Dear colleague,  

In Australia, industrial laws are broken. The right to strike is hemmed in by the restrictive Fair Work Act 2009. In respect of Australia’s international obligations, the system of strike regulation has repeatedly been found to fall short of fully implementing the right to strike. 

It is difficult to access so-called “protected” industrial action. An onerous process of applying to the Fair Work Commission and balloting union members is required. Beyond this, what forms of industrial action are 'lawful' is tightly circumscribed. 

Often the most effective forms, those forms which would give workers more bargaining power at the bargaining table, are unlawful.   

Unsurprisingly, many union members have contemplated forms of industrial action that challenge – or simply break – unjust laws in order to reassert the right to strike and unionised workers’ industrial power. However, these events are rare and the tightly constricted nature of industrial laws is not well understood by union members. 

With the question of strikes front of mind for many NTEU members, the NTEU University of Melbourne branch is hosting an event with special guests to discuss effective union industrial action including unprotected action.

This panel session will feature Age journalist Ben Schneiders and union delegates from the United Workers Union, who are at the bargaining table presently with the NTEU.   

Join us -- and bring a friend! -- to hear from real organising experiences of union members.  

When: 1-2pm, Thursday 27th July 

Where: Redmond Barry 103 Lowe Theatre

In solidarity, 

David Gonzalez, Branch President,

National Tertiary Education Union, Melbourne University Branch

*Please be aware that this event is not connected with the University of Melbourne NTEU branch’s current industrial action campaign. What this means is that attendance at this event when you are otherwise required to be at work does not constitute protected industrial action. 

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