Thank you for continuing to support a movement that helps members like you!
Today is the beginning of a new financial year, you know what that means – it’s tax time! You will receive your United Workers Union fee statement from 8 July via email. You will also be able to access your fee statement by logging into Memberlink – our member-only portal from 10 July. Find more info and instructions here.
Remember, if you’d like to find out more about what you can claim on your tax return, you can watch our recent member workshop – All Things Taxes – on-demand here, or check out this snippet to see how to claim your union fees as a deduction on your tax return.
The Union has deferred any increase in fees for the 2025-26 financial year. This reflects steps that have been made in previous years to create a uniform and equitable fee for all members. Your access to union advice and membership benefits continue unchanged.
We stand up for jobs you can count on
recent wins in the fight for job security
Every worker who would like a permanent role should be able to get one, and we fight for this across all UWU industries. Secure jobs provide financial stability, have paid leave entitlements, provide more opportunities for career progression and have better protections against termination of employment.
Whether we’re pushing governments to de-privatise industries that have been part of the public sector in the past, fighting for third party labour hire workers to get permanent roles during bargaining, or flexing our political muscles to strengthen workplace laws that provide casual workers a real pathway to permanency, we understand that secure jobs are essential.
Last month the NSW government announced their plan to de-privatise school cleaning in the state. This is a huge win – for workers AND for the people of NSW.
The privatisation of school cleaning led to contractors competing for government contracts by cutting the amount of time cleaners had to complete their work. Cleaners are driven by unforgiving contract specs that demand cleaners perform 600 tasks a day, that’s just 43 seconds a task.
Cleaners in NSW schools and government buildings have faced impossible workloads and terrible conditions that have almost been hidden in plain sight.
By employing school cleaners directly, the government is cutting out profit-seeking middleman contractors meaning they can save money and allow cleaners the time they need to complete their work. Workers will have better job security and will no longer have to dread contract changes that leave them wondering whether they still have a job.
The privatisation of school cleaning has been a failed experiment everywhere and it’s great to see the NSW Labor government listen to workers and end it. In Victoria, the fight continues.
A strong public sector makes for a stronger society. It means better jobs, and better services for communities.
Recently members at the Tullamarine warehouse of Workwear Group, where they ship out the high-vis gear from brands Hard Yakka and KingGee, grew membership in their workplace and negotiated a national agreement. And, you guessed it, one of the clauses they won was a path for casual workers to become permanent. This is just one example. Agreements bargained by members frequently include casual conversion clauses and have led to thousands of members winning permanent jobs.
Our union was instrumental in successfully advocating for better conversion rights for casual workers. Thanks to our Labor government’s Closing Loopholes legislation, casual workers now have a real pathway to permanent employment. If you’re a casual worker who’d like to convert to a permanent role, here’s the criteria you need to meet if you’re not covered by an agreement. If you need help navigating the process, contact your local Member Rights Team for advice.
No matter what kind of work you do, your union is fighting for your job security.
Minimum and award wage increase 3.5%
If your pay is set by an Award, or the National Minimum Wage, you should be receiving a pay increase of 3.5% from the first full pay period starting on or after 1 July 2025. Find out more about how we win increases to the National Minimum Wage in this blog.
The increase to your base rate means you should also see increases to any penalty rate and allowances you’re entitled to, AND to your super contributions.
From the same date, 1 July, compulsory superannuation contributions from your employer increase to 12% from 11.5%. So, you should see a significant change to your super payments moving forward.
Our member survey tells us that 92% of you join the union to improve wages and working conditions. We also know that about half our members have an enterprise agreement, while the rest are mostly award wage workers. Enterprise agreements are a great way bargain collectively for higher wages (we’ll talk a bit more about the best and fairest of EBAs in our next newsletter). But, there are a whole lot of other strategies that United Workers Union uses to make sure you get more money in your pocket. Find out some of the ways we do it in our blog: “4 ways being an UWU member helps you get higher wages”.
