National Day of Action Against Welfare Crackdown

In February, the Government will introduce two bills into parliament, designed to dismantle our Social Security System.

The AUWU is organising events across the country to raise public awareness and build a movement against the government’s cruel attacks.

Below are a list of events already organised:

Melbourne: 1pm, Outside State Library of Victoria, Swanston Street

Bendigo: 1pm, outside the Bendigo Library, 259 Hargreaves St

Sydney: 1pm, Belmore Park (https://www.facebook.com/events/149947185788752/)

Adelaide: 1pm, 4/2 Lily St, Goodwood SA (https://www.facebook.com/events/1182272091906873)

Brisbane: 10am, 3/601 Coronation Dr, Toowong QLD 4066 (https://www.facebook.com/events/324626621382646/)

Hervey Bay: 1pm, Boat Harbour Drive near the Pialba Motel (https://www.facebook.com/events/1795712717398080/)

If you would like to hold an event in your local area, please contact the AUWU at comms@unemployedworkersunion.com. We will be happy to send you materials and help you promote it. Even if you could spare 30 minutes to hand out our leaflet, it would be greatly appreciated.

The government is launching some of the most serious attacks ever, against the unemployed. These include:

– Significantly expanding the dangerous Work for the Dole forced labour program
– Extending the discredited cashless welfare program
– Increasing waiting period for Newstart, cutting payments by $540 for new applicants
– Increasing financial penalties for unemployed workers
– Giving private job agencies complete power to make compliance decisions, taking away government oversight and the unemployed’s right to review

If passed, unemployed Australians will be forced to do whatever their job agency wants in order to remain on Newstart, no matter how unreasonable their request. It is the privatisation of our social security system. It is kicking the unemployed when they are down.

Its time to fight back!

As part of our National Day of Action, the AUWU encourages our members to participate in #OperationFebruaryFlood. Contact your local Senator and urge them to vote down the Welfare Reform Bill when it is discussed on 5 February. The vote is tight, so if we get one Senator to change his/her mind we can defeat this Bill!

Please click here for more details about how to help: http://unemployedworkersunion.com/operationfebruaryflood/