Australia Council of Trade Unions
Members Equity Bank
Work and Family
In 2004 the ACTU launched a ground breaking Test Case to help working families achieve better work life balance. The Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) awarded significant rights to workers with caring responsibility: including, extra unpaid parental leave, right to request part-time work, greater personal leave entitlements for family emergencies, duty for employers to not unreasonably refuse extended parental leave or return to work part-time.
 
These gains were short lived. The Howard Government introduced their WorkChoices laws in 2006, which severely limited to role of the AIRC as an independent umpire.
 
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Children Suffer When Parents Work Long Hours: ACTU Family Statement
Tuesday, 29 November 2005
The Federal Government is tying to hide the negative impact of its new workplace laws on Australian families by failing to prepare a Family Impact Statement says the ACTU. Releasing an ACTU statement on the effects on families of the read more...
Families Worse Off Under Individual Contracts: PM Is Wrong, Again
Saturday, 24 September 2005
ACTU President Sharan Burrow will argue that families will be worse off under the Governments IR reforms at a conference at Monash University today, presenting evidence that shows individual contracts (AWAs) lead to longer working hours and provide read more...
Unions Win 2 Years Parental Leave and Right to PT Work For Working Parents
Monday, 8 August 2005
The ACTU is very pleased to achieve a set of new rights for working Australians that include up to two years of unpaid parental leave after the birth of a child and the right to request part time work when parents return to work. Commenting on the read more...
Two Income Families Miss Out On New Govt Cash Bonus
Wednesday, 9 February 2005
It is unfair that single income families will benefit from a Government decision to pay a new $150 cash bonus from this financial year but that dual income working families still have to wait an extra year before they benefit from the Governments read more...
Family Flexible Workplaces Needed To Ease Labour & Skills Shortages Says ACTU
Wednesday, 15 December 2004
In its final submissions this week for the Work and Family Test Case the ACTU has argued that making workplaces more family-flexible will help ease Australias labour and skills shortages by enabling more women with caring responsibilities to stay in read more...
ACTU Final Submission in Work & Family Test Case
Monday, 22 November 2004
ACTU Final Submission in Work & Family Test Case C 2003/4198 and others. Filed in accordance with the directions of the Commission of 14 September 2004. read more...
Low Paid Childcare Workers Forced To Pay For Their Own Police Checks!
Wednesday, 6 October 2004
Childcare workers – who are among the lowest paid workers in Australia – are being forced to organise and pay for their own child abuse police checks, before prospective employers will even look at their job applications. “ Some read more...
Rebate's No Good If There Is No Child Care
Thursday, 30 September 2004
The Coalition is throwing money at voters, but that won't create more child-care places says Barbara Pocock. Letting John Howard loose in an election climate to design social policies in liaison with his kitchen cabinet can be a hazardous exercise. read more...
Despondent Childcare Workers Ready To Leave The Industry
Tuesday, 28 September 2004
A national phone-in on childcare has revealed how low morale is among the dedicated workforce in this important and sensitive industry. “Political parties are jockeying to get the votes of parents with young children with more and more read more...
No Childcare Means No Work For Young Families: National Survey
Monday, 27 September 2004
A national shortage of childcare places is causing widespread problems among working families with 44% of parents responding that they are prevented from working according to a survey conducted by the ACTU and childcare unions. Releasing the read more...
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