National Secretary’s Message: Summer 2025

As we look back on 2025, I am immensely proud of every AWU member who stood up and took action. Whether that was stepping up as a delegate or HSR, taking part in protected industrial action, or getting their workmates to join the AWU. Your hard work is the life blood of our union. Thank you.

Throughout the year, we’ve fought against the threat of closure at the Tomago, Glencore and Nyrstar smelters, and the Whyalla steelworks. With assistance from State and Federal Governments, have secured the long-term future of thousands of manufacturing jobs at risk across Australia. The investment into these facilities will ensure that they can process critical minerals and strategic materials our country needs to realise a Future Made in Australia. 

But we know that this is just the start. While this funding is critical to keep these facilities operational, we still need to address rising energy prices, the dumping of cut-price products on our shores, and using more Australian products on our infrastructure projects. You can read more about this in our Big Issue!

We also celebrate the 2025 Campaign of the Year and Yossi Berger Awards in our summer Worker. This year, we received more nominations than ever before, which is a real testament to the work union members are doing across Australia. Congratulations to this year’s winners!

In November, the AWU was proud to be a host union for the Industri-ALL Global Congress. Almost 1000 unionists from across the world joined us in Sydney, where we shared ideas and shaped our global union agenda for the next four years.

Listening to union leaders and organsiers across South America, Asia, and Africa, I certainly grew to appreciate Australian working conditions! So much of what we can take for granted, like penalty rates, superannuation, paid leave and even basic WHS provisions, are still being fought for in so many countries across the world.

But we must remember the conditions we enjoy today weren’t given to us; they were won, after generations of fighting. And it’s now our responsibility to protect these rights for the next generation of workers, and ensure they continue the fight in the years to come.

I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas. To those members who continue to work over the holidays, thank you for keeping Australia moving while we take a break! Enjoy the Worker, and I’ll see you at work soon.