http://www.nuw.org.au This is a list of recent press releases from all branches. For older press releases you can check the press release archive on the side. The numbers beside the years show the number of press releases in each year. Click on the number beside the year to see the releases for that year. To see releases from a particular branch, click on its link below. For further information, please contact our Media Officer, Di Lloyd, on (03) 9287 1777. daily 1 Syndication is not Allowed http://www.nuw.org.au/articles/nat/MediaReleases/wagesdrop Wages for around 1.5 million low-paid workers reliant on awards fell below the rate of inflation last year says the ACTU. The Fair Pay Commission (AFPC) is wrong to claim that low-paid workers are better off in real terms when only 4 per cent of workers are reliant on the Federal Minimum Wage — most (96 per cent of around 1.6 million workers) are reliant on other minimum wage levels which fell in real terms by up to $15 a week last year. National Union of Workers 2008-02-26T11:47+00:00 http://www.nuw.org.au/articles/nat/MediaReleases/mortgagestress Unions are calling on banks and home lenders to change the way they deal with families struggling to pay their mortgages, after reports of homeowners returning from work to find their locks had been changed. ACTU President Sharan Burrow said: “It is simply not acceptable for banks that are making enormous profits to repossess homes when homeowners are only a few weeks behind in the repayments. National Union of Workers 2008-02-22T11:25+00:00 http://www.nuw.org.au/articles/nsw/MediaReleases/compulsoryinsurance The National Union of Workers NSW Branch (NUW) is calling upon the Federal Government to introduce compulsory entitlement protection insurance as a mandatory inclusion in all workplace agreements. NUW NSW Branch State Secretary Derrick Belan said that there must be a substantial change to Federal legislation to protect workers’ entitlements in all industries. This follows the recent financial collapse of National Parts, where 300 people lost their jobs. National Union of Workers 2008-02-20T15:54+00:00 http://www.nuw.org.au/articles/nat/MediaReleases/libshurtworkers Thousands more Australian workers will be hurt by the loss of pay and conditions while the Liberals continue to delay a new law to ban AWA Individual Contracts and begin dismantling of WorkChoices said the ACTU. Commenting on the announcement today (February 19, 2008) by Shadow Minister for Workplace Relations Julie Bishop that the Liberals will continue to delay the passage of a ban on new AWAs until at least May while also seeking a three year extension of individual agreements (ITEA), ACTU President Sharan Burrow said: “Every day the Liberals delay the scrapping of AWAs more and more working families are being hurt. National Union of Workers 2008-02-20T13:46+00:00 http://www.nuw.org.au/articles/nat/MediaReleases/libsconfused Claims by the former Minister responsible for WorkChoices, Joe Hockey, that his Liberal Cabinet colleagues did not understand that workers would be worse off by the Liberals’ WorkChoices laws are simply not believable, say unions. Right from the start, former Prime Minister John Howard and his senior Ministers refused to guarantee that no worker would be worse off under WorkChoices. Prior to the introduction of WorkChoices, the former Prime Minister specifically referred to a situation in which a young worker (Billy) applying for their first job would lose award conditions such as penalty rates, overtime pay and public holiday pay without compensation. National Union of Workers 2008-02-18T15:09+00:00 http://www.nuw.org.au/articles/nat/MediaReleases/natpartshope After days of uncertainty and angst there could be some good news for the 300 National Parts workers made redundant when the company went into administration on Tuesday, with the hope the business could be sold as an ongoing concern. The National Union of Workers spoke with administrators KordaMentha today (Thursday February 14, 2008) to discuss that fate of its 80-plus members who were made redundant when the national auto part distributor closed its doors. NUW General Secretary Charlie Donnelly said the meeting was welcomingly positive, with both the union and administrator keen to try to sell the business as an ongoing concern, and save as many jobs as possible. National Union of Workers 2008-02-14T15:04+00:00