United Workers Union
{{short description|Australian trade union}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = United Workers Union
| location_country = Australia
| members = {{decrease}} 144,743 (as at 31 December 2023){{cite web |title=Membership size of registered organisations – 2024 |url=https://www.fwc.gov.au/documents/organisations/resources/ig005-membership-size-registered-organisations.pdf |publisher=Fair Work Commission |access-date=20 February 2025}}
| full_name =
| native_name =
| image = 160px
| founded = 2019
| predecessor = United Voice
National Union of Workers
| headquarters =
| key_people = Tim Kennedy, National Secretary Jo-anne Schofield, National President
| website = {{URL|https://www.unitedworkers.org.au/}}
| footnotes =
}}
The United Workers Union (UWU) is an Australian trade union. Described as the biggest blue-collar union in Australia, the UWU covers more than 150,000 workers within over 45 industries, including warehousing, defence, hospitality, health, disability support, early childhood education, aged care, logistics and supermarket supply, cleaning, security, farming, manufacturing, and market research.{{cite web |last1=Marin-Guzman |first1=David |title=Workers vote to create new mega union |url=https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/workers-vote-to-create-new-mega-union-20190830-p52mit |website=Australian Financial Review |date=30 August 2019 |access-date=10 November 2019 |archive-date=10 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191110020538/https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/workers-vote-to-create-new-mega-union-20190830-p52mit |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Who we are |url=https://www.unitedworkers.org.au/who-we-are/ |website=United Workers Union |access-date=9 November 2019 |archive-date=9 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191109083722/https://www.unitedworkers.org.au/who-we-are/ |url-status=live }} The union is the result of the 2019 merger of two Australian trade unions: United Voice and the National Union of Workers. The United Workers Union is a member of the Labor Left.
The union is unique in its structure, having only one centralised federal branch which is not separated into state branches.{{cite news |last1=Moase |first1=Godfrey |title=Aussie Rules: Trade Unions and Capitalist Realism |url=https://www.thesocialreview.co.uk/2019/05/29/aussie-rules-trade-unions-and-capitalist-realism/ |access-date=5 September 2019 |work=The Social Review |date=29 May 2019 |archive-date=21 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220821045036/https://www.thesocialreview.co.uk/2019/05/29/aussie-rules-trade-unions-and-capitalist-realism/ |url-status=live }}
History
{{See also|United Voice|National Union of Workers}}
In 2018, plans began to merge the two the unions United Voice and National Union of Workers.{{cite web |last1=Patty |first1=Anna |title=Second major union merger proposed for next year |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/second-major-union-merger-proposed-for-next-year-20181016-p50a1u.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en |date=16 October 2018 |access-date=10 September 2019 |archive-date=18 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518153549/https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/second-major-union-merger-proposed-for-next-year-20181016-p50a1u.html |url-status=live }} In June 2019, the Fair Work Commission approved a vote on the proposed merger between the two unions held in August 2019.{{cite news |title='Mega Union' tipped with United Voice close to merger with National Union of Workers |url=https://thesector.com.au/2019/06/11/mega-union-tipped-with-united-voice-close-to-merger-with-national-union-of-workers/ |access-date=18 July 2019 |work=thesector.com.au |archive-date=18 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718011046/https://thesector.com.au/2019/06/11/mega-union-tipped-with-united-voice-close-to-merger-with-national-union-of-workers/ |url-status=live }} On 30 August 2019 the Australian Electoral Commission declared the result of the vote, with just over 95% of members supporting the amalgamation.{{Cite web|url=https://www.unitedvoice.org.au/members_vote_in_favour_of_united_workers_union|title=Members vote in favour of United Workers Union|date=August 30, 2019|website=United Voice Australia|language=en|access-date=2019-09-01}}{{cite news |last1=Marin-Guzman |first1=David |title=Workers vote to create new mega union |url=https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/workers-vote-to-create-new-mega-union-20190830-p52mit |access-date=10 September 2019 |work=Australian Financial Review |date=30 August 2019 |language=en |archive-date=31 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831040818/https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/workers-vote-to-create-new-mega-union-20190830-p52mit |url-status=live }}{{cite news |title=Union members give merger thumbs-up - 9News |url=https://www.9news.com.au/national/union-members-give-merger-thumbs-up/13ce0a16-7269-438a-9924-17bed8e4330f |access-date=10 September 2019 |work=www.9news.com.au |archive-date=31 August 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190831021642/https://www.9news.com.au/national/union-members-give-merger-thumbs-up/13ce0a16-7269-438a-9924-17bed8e4330f |url-status=live }}
