UnionsWA has today commented on submissions published overnight in the WA State Wage Case and called for a $50 per week or 6.2% pay rise for WA’s lowest paid workers and those on State Awards.

UnionsWA has commented on the release today of the Mid-Year Financial Projections Statement (available online here) and the announcement of a scoping project to consider privatisation of Landgate.

As part of the International 16 Days of Action Against Gender Based Violence, UnionsWA and affiliated unions today met with the WA Minister for Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Simone McGurk to hear about action being taken by the State Government to reduce the incidence of family and domestic violence. As a priority, unions are seeking to ensure paid family and domestic violence leave is available for all working people.

Minister McGurk (quoted below)

UnionsWA has welcomed the report today that the WA State Government will move to close a loophole that has meant employers have been claiming payroll tax exemptions for trainees.

You might be forgiven for thinking that an industrial dispute involving a small number of workers in the WA rural community of Collie might not matter much to you. If so, you'd be wrong. The implications of the Griffin Coal dispute are profound and will resonate up to and beyond the next federal election.

Meredith Hammat, UnionsWA Secretary, addressing striking workers of Collie.

UnionsWA has today commented on the announcement by the WA Government of a review of West Australian industrial relations system. Over 100,000 working West Australians are covered under these WA laws, including those on the WA Minimum Wage, apprentices, trainees and those employed in small business.

UnionsWA has commented on the release of the first Budget by the Mc Gowan Labor Government critical of the planned loss of 3,000 public sector.

UnionsWA has commented on the release by the Australian Bureau of Statistics of new data that shows the difference in pay between women and men in Western Australia remains the worst in the country, despite a slight improvement.  In an environment of low wages growth generally, increases in pay for men over the past three years have been about half the increases in the lower wages of women.

 UnionsWA and the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) have today released the WA results of a survey on work and care responsibilities. The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) has just launched its new campaign to Change the Rules for Working Women & Families. As part of that campaign the ACTU is running a case in the Fair Work Commission seeking to establish a right to reduced hours of work in order to attend to care needs. 

The WA Make It Fair Survey Report is available here.

UnionsWA has today commented on the decision by WA Industrial Relations Commission in the State Wage Case, which sets wages for around a hundred thousand working West Australians on the WA Minimum Wage and reliant awards including many trainees and apprentices.