United Workers Union

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, early childhood education, aged care, logistics & supermarket supply, cleaning, security, farming, manufacturing, and market research.[3][4] The union is the result of a merger of two unions: United Voice and the National Union of Workers. It’s a member of the Labor Left.

United Workers Union
Founded2019
PredecessorUnited Voice
National Union of Workers
Members156,000+[1][2]
Key peopleTim Kennedy, National Secretary Jo-anne Schofield, National President
CountryAustralia
Websiteunitedworkers.org.au

The union is unique in its structure, having only one centralised federal branch which is not splintered into separate state branches.[5]

History
See also: United Voice and National Union of Workers

In 2018, plans began to merge the two the unions United Voice and National Union of Workers.[6] In June 2019, the Fair Work Commission approved a vote on the proposed merger between the two unions held in August 2019.[7] On 30 August 2019 the Australian Electoral Commission declared the result of the vote, with just over 95% of members supporting the amalgamation.[8][9][10]

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.[11]

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.[11]

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.[11]

Elections for all office positions within the organisation are conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission.[11]

The term of office for all offices is 4 years.[11]

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.[12]

Politics

During the 2020 recession, the UWU pushed for "a universal income of $740 a week" and a "jobs guarantee".[13]

References
  1. Hannan, Ewin (3 September 2019). "Retail fears chaos in super union merger". The Australian. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  2. Marin-Guzman, David (7 June 2019). "New mega-union fit for 'precarious world of late capitalism'". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 4 September 2019.
  3. Marin-Guzman, David. "Workers vote to create new mega union". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 10 November 2019.
  4. "Who we are". United Workers Union. Retrieved 9 November 2019.
  5. Moase, Godfrey (29 May 2019). "Aussie Rules: Trade Unions and Capitalist Realism". The Social Review. Retrieved 5 September 2019.
  6. Patty, Anna (16 October 2018). "Second major union merger proposed for next year". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  7. "'Mega Union' tipped with United Voice close to merger with National Union of Workers". thesector.com.au. Retrieved 18 July 2019.
  8. August, Friday 30; 2019. "Members vote in favour of United Workers Union". United Voice Australia. Retrieved 2019-09-01.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. Marin-Guzman, David (30 August 2019). "Workers vote to create new mega union". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  10. "Union members give merger thumbs-up - 9News". www.9news.com.au. Retrieved 10 September 2019.
  11. Commission, Fair Work (2019-11-11). "United Workers' Union (UWU)". FWC Main Site. Retrieved 2019-12-08.
  12. Schneiders, Ben. "Big union merger vows to tackle wage theft, redistribute wealth, shift Labor left". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 16 November 2019.
  13. Schneiders, Ben (26 March 2020). "Key union pushes for universal income of $740 a week, guaranteed jobs". The Age. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
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