UnionsWA has commented on the release today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics of its Wage Price Index series and together with data released last week on living costs for employee households. These highlight a trend of wages failing to keep pace with costs, particularly so for working people in WA on low wages and others on fixed incomes.

The WA Annual Dinner for APHEDA Union Aid Abroad has become the event for international solidarity, good food and good fun in Perth - all in the aid of supporting working people in developing countries. And a complementary drink upon arrival!

Our guest speaker this year is Dr Olfat Mahmoud (pictured).

She has worked closely with APHEDA for many years and in 1992 established the Palestinians Women’s Humanitarian Organisation to assist refugee camps in Lebanon.  Dr Mahmoud has just published Tears For Tarshiha (see details of her book and tour here).

We are also privileged to hear from Union Aid Abroad co-founder Helen McCue.

There will an auction to raise money for UnionAid Abroad/APHEDA international projects - so don't leave your wallets at home!

Please join us on Friday 7th September at the Zoo! There will be free parking at the Richardson St Car park opposite the Zoo. Ferries run from South Perth to Elizabeth Quay until 11.45 pm.

Please complete your details below, after which you will land on the payment page, needed in order to receive a ticket and receipt.

You can purchase online, or download a booking form here (which is also a tax invoice).

We're fortunate to have such acclaimed speakers for a great cause.  You are encouraged to download and distribute the flyer for this event available online here.

Tickets are $90 per person (includes GST). Table of 10 will be $900. Please note that while no concession ticket rate applies, some unions have indicated that they may be able to assist some current or past/retired members. Contact your union to find out how!

UnionsWA has today commented on the release by the McGowan Government of major report recommending urgently needed reforms to work health and safety laws in WA.  These laws cover workplaces for the vast majority of working West Australians and are essential for preventing work-related death, injury and illness.

UnionsWA has commented on the release today by the ABS of new Local Government Area data on income which shows that nationally four of the top five areas with the highest median incomes are in WA. However, WA is the only state in Australia where median incomes are falling.

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.

Today, an International Workers’ Memorial Day commemoration in Perth heard from Tony and Robyn Hampton. Their son, Jarrod, was the victim of a work fatality while working as a diver for Paspaley Pearls out of Broome. UnionsWA has today called on the WA Government to fast-track a Safety Code of Practice for all Occupational Divers and to strengthen occupational health and safety laws to ensure harsher penalties for safety offences. Comment is also provided on the sad news overnight of a work fatality at a Collie mine.

Sadly, Tony Cooke, former Secretary of UnionsWA passed away overnight, during the evening of Wednesday 24 April 2018 following a long illness.

Photo reproduced courtesy of Westpix, depicts the welcome Tony Cooke received upon leaving the WA Parliament after an all-night protest over the Third Wave of industrial law changes.

The local WA ACTU Change The Rules campaign has announced a range of activities in the Pearce federal electorate, currently held by Minister Christian Porter. Supporters today paraded outside Porter’s electorate office with a skeleton to remind voters of the skeletons in Porter’s closet – his support for cuts to weekend penalty rates pay, the robbo-debt disaster and a failure to deliver federal government support for the Ellenbrook rail line.

Pearce local, Benjamin Peskett, rattles skeleton outside Christian Porter MP's office

UnionsWA has today commented on recently released data by the ABS comparing the wages of men and women in casual work where no annual leave or sick leave is provided. The ABS estimates that 271, 600 working West Australians are in some form of insecure, casual or contract work where they have no entitlement to paid annual leave or sick leave.

UnionsWA has today commented on the recent submission by the Minerals Council of Australia to the Senate Select Committee on the Future of Work and Workers.