Workers' Memorial Day will be held at 10am on Monday 29th April at Solidarity Park, corner of Parliament Place & Harvest Terrace, West Perth.

May Day, or International Workers Day, is celebrated every year around the world. In Western Australia, the annual May Day Festival is organised and supported by UnionsWA. Get updates and let's us know you'll be there by giving an RSVP here.

We usually celebrate on the first Sunday in May with a fun, family-oriented day at Fremantle Esplanade. This year we will be celebrating on Sunday 5 May 2019, from 10 am until 2pm. 

ACTU President Michelle O'Neil will be the keynote speaker at May Day 2019. Her speech will start at 10:30 am.

Printed copies of the poster are available from the offices of UnionsWA, Level 4, 445 Hay Street, Perth Ph (08) 6313 6001. We are asking volunteers to help with activities as May Day. You can download and print your own poster here.

May Day recognises the achievements of working people and acknowledges the significance of the eight-hour working day.

The May Day march will commence at 12 pm, with Unions and community groups walking side by side, celebrating solidarity.
The focus for the Festival is to create a free and fun day out on the green and to celebrate all that we enjoy about spending time with friends and families.

For more information, please contact the May Day Co-ordinator, Amber Appelbee at UnionsWA 9328 7877 or email:

mayday@unionswa.com.au

UnionsWA has today released results from a poll commissioned by the ACTU on community attitudes in WA to industrial manslaughter law reform. This poll follows the recent release by the federal government of the Boland Review Report on national work health and safety laws which has recommended industrial manslaughter law reform. The WA Government is currently considering the need for this and other work health and safety reforms in WA.

The West Australian Government is currently conducting an Inquiry into Wage Theft. Full details are available online here.

UnionsWA encourages anyone with a story about wage theft in WA to make a submission. Submissions close Wednesday 27th March, so these are urgently sought now. We will accept and make a submission on your behalf, including assuring you of anonymity if you wish. Submissions via UnionsWA can be made online here (don't forget to insert your story). 

Here is Grant's story.

If you are unsure what wages or conditions you should be employed under in WA, a list of resources, contact numbers and links are available online here.

UnionsWA has commented on the release today of new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics on the gap in pay between women and men and announced that on International Women’s Day, Friday 8 March, a rally of working women and men will be held to protest the lack of progress on equal pay, paid domestic violence leave and the need for improved parenting leave.

Interested union members are invited to hear an address by ACTU Secretary, Sally McManus. She will give the opening address to the State Conference of the MUA/CFMEU at 8:30am, Tuesday 26th February, The Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle. Deputy Leader of the Federal Opposition, Tanya Plibersek, will also provide an address. RSVPs not required.

UnionsWA has commented on new data released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics which shows that earnings growth for full-time working West Australians has been around half that of the rest of Australia.

UnionsWA and Cancer Council WA have issued an urgent warning today for over 300,000 West Australians who work outdoors every day to protect themselves from cancer-causing UV and the risk of heat-related stress by protecting themselves with clothing, hats, sunglasses, shade and sunscreen year-round.

UnionsWA has welcomed the announcement today by the WA Government of an inquiry into wage theft and the appointment of Tony Beech, former Chief Commissioner of the Western Australian Industrial Relations Commission as its head.