Social Justice

Fighting for social justice and workers’ rights

Union members are at the forefront of the fight for social justice, ensuring that every worker is treated with dignity, fairness, and respect. This section highlights the collective efforts to address issues such as workplace discrimination, equal pay, and fair working conditions. By standing together, union members continue to drive change and push for policies that create a more just and equitable society for all.

Advocating for equality and fairness

The union movement plays a crucial role in securing workers’ rights and fighting for economic justice. From campaigns that promote gender equality in the workplace to initiatives that tackle racial discrimination at work, union members are committed to ensuring fairness in every industry. These stories demonstrate how collective action leads to better policies, stronger protections, and more inclusive workplaces.

Join the movement for a fairer future

Becoming a union member means taking a stand for human rights at work, supporting stronger protections, and fighting against wage inequality. Together, we can continue to build a society where all workers have access to safe working conditions, secure jobs, and fair treatment in every workplace.

Read our articles for more information about Australian Unions’ approach to Social Justice!

CEO fat cheque factcheck: what’s really driving inflation? 

September 20, 2022

My abhorrent crime for which I am forking up well over a week’s pay was keeping my poorly insulated house warm through a bitter winter. I did this mostly for my baby daughter.

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The Jobs and Skills Summit: what can be achieved when we listen to everyone

September 13, 2022

ACTU Secretary Sally McManus joined us on The Bulletin this week to reflect on what came out of the Jobs and Skills Summit. 

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Resorting to child labour instead of bettering wages and conditions?

September 6, 2022

Hiring 13-year-olds is a recipe for exploitative disaster. They would be paid even less than their 15-year-old counterparts and, owing to their age, would have so little voice and agency in their workplaces.

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The fair, simple and accessible way we will boost wages

September 2, 2022

Australia needs sustainable pay increases so that working people’s pay keeps up with the cost of living and productivity increases. For this to occur we need to modernise the collective bargaining system.

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We know what respect for working women looks like. Here’s how we make it happen

A fairer approach and simpler right to flexible work arrangements in our workplace laws that recognise the importance for all of us of balancing work and care.

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Corporate profits are the main cause of the cost-of-living crisis

July 19, 2022

The evidence is in: this cost-of-living crisis could have been prevented if corporate giants had put people over profit.

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Australian CEOs earn 100 times more than the average worker

July 13, 2022

How would you like to live like a CEO for a day? We’re certainly putting our hands up. 

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Why we can never take our healthcare system for granted

Ever walked into a bulk-billing clinic when you or a loved one was sick? It wasn’t so long ago that you would’ve had to pay for that trip to the doctor, no matter how small the ailment.  

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Professor Nareen Young on what it means for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers to speak truth

July 7, 2022

“Because there is such ignorance in the broader Australian community about Indigenous people and our communities and our cultures, it constantly falls on Indigenous people to make up the gaps and fill in the blanks,” Young says.

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We can never take workers’ rights for granted: Here’s what the Roe v Wade decision could mean for you

July 2, 2022

As working women in the United States take to the streets in outrage, Australian workers can see clearly how important it is to understand our own rights and ensure they remain protected.

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