CPSU launches TV ads

The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has launched a groundbreaking TV advertising campaign aimed at promoting the many benefits of union membership to public sector workers.

Watch the CPSU ad on YouTube here.

CPSU National Secretary Stephen Jones said: "The CPSU has decided to launch these TV advertisements to portray a more realistic face of modern unionism. "At a time when the Howard Government and militant employers are attempting to narrowly stereotype all unionists as overweight men in braces, the ad reinforces that the typical union member these days is a semi-professional, white collar worker looking for practical advice and support at work.
"This unusual step also reflects the fact that in the current industrial climate, union representatives find it extremely difficult to get into workplaces to talk with employees about their issues and the benefits of union membership. "This is an historic initiative. It's the first time unions have marketed the benefits of membership in the mass media via a TV campaign. "It's a positive campaign that links the individual 'value' in joining a union with the collective 'values' of working together.
"The ads are based on extensive research that shows that most workers are not opposed to the idea of union, but unions really need to do a better job of communicating to potential members the benefits of membership.
"These benefits include support at the workplace level if things go wrong, assistance in bargaining wages and conditions as well discounts on travel and home loans.

A very public servant

Unless you've been living under a rock in the Pilbara for the last few weeks, you would have seen, heard or read one of the Howard Government's new 'Know Where You Stand' advertisements, fronted by Barbara Bennett from the Workplace Authority.
Are you concerned at the use of a public servant in such a political marketing campaign?
Does this sort of advertising damage the independence and integrity of the public service?
Tell us what you think about the Government's ads.

Young workers burnt by Chili's individual contracts

Teenagers on AWAs at a restaurant chain are being required to fork out their own money to cover customers who skip away without paying the bill.

In addition to picking up the tab of customers who do a runner, the young workers were expected to kick in $50 of their own money at the beginning of each shift for cash floats.

Employees would only start to get paid once customers arrived, with some waiting up to 45 minutes after clocking on before the $13.44* per hour started to kick in.

Many were often only offered shifts that lasted two hours in total. "Most of the time I was given only two-hour shifts, meaning I got just $26.88 a night," former employee Alice McCarthy told the Daily Telegraph.

"I was excited to land a job at Chili's...(but) sadly, my enthusiasm and excitement over my new job was quickly dampened by the harsh realities of the conditions of my employment," she said.

"I didn't really understand the implications of the AWA at first, " Alice said. "I thought it would not really make a difference to my working conditions. I also believed that the whole fuss about the WorkChoices laws was created by politicians wanting votes. But I was wrong because the AWA I had signed really did make a difference to the job."

The ACTU described the situation as "further evidence of how vulnerable young workers have lost rights under John Howard's IR laws," as they launched a new advertisement highlighting the growing concerns of older Australians and working parents.

The ad portrays three generations of the same Australian family, with a grandfather character explaining that his generation 'fought for things like regular working hours, penalty rates and redundancy pay' while his daughter and grandson worry they are losing their rights at work.

"There are very strong concerns about the IR laws among older Australians and parents who are worried about how their children are being treated in the workplace under the new IR laws," ACTU President Sharran Burrow said.

* Following a recent decision by the Fair Pay Commission, the minimum wage will jump to $13.92, effective 1 October 2007.

• What you can do: Tell Chili's what you think by sending them an e-mail.
• ACTU advertisement: Watch the latest ACTU ads online here.
• More information: Read the Daily Telegraphs report here.

Your say on new ACTU ads

As the election draws closer, the ACTU has launched a new series of hard-hitting Your Rights At Work television commercials.
In the first ad, Annette Harris talks about her experience at Spotlight where she was offered an AWA individual contract that removed penalty rates, overtime and meal breaks - all for an extra 2 cents an hour.
In the second ad, a grandfather talks about how - under WorkChoices - his children and grandchildren have lost the workplace rights his generation had fought so hard for.

Spolight on fairness: Annette Harris ad.

Grand dad ad.