Speeches and opinion

Sharan Burrow: Address to the 60th Anniversary of the German Confederation of Trade Unions 05.10.09 | Speeches & Opinion | International ACTU and ITUC President Sharan Burrow addressed the 60th anniversary of the German Confederation of Trade Unions (DGB) in Berlin.

Sharan Burrow: Don’t deal with Burma 01.10.09 | Speeches & Opinion | International Doing business in Burma is not only unethical but an unwise investment strategy and Australian companies who continue to make money from the corrupt regime should sever their ties, argues ACTU President Sharan Burrow.

Jeff Lawrence: Less than best is not acceptable when it comes to workplace health and safety 24.09.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Health & Safety Australian workers deserve the best in health and safety, not a compromise with employer lobby groups, says ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence.

Sharan Burrow: G20 must continue stimulus and corporate reforms 21.09.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Jobs, Rights & GFC Ahead of the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Pittsburgh, ACTU and ITUC President Sharan Burrow outlines the union movement’s plan for a stronger global economy.

Jeff Lawrence: How the new IR system is shaping up for employers and unions 21.09.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Rights at Work The Fair Work Act will be better for employers and employees, our economy and society – in good times and bad. It’s time to stop arguing and get on with it, says ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence.

Jeff Lawrence: Celebrating 25 years of Union Aid Abroad – APHEDA 18.09.09 | Speeches & Opinion | International For 25 years APHEDA has been helping sustainable development, education and health outcomes, all over the world. It is important we recognise and honour the contribution Union Aid Aboard has made to make the world fairer for the people it has worked...

Jeff Lawrence: Company tax should not be cut 18.09.09 | Speeches & Opinion As the Henry Tax Review prepares its final report, there is no clear evidence that a lower company tax rate would be good for Australia, argues ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence.

Sharan Burrow: Executive pay rises add insult to injury 17.09.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Jobs, Rights & GFC The release of company annual reports over the past week reveals that rather than accepting their fair share of the pain, CEOs are still enjoying lavish salaries and outrageous bonuses. It's as if the global financial crisis never happened.

Jeff Lawrence: Employers should be honest about what they really want 08.09.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Rights at Work The hysterical response from several business lobby groups to the modernising of awards raises questions about whether employers are being honest about what they really want, explains ACTU Secretary Jeff Lawrence.

Sharan Burrow: Pathways to recovery: securing the jobs and incomes of working Australians 20.07.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Jobs, Rights & GFC Address to the ACTU Jobs Summit, Sydney NSW Up to 5,000 Australians a week, every week for the next 6 to 12 months will lose their job if the Treasury forecasts come true. Thousands more Australians will face cuts to their hours of work. ...

Sharan Burrow: Employees enter a new era of rights 01.07.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Rights at Work From a campaign that began almost four years ago to the day, Australian workers are set to have greater protection for their jobs, their conditions and their workplace rights. The Fair Work Act, which begins operation today, has turned the tide...

Sharan Burrow: Fair Work Australia (FWA) Inaugural Session 01.07.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Rights at Work Let me acknowledge the traditional owners of the land and thank the elders for their custodianship. This is an historic day and for working Australians a day of celebration. I am proud to be here, with my colleague, Jeff Lawrence, the Secretary of...

Sharan Burrow: Australian businesses can clean up in the energy revolution 28.06.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Clean Energy Jobs This week, Barack Obama told America that "the nation that leads in the creation of a clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the 21st century global economy". Obama, with a clear focus on job creation, expects to have the nation's...

Sharan Burrow: International Labor Organisation Summit speech on Global Jobs Crisis 17.06.09 | Speeches & Opinion | International Speech delivered by ACTU and ITUC President Sharan Burrow for the Workers Group to the International Labor Organisation Summit on the Global Jobs Crisis (Geneva) The world must change. The crisis was a disaster waiting to happen  The...

Jeff Lawrence: Equality before the law is the heart of the matter 11.06.09 | Speeches & Opinion | Rights on Site Contrary to much of the media coverage of the event, most of our time at the ACTU congress was spent not on the Australian Building and Construction Commission or workplace laws but on discussing the broader agenda of unions about jobs and the...