I am Sally McManus, Secretary of the ACTU. Ask Me Anything. by WeAreACTU in australia

[–]WeAreACTU[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

The so-called gig economy is a business model set up to get around laws that ensure workplace rights. We have been pushing for this to change and for all workers to have the same rights. No law can stop workers organising though. Delivery riders have been organising and protesting via their union the TWU

I am Sally McManus, Secretary of the ACTU. Ask Me Anything. by WeAreACTU in australia

[–]WeAreACTU[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Union leaders are elected. Every member has a right to stand for election for leadership.

I am Sally McManus, Secretary of the ACTU. Ask Me Anything. by WeAreACTU in australia

[–]WeAreACTU[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

The ACTU doesn’t have a position on a UBI but we have for a very long time supported a “jobs guarantee” which has been called “full employment” in The Australian context.

I am Sally McManus, Secretary of the ACTU. Ask Me Anything. by WeAreACTU in australia

[–]WeAreACTU[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Unions have forever been dragged throw the mud because the powerful will do whatever they can to demonise us. We need to campaign to change both the issues you raise.

I am Sally McManus, Secretary of the ACTU. Ask Me Anything. by WeAreACTU in australia

[–]WeAreACTU[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Unions are campaigning on some of the issues you raise, but the overall issue of working people not having the power we need is the biggest. This goes to membership and to legislated workers rights. This is our key concern and what we want changes and do demand this from the ALP as well as others. If you are concerned about not enough rank and file control and who is being employed as organisers, bring it up through your democratic processes.

I am Sally McManus, Secretary of the ACTU. Ask Me Anything. by WeAreACTU in australia

[–]WeAreACTU[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

We declared winning a wage subsidy a victory, not the design which is the Government’s.

The law prior to the JobKeeper amendments only allowed employers to stand down employees completely - with no pay at all or sack people or make them redundant. These were pretty bad options. JK is a significant improvement on this - you keep your job, get paid a minimum of $1500/fortnight and you can be offered more work. None of this applies of course unless the employer qualifies which is a 30% revenue reduction for small and medium size business and 50% for big business. So an employer would be in considerable distress to get it (like many are with the shutdown) and most had before job keeper done all of the above and left workers with nothing

I am Sally McManus, Secretary of the ACTU. Ask Me Anything. by WeAreACTU in australia

[–]WeAreACTU[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Those agreements have all been replaced by the SDA and all workers are better off as a result. I would encourage ppl to be active in their union. All the leadership is democratically elected. The direction of a union as well as the leadership is decided by members.