More than 500 people attended the launch for the United Workers Union (UWU) Members First ticket on February 8, indicating enthusiasm for the union to take a new direction.
The UWU’s elections are likely to start around late April or early May.
The Members First ticket includes members, delegates, organisers and leaders. The ticket says it “wants to build UWU for a more democratic union that shows up in workplaces, backs members to organise and take action”.
Katie McGinn, former rank-and-file member and disability services worker, is heading the ticket and running for the position of National President.
She emphasised the importance of “members leading the union” at the launch, saying “members need to be steering the wheel that is this union”.
Caterina Cianni, who is running for UWU Secretary, highlighted some of Members First’s policies. They include freezing union dues; setting up a strike fund; and ending union organisers compulsory membership of Labor.
Cianni criticised the union’s cuts to delegate and organiser training. She also spoke out against the more than $9 million that have been deployed to “political campaigns” rather than funding the Grill’d workers campaign for more union members.
The launch included delegates from various workplaces explaining why they are supporting the Members First ticket. Farm workers Booth and Ray highlighted how the union had helped them fight exploitation by being paid just $12 an hour by private contractors.
Ava Baldwin, who works at Padres Coffee, spoke about how important it is for the union to fight for paid gender affirmation leave and paid Sorry Business leave for First Nation’s staff.
[Jacob Andrewartha is a member of the United Workers Union and supports the Members First ticket. For more information, visit the website here.]
