ASU

Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union
Australian Services Union
Founded	July 1, 1993
Members	140,000
Country	Australia
Affiliation	ACTU, ITF
Key people	Paul Slape, national secretary
Office location	Melbourne, Victoria
Website	www.asu.asn.au

The Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services Union, which operates under the trading name of the Australian Services Union or ASU, is a trade union that represents members in a variety of industries. Image File history File links ASU_logo. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is the peak national body representing workers in Australia. ... The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) is a global union federation of transport workers trade unions, founded in 1896. ... Melbournes Yarra River is a popular area for walking, jogging, cycling, rowing and for relaxing on the banks with a picnic Melbourne (pronounced either or [1]) is the second most populous city in Australia, with a metropolitan area population of approximately 3. ... Emblems: Pink heath (floral)Weedy Seadragon (Aquatic) helmeted honeyeater (bird) Leadbeaters possum (faunal) Motto: Peace and Prosperity Slogan or Nickname: Garden State, The Place To Be, On The Move Other Australian states and territories Capital Melbourne Government Const. ... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

Union history

The ASU is currently an amalgamated union since the confederation between the Federated Municipal and Shire Council Employees Union between the (MEU) the Federated Clerks' Union (FCU) in 1993. The organisation that was then known before the synthesis as the Australian Municipal, Transport, Energy, Water, Ports, Community & Information Services Union (ASU).

Union Structure

While the ASU has a single national identity, the union continues to operate in a practical sense through a number of separate state branches. Several of these branches also operate in conjunction with unions that are registered under the industrial relations systems of various states. The main ASU industries are Local Government,Energy and Utilities,Airlines and transport, Social and Community Services,Information Technology, Clerical and Administration Employees. Local governments are administrative offices of an area smaller than a state or province. ... Information Technology (IT)[1] is a broad subject concerned with the use of technology in managing and processing information, especially in large organizations. ...

Former Union structure

This former incarnation of the ASU was the product of several earlier amalgamations including:

• July 1, 1991: The Municipal Officers' Association (MOA), the Australian Transport Officers' Federation (ATOF) and the Technical Services Guild of Australia (TSG) amalgamated to form the Australian Municipal, Transport, Energy, Water, Ports, Community & Information Services Union (trading as the Australian Services Union or ASU).
• July 1992: the Australian Social Welfare Union joined the ASU.
• October 1992: West Australian Railway Officers Association joined the ASU.
• November 1992: the Australian Shipping & Travel Officers Association(ASTOA) joined the ASU.

The amalgamation of these unions occurred as a result of an ACTU policy of encouraging union rationalisation. July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) is the peak national body representing workers in Australia. ...

Local Government Industry

The ASU is the Principal Union in the local government industry nationally. Under the ASU's federal rules, all local government employees are eligible to join the union. In a practical sense, there are differences in the local government occupations that are covered by each state branch. These differences arise out of the differing history of the predecessors of the ASU and whether there were other local government unions in existence at the time of ASU amalgamations. In NSW, Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania the ASU or its affiliated state registered unions are the dominant local government unions and represent members in both blue collar or wages areas and white collar or salaried staff. In these states there are other small craft unions. In South Australia and Queensland the ASU only covers Salaried staff, whereas blue collar employees are covered by state registered unions that are not affiliated with the ASU - principally the Australian Workers Union (AWU). A blue-collar worker is a working class employee who performs manual or technical labor, such as in a factory or in technical maintenance trades, in contrast to a white-collar worker, who does non-manual work generally at a desk. ... White-collar workers perform tasks which are less laborious yet often more highly paid than blue-collar workers, who do manual work. ... by Leon CunninghamCraft unionism refers to an approach to union organizing in the United States and elsewhere that seeks to unify workers in a particular industry along the lines of the particular craft or trade that they work in. ... The Australian Workers Union (AWU) is one of Australias largest and oldest trade unions. ...

Energy and Utilities Industry

The ASU is a Principal Union in this industry nationally. This coverage originally stems from the MEU's and MOA's coverage of employees in the local government industry. At this time responsibility for the utilities - Electricity generation and distribution, Water supply and Sewerage and Sanitation were principally all local government responsibilities. When these responsibilities were assumed by state government instrumentalities, both the MOA and MEU retained coverage of employees.

Airlines and transport Industry

The ASU is a significant union in the transport industry, including in Airlines, Shipping, Railways, Road Transport and in Ports. In this industry the ASU covers Salaried employees. This coverage is a result of the combined coverage from ATOF, ASTOA, the FCU and various state salaried Railway Officers Unions. The ASU's coverage in ports stems from the MOA

Social and Community Services Industry

The SACS industry has been a significant growth area for the ASU since its amalgamation. The union covers a diverse range of employees in the non-profit community sector, including charities. Coverage of this area stems from the ASWU.

Information Technology Industry

In this area the ASU represents employees who work as technicians as well as those engaged in IT areas that are related to office administration. The coverage is derived from the TSG and the FCU.

Clerical and Administrative

The ASU has very broad coverage of office workers. In most states this is concentrated around the private sector, except in Queensland where the union has traditionally also covered clerks in Hospitals, University and other public sector areas.

ASU workers protest Howard's IR reforms

Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3456x2304, 1599 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Australian Services Union Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (3456x2304, 1599 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Australian Services Union Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner used... John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939), Australian politician, is currently the Prime Minister of Australia. ... The field of labor relations looks at the relationship between management and workers, particularly groups of workers represented by a labor union. ...

ALP Affiliation

Most unions are affiliated to the ALP, including, for instance, the rather large unions including the Nurses' Unions. All the unions that disaffiliated from the ALP at the time of the split in the 1950s, and all of the unions that went with the Old Guard, are now reaffiliated to the ALP. The ASU, are now associated and vote with the left of the ALP after a successful rank and file reform group victory a few years ago.^[1]

External links

• Official website
• Australian Council of Trade Unions