Boots were thrown at Parliament House during a lunchtime demonstration on Tuesday by hundreds of fire fighters and ambulance officers protesting against altered work conditions. Frontline emergency workers challenged Premier Campbell Newman to walk in their boots before his government implemented any changes. The protesters gathered at Southbank before heading to Parliament House to protest […]

The Queensland Nurses Union has launched a campaign to convince the government of the importance of nurses’ work. The union says rumours about job and service cuts are unsettling members and lowering morale. Union secretary Beth Mohle said today the union was launching a positive marketing campaign to remind government of the important role nurses […]

Job reductions in the public sector will threaten thousands of jobs in the private sector, according to the Queensland Opposition. Opposition Leader Annastacia Palaszczuk told Parliament Premier Campbell Newman’s “slash and burn” approach to government was “not only costing thousands of government jobs but also threatening thousands of jobs in the private sector”. Mr Newman […]

The Queensland Teachers Union leadership was criticised by Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek over their role in negotiations following last month’s protests outside Parliament House. Mr Langbroek said in Parliament today the QTU didn’t directly involve themselves in negotiations over the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement either before or after the protest. “There was a rally outside the […]

Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has blamed the previous Labor government for public sector job cuts but refused Opposition requests to release figures on how many workers had been axed. Opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk asked in Parliament yesterday for full details. “Will the Premier finally be honest with Queenslanders and today give them the figures of […]

Teachers protested outside Parliament House today over a pay and conditions offer from the Queensland Government. Waving placards they chanted: “Teachers make our classrooms great, Langbroek must negotiate.” Queensland Teachers Union representatives said the government’s offer of a 2.7 percent pay increase was in exchange for removing conditions from the current agreement and replacing them […]

Angry public sector workers marched through city streets waving dolls to represent children they said would suffer from public service job cuts. Community Service Department members said the children would not receive the same attention when the workers were gone. Secretary of the union Together, Alex Scott, said the loss of temporary jobs in these […]

A union has accused Premier Campbell Newman of distorting an election promise by getting rid of thousands of public servants. Up to 40,000 public sector workers will be out of a job by the end of June. Secretary of key public sector union Together Queensland, Alex Scott, said the Government had twisted its pre-election stance […]

While controversy raged over government plans for the top end of George Street, plans for the lower section nearer Roma Street station received a better reception. The construction union and the Property Council have welcomed the State Government’s reconstruction plan to introduce new work spaces for public sector workers in Brisbane. Premier Campbell Newman told […]

The Labor Party used today’s Labor Day march in Brisbane to apologise for the defeated state government’s privatisation policies. Queensland opposition leader Anastacia Palasczuk told marchers she would return the party to its traditional values. Ms Palasczuk apologized for privatisation under the Labor Government and promised she would “bring back the old values”. She received […]

With flags fluttering and to the bagpipe strains of “Hills Of Argyle”, the Gold Coast Labor Day march set off this morning from outside the Southport Workers’ Club. After a tough 12 months dealing with issues like the health payroll crisis, the Queensland Nurses’ Union led the cavalcade along Scarborough Street to the Broadwater Parklands. […]

Hundreds of angry construction workers have marched on the Commonwealth Law Courts building to protest over contracts. In their second major protest this year the workers took action yesterday against alleged sham contracting in the construction industry. About 500 workers from four unions stopped work to protest the court’s recent finding against them, as well […]

About 3000 building workers held a good-natured but noisy rally in Brisbane today claiming underpayment for government projects. After marching through the city, building workers filled the huge leafy garden terraces at the executive building in George Street where they were addressed by union officials who called through loud speakers for “a peaceful and loud […]

Dozens of construction workers jammed into the Brisbane City Council public gallery this week to support a union representative addressing the council on their behalf. Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union state secretary Michael Ravbar (pictured) told the council construction workers were concerned about the future of the industry. “The outlook is anything but encouraging,” […]

Construction union leaders at a Brisbane rally last week threatened to take nation-wide industrial action if any construction worker was jailed under the current Australian Building and Construction Commission laws. In a fiery speech to hundreds of industry workers, Electrical Trades Union assistant secretary Allen Hicks threatened industrial action if the ABCC laws were used […]