If you’d like more advice about what to look out for and how to ensure your employer is doing the right thing, register now for our August member workshop – Understanding Award Wage Increases. It will be hosted by Rhys James, one of our Lead Industrial Officers. He’ll also explain how union bargaining agreements are affected by increases to minimum and Award wages, and how EBAs are created and maintained. So, no matter how your wages are set, there’ll be info that applies to you!
Dairy conference 2025
Over 100 UWU dairy delegates from across the country came together in June to discuss the plan for our industry and commit to building the power we need ahead of 2026!
Your Dairy Committee presented the national log of claims, a vision shaped by feedback from delegates at training days and across worksites. These claims aren’t just about wages – they are about our families, our time, and the future of our dairy industry.
Your National Dairy Committee continues to fight for what matters, meeting with government and farmers, and driving a plan that puts dairy workers and communities at the forefront.
Delegates heard from UWU National Secretary Tim Kennedy, UWU Food and Beverages National Director Mel Gatfield, and Australian Council of Trade Unions Secretary Sally McManus. You have the support of the Australian trade union movement behind you!
We reflected on the history-making 2023 strikes, the biggest coordinated dairy action in Australia’s history, the wins they delivered, and how we can continue to build on them to protect our jobs and our communities. Check out Dairy Committee Member, Derek’s summary of the conference here.
Wins for workwear group members
Ever looked around your workplace and thought “There’s no way things are ever going to change here“?
Well at the Tullamarine warehouse of Workwear Group, where they ship out the high-vis gear from brands Hard Yakka, & KingGee to be used by workers across the country, just 8 workers were in the union.
But with support from their organiser, they started talking to their workmates about what they could win if more people joined. And it worked.
Now over 50 workers are union members. Together, they forced the company to offer a fair deal including:
- A 4.75% pay rise this year
- Extra sick leave with no certificate
- 5 days paid bereavement leave
- Forklift licence renewals covered and new paid allowances
- A path for casuals to become permanent
- A national agreement that sets a higher standard
So impressive! Congratulations to all members on this site. If this has inspired you to grow union membership at your workplace, talk to your organiser or contact your union for advice. You can also check for upcoming delegate training sessions here to learn more about organising your colleagues and enforcing your rights.
SA Members on strike
South Australia is falling behind. Our health system is broken, and the public is getting poorer outcomes because we can’t keep essential workers.
South Australia’s ambulance ramping crisis is caused by chronic short staffing and that’s because our members are paid 20% less than workers in other states. Workers are leaving the system and are even heading interstate in search of higher pay.
Premier Peter Malinauskas famously promised to fix South Australia’s ramping crisis during his 2022 election campaign. When there’s no one to clean an emergency cubicle because they can’t afford to stay in the job, South Australians get ramped in ambulances. It’s clear that we need more workers, but until we see improved wages, it’s unlikely workers will apply for these roles.
A 20% pay adjustment to match other states is the fastest, cheapest way to end chronic short staffing and deliver on the Premier’s commitment to fix ramping.
Support the members’ campaign here – sign their petition now!
Protecting your super from scammers
A message from AustralianSuper
Scams are on the rise in Australia and as one of your biggest investments, your super can be an attractive target for scammers. Cyber criminals are now using clever tactics to steal personal details, identities and retirement savings.
Scammers are skilled at impersonating super funds, government agencies or financial advisers to trick people into giving away their important personal details like login credentials. Some may promise early access to super or high-return investments.
They can also pose as self-managed super fund (SMSF) advisers and try to convince people to transfer their super into their own account. Once they have your details, they can access and drain your account.
How to spot a super scam email, SMS or phone call
Tips for protecting your super
See AustralianSuper’s | Tips for keeping your super safe
If you suspect you’ve been targeted by a scam, contact your super fund and report the incident to the Australian Government’s Scamwatch webpage.