WA Branch Delegation with ACTU leaders. L to R: Jonathan Nugent, Craig Russell, Naomi McCrae, Brendan McKernan, Sally McManus, Sarah Silver, Michelle O’Neil, Adrian Barrett, Jason Walters, Cheryl Hamill
On 17 October 2024, Delegates from WA attended the bi-annual HSU National Conference. Delegates from branches across the country shared stories and insights about their industrial campaigns. Discussions included “Powering up to 150,000,” (from 105,000), aimed at increasing HSU membership to be one of the largest unions in the country.
Special guest, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese spoke about the significant improvements to federal Industrial Relations laws made by the Labor Government and their efforts to increase wages.
With a federal election around the corner in early 2025, it was an important reminder that these law changes, which are just starting to make a real difference for Australian working people, would be wound back by the Liberals/Coalition if they won the election.
That would mean the new Delegate’s rights, the right to disconnect, clear definitions and rights for casuals and gig workers, the “same job, same pay” principle, and many more important rights, needed to improve pay and conditions and restore some balance and fairness, would go. You can see the appalling policies recently announced by the Liberal’s ‘think tank’ here.
ACTU Secretary Sally McManus also delivered a powerful reminder of what is at stake for Australian union members across the country at next year’s federal election. She also mentioned how much she enjoyed joining the Pharmacy Members stop-work meeting at QEII in WA a few weeks ago!