Governance and structure
The organisation operates as a national structure and does not have divisions or branches. Governance of the organisation is vested in a National Convention of approximately 500 Delegates, from industries and workplaces across Australia, elected by all financial members. A meeting of the convention is held every 4 years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fwc.gov.au/registered-organisations/find-registered-organisations/united-workers-union-uwu|title=United Workers' Union |date=2019-11-11|website=Fair Work Commission|language=en|access-date=2019-12-08|archive-date=8 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191208131229/https://www.fwc.gov.au/registered-organisations/find-registered-organisations/united-workers-union-uwu|url-status=live}}
Between meetings of the National Convention its powers are exercised by a Member Council, consisting of 50 rank and file Councillors and the National Executive. Both the Councillors and the National Executive are elected by and from the convention.
The Committee of Management of the organisation is called the National Executive. It consists between 12 and 24 members, including the National President, National Secretary and 4 National Vice-presidents.
Elections for all office positions within the organisation are conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission.
The term of office for all offices is 4 years.
Tim Kennedy, former National Secretary of the NUW, is the National Secretary, and Jo-anne Schofield, former National Secretary of United Voice, is the National President.{{cite web |last1=Schneiders |first1=Ben |title=Big union merger vows to tackle wage theft, redistribute wealth, shift Labor left |url=https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/big-union-merger-vows-to-tackle-wage-theft-redistribute-wealth-shift-labor-left-20191108-p538me.html |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=9 November 2019 |publisher=Fairfax Media |access-date=16 November 2019 |archive-date=16 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191116011229/https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/big-union-merger-vows-to-tackle-wage-theft-redistribute-wealth-shift-labor-left-20191108-p538me.html |url-status=live }}
Industrial coverage
The UWU have industrial coverage over:{{cite news |title=Industries |url=https://unitedworkers.org.au/who-we-are/ |access-date=15 September 2022 |work=United Workers Union |language=en-AU}}
{{colbegin|colwidth=22em}}
- Aged care, home care & disability support
- Cleaners
- Property Services
- Security
- Early Childhood Educators
- Teacher's aides and education assistants
- Farm workers
- Food manufacturers
- Poultry workers
- Dairy workers
- Restaurants, bars and cafes
- Casino workers
- Clubs
- Pub workers
- Ambulances & Paramedics
- Health Workers
- Health and Fitness workers
- Logistics and supermarket supply
- Manufacturing
- Market research & call centre workers
- Sales workers
- Tourism
- Veterinary, zoos & animal care
- Laundries
- Sports & entertainment workers
{{Colend}}
Politics
During the 2020 recession, the UWU pushed for "a universal income of $740 a week" and a "jobs guarantee".{{cite news |last1=Schneiders |first1=Ben |title=Key union pushes for universal income of $740 a week, guaranteed jobs |url=https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/key-union-pushes-for-universal-income-of-740-a-week-guaranteed-jobs-20200326-p54e2j.html |access-date=26 March 2020 |work=The Age |date=26 March 2020 |language=en |archive-date=26 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200326021833/https://www.theage.com.au/politics/federal/key-union-pushes-for-universal-income-of-740-a-week-guaranteed-jobs-20200326-p54e2j.html |url-status=live }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.unitedworkers.org.au/ Official Website]
Category:2019 establishments in Australia
Category:Trade unions affiliated with the Australian Council of Trade Unions