers to address this issue. After members started to protest at Canberra Airport, MSS Security then agreed to continue employees’ paid income protection. But other issues remained and so the protests continued.
Incredibly, the Federal Police then became involved, issuing a “move on” directive to UWU’s Organiser, Fletcher Beverley in February 2025. Matters escalated further when Canberra Airport advised that the same UWU Organiser did not have permission to be at the Airport (to attend a farewell lunch!) and was trespassing. As a result, Fletcher was arrested and criminally prosecuted for trespassing.
Ultimately, these attacks failed. Workers stood strong, the AFP apologised to UWU for issuing the “move on” directive, and the trespass charge was dismissed by a Magistrate in August 2025. However, bargaining for a new enterprise agreement with MSS Security has stalled and UWU members have voted overwhelmingly to take protected industrial action. Members are urged to email the CEO of Canberra Airport to step up and do the right thing: protect the conditions of the security guards who hold the critical responsibility of making sure flying is safe and offer them a fair pay rise! Email [email protected] now!
Same Job, Same Pay reforms deliver millions
Over $10 million per year in increased wages for labour hire workers across United Workers Union worksites – and this is just the start!.
About $12 million in pay rises have been won through the United Workers Union, thanks to Same Job, Same Pay reforms delivered by the Albanese Labor Government. The reforms, that came into effect back in 2023 as part of the Closing Loopholes legislation, mean that labour-hire workers are entitled to exactly the same rates as directly employed employees.
The laws were won through a group effort and dedicated campaigning by UWU members and other unions across the country, to make Same Job, Same Pay a reality. Our efforts helped push the Albanese Government to close loopholes that allowed major companies to pursue cost-cutting through ruthless labour-hire companies.
“These laws are doing exactly what they were designed to do – ending a broken system that let labour-hire companies undercut wages and exploit secure work” Dario Mujkic, Logistics Director UWU
Orders won for UWU members, largely in logistics sheds, add to the tens of millions of dollars in pay rises won by workers all over Australia in mining, construction, the meat industry, retail sites and transport through their unions.
These reforms are what workers campaigned for – shutting down a broken system, stopping companies from undercutting pay and delivering real wage increases.
union paid time meetings building strength for casino workers
Paid Time meetings are crucial for building power for casino workers because every workplace deserves the same.
Union Paid Time Meetings make workplaces stronger. They give workers time on paid hours to meet with their union, to discuss safety, fairness and what needs to change.
When workers are able to meet together in one place, they can act together. And, when everyone takes action together, workers have more power to win the changes that they need. This is how UWU Casino members build power. Every workplace deserves the same rights.
Want this in your workplace? Speak with your delegate or United Workers Union organiser about how to include Union Paid Time Meetings in your next workplace agreement. Together, we are stronger.
HUNDREDS OF NT HEALTH SUPPORT WORKERS WALK OFF JOB DURING EBA NEGOTIATIONS
Instead of coming to the negotiating table, NT Chief Minister lodged a dispute with Fair Work. We demand more respect for these essential jobs.
More than a thousand health support workers in public hospitals right across the Northern Territory walked off the job after Chief Minister Leo Fonocchiaro offered a mere 3% pay increase. The Minister claimed there’s only so much they can spend as a government and that “people need to be really realistic about what a government facing a 15 billion dollar debt can do”.
UWU NT secretary, Erina Early, told ABC Darwin that workers feel undervalued and unhappy with the proposed 3% salary increase being offered. “Someone needs to care for the people who care for us”, she said.
The government provided an offer of only 3 per cent for each year of the enterprise agreement and then tried to push through so-called “efficiency measures” that gave the commissioner of public employment super-powers to make any changes they want to the enterprise agreement. In the government’s offer, there was no recognition of any of the improvements that UWU members were seeking, or work health and safety matters to ensure they have the correct fatigue breaks, and other improvement allowances so they could have attraction and retention addressed in their enterprise agreement.
This is an agreement covering 15,000 workers who want real wage growth instead of bonus payments. Real wage growth means super payments and proper pay for overtime and more. Instead of coming to the negotiating table, the NT government has lodged a dispute with Fair Work. We stand strong in the fight for real wage growth for these essential workers.
Long-serving cleaners secure direct ACT government jobs
After months of uncertainty and being left behind, the cleaners from Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Reid have won a major victory..
United Workers Union members fought tirelessly to ensure all long-serving cleaners will now transition to direct employment with the ACT Government at the new CIT Woden campus.
These workers, many from refugee and migrant backgrounds, were left without work despite years of loyal service. But they refused to stay silent. Through rallies, public actions, media interviews, and community support, they demanded fairness, dignity, and respect and they won.
