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A message from the QLD Branch Secretary

July 17, 2024

We have had a massive few months in the Queensland Branch of the AWU as our members continue to grow power in the workplace.

AWU members employed at Wilmar Sugar in North Queensland have been out the gate over the past few months fighting for a fair pay rise from their multinational employer. While our members struggle to continue living in their local communities in North Queensland, the owner of Wilmar International is cruising on his $4.8 billion luxury yacht made of gold, platinum, meteoric rock and a real-life dinosaur bone.

      Wilmar Sugar workers on the picket line

It’s hard to imagine a grosser display of wealth while North Queensland sugar communities suffer. Our members have stood strong in the face of this company’s bullying tactics and have run successful campaigns to vote down their bosses’ bad deal – returning strong no votes of 80.5% last year and 84.7% this year.

Our members know their worth, and they are going to keep fighting for the deal their communities deserve.

We have also launched a major campaign aiming to reduce violence in Queensland’s public hospitals. Our members in Queensland Health are facing massive rates of violence in the workplace, with a survey conducted by our union showing that around 70% of workers have been assaulted or witnessed an assault in the workplace. Our members are fighting for the Government to implement the AWU’s Queensland Health Workplace Violence Action Plan – five commonsense measures being proposed by the workforce to reduce violence in the workplace.

This plan includes more security personnel, better equipment, fit-for-purpose training, stronger penalties for abusers and streamlined WorkCover claims. Our members have been working hard gathering petition signatures, sharing their stories of workplace violence and raising awareness about our campaign.

Thanks to our action we are starting to break through, with the Government announcing funding for 70 new security officer FTEs in their recent budget! This is a great start, but we need the Government to agree to our entire plan if we are going to see violence reduce in the workplace – our campaign will continue until we see the change we need.

Congratulations to all of the AWU members who have been fighting to build power in their workplace over the past few months – we are strong, we are united and we are winning!

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