Press release: ‘Solving Our Employment Crisis’ – 15/04/16
Next Tuesday 19 April, the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union (AUWU) is hosting an historic and innovative conference entitled ‘Solving Our Employment Crisis’ at the State’s tertiary education union (NTEU) headquarters in Melbourne.
Speakers at the Conference include ACTU President Ged Kearney, ACOSS CEO Cassandra Goldie, Jobs Australia CEO David Thompson, renowned economist Bill Mitchell as well as an array of unemployed workers and social security recipients who will address the conference throughout the day.
The AUWU will also be launching its booklet, entitled “Unemployed Workers Rights: A Guide”, which is designed to assist unemployed workers in their dealings with the employment services industry.
In the final panel of the day, moderated by Guardian journalist Van Badham, conference attendees will draft a statement detailing how the organisations represented propose to address Australia’s worsening employment crisis.
“The conference comes in the wake of the Coalition Government’s increasingly punitive approach toward unemployed workers and social security recipients,” said AUWU President Owen Bennett, “which has led to the Australian Unemployed Workers’ Union being overcome with calls to our hot line from people looking for relief.”
“According to the Government’s own data, there are 11 job seekers competing for every job vacancy. This ratio has tripled since 2008. Neither side of politics has proposed any meaningful solutions to this employment crisis.” Mr Bennett said.
“The situation is urgent. With the Federal Government’s ongoing failure to address Australia’s chronic jobs shortage, unemployment and the problems relating to unemployment have reached crisis levels.
If the Government is not able to create enough of jobs to go around, then it has a responsibility to look after those left behind. We have not seen that. In fact, with the election of the Coalition Government in 2013, we have actually seen a significant crackdown on unemployed workers and social security recipients,” said Mr Bennett.
The AUWU, formed in late 2013, is a national organisation run by the unemployed with branches in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide, and has 3,500 members.
Tuesday 19 April
National Tertiary Education Union : FEU Rooms, Ground Flr, 1/120 Clarendon St, Southbank, 8:30am-4.30pm.
Food provided.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Owen Bennett: 0481 186 479 or Valerie Farfalla: 0413 595 265