This victory shows the power of workers standing together. Long-serving cleaners are finally recognised, families are secure, and justice has been served.
A 5% pay rise for educators!
A majority of educators will now be earning an extra $11,000+ annually than you were in 2024!.
Great news for early educators nationwide – your pay should increase by 5% in your first December pay packet, thanks to the hard work of United Workers Union members!
This 5% is part of the 15% pay rise locked in when members negotiated a sector-wide agreement with the Government, and is provided through the Worker Retention Grant. It’s available to most educators working in the sector.
What this means for you – Most educators on award wages will have received pay rises of 18.5 per cent in the past year – 10% in December 2024, 3.5% in July, and now another 5% rise coming this December. It’s a substantial wage increase from this time last year.
It’s time to celebrate this huge win that rightly recognises the incredible work you do. There’s no going back now – these pay rises have set a new standard in early childhood education and care for the future.
But UWU members are not done fighting for fairer wages. We’ll keep working on calling for award wage increases in annual wage reviews that help workers keep up with the cost of living.
If you’re still waiting on your pay rise, have a question about the grant, or think your pay is wrong, check our updated Frequently Asked Questions and pay tables here.
QLD AMBOS WIN with 85% IN FAVOUR OF NEW EBA
The hard work of UWU members in Queensland has finally paid off.
A new EBA for Qld Ambos that includes commitments members hope will improve conditions and safety across the service.
Queensland Ambulance workers have secured a breakthrough. After months of showing up, not just on the job, but in the fight for fairness—we’ve reached a new agreement that recognises the work we do and the sacrifices we make.
From safe workloads to finishing on time, from improved penalties to fairer pay, this win belongs to every Ambo who stood their ground, told their story, and stayed strong. This is what happens when we back each other. When we speak with one voice.
Member’s voices have been central through the entire EBA process, from shaping claims, to putting arguments directly at the bargaining table, and in meetings with the Minister for Health and Ambulance. It shows that when members get involved in shaping their working conditions, proposed agreements are supported by a majority of workers.
Some key improvements include increased compensation for night shift work, increased sick leave accrual and compensation for rural and remote staff working in single officer locations.
While the EBA sees some movement on finish-on-time procedures, there is more work to be done. The Union is committed to continuing to fight to support ambulance workers so they can end their shifts at the rostered time, and get home to their families.
With the majority of votes (85%) supporting the proposed Agreement, it will now be lodged with the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission (QIRC) for certification, and once certified, implemented.
For a copy of the proposed Agreement and more information about the improvements to come, check out the resources available to members HERE and keep an eye out for a more detailed member update on next steps soon.
QUEENSLAND HEALTH WORKERS TAKING ACTION
No one should have to leave their state to earn a fair wage.
Queensland Health workers are taking action after months of ignored warnings and a government offer that would slash pay by up to $30,000, leaving them far behind their interstate peers.
These workers care deeply about their patients, but they can’t keep delivering quality care while their pay and conditions go backwards. When governments undervalue the people who do essential work, patients feel the impact first. Understaffing, delays, and burnout put care at risk.
Being part of a union means being part of the fight for fair pay, fair conditions, and respect at work. It means ensuring workers don’t get left behind just because of where they live. When workers stand together, we protect not only each other, but the services and communities we all rely on.
Queensland Health workers are taking a stand for fair pay, respect, and safe conditions. Stand with them by signing our open letter.
UWU DELEGATES CHAMPION ISSUES FOR ALL WORKERS IN WA
It’s never too late to join other union members fighting for better working conditions.
At the WA Labor State Conference, United Workers Union delegates took the stage to champion issues that matter to every worker — secure jobs, safe care, and fairness for all.
From child safety and permanency to pay equity, wage theft, visa fairness, and rebuilding public services, our members spoke powerfully about strengthening public services for every West Australian.
Conference delegates backed motions that:
- support permanent, stable employment for workers on temporary visas across health, aged care, and early education
- tackle system pressures through better staffing, more beds, and stronger support across public hospitals
- strengthen child safety reforms in early education settings
- lift pay, value care work, and continue progressing wage equity across ECEC and aged care
- improve safety, respect, and accountability in hospitality workplaces
- defend public ownership of essential services and keep hospital services in public hands
- crack down on wage theft and push for stronger enforcement across all industries
- remove unfair barriers that stop qualified migrant nurses and care workers from using their skills
These wins are a direct result of union members standing together to drive change.
If you want to be part of future campaigns, conferences, and political action — give us your details and areas of interest to get involved. Sign up to take political action here.