We stand up for what’s right!
"Being part of a Union
is about being part of and standing up for our community. Its more than just
our rates of pay, it’s saying that working people should be treated decently
and with dignity and using our influence to make Tasmania a better place for all
workers and their families"
Todd, CEPU member
If you're in the union you're better paid.
That's a fact. Workers who aren't in the union are paid an average of
$130 per week less because without the support, strength and skills available
through being part of the CEPU, they cannot negotiate the pay and conditions
that CEPU members win.
Workers who aren't in the union find out they're
being ripped off, but often don't know how to go about fixing the problem.
That's because, as most of us know through experience, workers don't have much
power on their own.
We understand that through organising together and
supporting each other we can demand good wages and conditions. By working
collectively CEPU members are succeeding in getting pay rises that are second to
none.
Whatever you might get on your own, we can do
better together.
At your service
"I was diagnosed with
cancer when I was X months pregnant. It was a really scary time and my employer
just kept on pestering me with all kinds of strange questions and requests. I
was so stressed. I asked the Union to help and my Delegate and Organiser were
there straight away. Being a CEPU member made a huge difference when I needed
it most"
Nat, CEPU Member
Every day the industrial staff at the CEPU
are making regular workplace visits to resolve disputes, answer queries, offer
advice, check on health and safety and a myriad of other tasks which is part of
a Union Organiser's job.
Most workplaces have a Delegate who is elected by
the CEPU members who work there. If your workplace doesn't have one you
should talk to your Organiser about electing one.
The Delegate is the Union contact at your
workplace.
The Union provides extensive training for
Delegates and they are often able to resolve a problem on the job without
requiring the assistance of an Organiser. The other Union representative at the
workplace is the elected Health and Safety Representatives. Under the law a
Health and Safety Representative can decide whether something is unsafe and
they have the right to demand that it be corrected.
Both the Delegate and the Health and Safety
Representative call on the Organiser if a problem or a dispute cannot be
resolved at the workplace level. The Organiser will then visit the workplace to
negotiate with the employer for a satisfactory outcome.
Unions are democratic. If members have a problem
it is up to them to decide how to fix it. The Organiser offers support, advice
and representation. And we are with you all the way, striving for improvements
we can only get by standing together.
Why Unions?
If you've ever had a problem at work, you'll
understand why unions exist. If you don't have problems at work, mostly it's
because unions exist. It's because others have fought to ensure that you have
many of the things we take for granted in our working life today. But those
things are not necessarily there forever if we don't keep up the fight.
"Every day there is
another story in the news about mega rich companies trying to cut worker’s
wages. Sometimes they do, but other times like when CUB tried to do it, the
workers were in a Union and fought back. They kept their jobs and didn’t get a
pay cut. We must stand up if we want to keep what we have and make sure it
keeps improving. The only way to do that is by joining a Union"
Dave, CEPU member
The CEPU is made up of groups of workers who
have organised themselves into a union to solve problems that they can't solve
on their own. We know that as a group, we have more power than individuals and
with that power we can put pressure on employers to respond to the issues that
concern us in our working lives.
The CEPU is made up of workers like you, who
want to defend and improve their working conditions and play their role in
maintaining a good standard of living for themselves, their families and our
community as a whole.
We need your participation so that we can continue to be
strong and successful. Every day,
our way of life is threatened by governments and hostile employers who want to
keep us down while their profits go up.
They would like to see us out of our unions and be
like those exploited, underpaid non-unionised workers who don’t know their
rights and suffer more workplace injuries than us. Some of us know what it's
like because we've been there. And we sure as hell don't want to go back.
We're proud to be in the union!
If you're not a member, join. If you are a member
get involved. And let's do it better together.
Don't risk your health!
You have the right to work in a safe and healthy
environment. That means Occupational Health and Safety is a critical issue for
CEPU members.
Every year in Australia more people die through
work related injuries than road accidents. Jobs without a Union presence are
routinely more dangerous and the employers are more likely to ignore or pay lip
service to safety requirements in an attempt to save a dollar, this puts you at
risk.
The CEPU has been at the forefront of raising
Occupational Health and Safety issues to ensure that workplaces are safer.
Years of struggle, protest and lobbying by union members means that there are
established rules and practices in areas like:
· Manual Handling
· Occupational Licencing
· Handling of Chemicals
· Ergonomic equipment
· Appropriate rosters and
fatigue management
The Work Health
and Safety Act specifies that it is the responsibility of the employer to
provide a safe working environment and safety equipment. If you are unsure
about the safety of anything you are required to do, DON'T DO IT. You have the
right to refuse until the problem is fixed.
Speak to the Health and Safety Representative on the job. If
there isn't one, speak to your Union Organiser or the Delegate about getting
one elected urgently!
CEPU members have successfully negotiated many improvements to
Health and Safety on the job in many workplaces. CEPU Officials provide advice
and information on all the issues.
We are there when you need us and we don't put your life on the
line.
"I was under pressure
from the company and ended up injuring myself. Two months later I called upon
the union, because things got complicated. The union helped me get free legal
advice and representation at a hearing. The union's been there with me all the
way"
Tony, CEPU member
WorkCover Tasmania
We are entitled to compensation if we suffer a work related
injury because the CEPU alongside other unions fought for many years to
get decent compensation for workers if they were injured at work.
However, employers lobby governments to make it harder for
workers to get fair access to compensation and easier for insurance companies to
get out of paying. That's why you should never go through the system on your
own.
Your union ticket is all you need to ensure that if you have an
accident, you are supported through professional legal advice and
representation.
The union has access to a law firm with years of experience and
expertise in dealing with cases in this field. We recommend that you don't seek
advice elsewhere as the legislation in the Workers' Compensation area is
complex and constantly changing.
We understand that being on compensation is difficult for many
workers. We may not be able to fix the pain, but we're here to make sure you're
not ripped off in any way.