Skip navigation
We Are Union VTHC
Past Campaign Victories

A selection of our recent wins, big and small. 

Workplace wins!

See where workers have recently won their campaigns, supported by Megaphone!
Read

Publicly owned energy!

Publicly owned power, built by a revived SEC, will stop the price gouging behaviour we saw from private energy providers in June this year and ensure Victorians’ energy needs are put ahead of the interests of multinational energy companies
Read

Sick Pay for Casuals

This game-changing initiative will give thousands of workers on low incomes a degree of financial security that their casual status has hitherto deprived them of.  Casual workers and self-employed people in select industries will be able to apply to the Victorian Government for pay that they have missed out on due to sickness or the need to care for a sick family member. 
Read

"The Curtin" saved from the wrecking ball

In 1886, when women workers were organising against the notorious sweatshop clothing company Beath, Schiess and Co, not everyone could fit inside the Trades Hall so they instead met across the road in the pub. One hundred years later, the Victorian nurses would meet at The John Curtin during their famous strike of 1986.It’s where Frank Hardy and George Seelaf came up with the idea of underground printing of the classic novel Power Without Glory. In the 1980s, Alf Bamblett from the band Stray Blacks established a regular fortnightly event at the hotel to spotlight Aboriginal bands – at a time when racist hostility in the pub scene was commonplace.In the 1960s, when most pubs relegated women to a “ladies lounge”, Zelda D’Aprano argued toe-to-toe with fellow unionists in the John Curtin, and soon inspired the other women workers of Trades Hall to smash the taboo of appearing at the pub unaccompanied by a man. It was where Norm Gallagher celebrated, where Industrial Relations journos broke stories, and where Bob Hawke’s wake was held.In April, when the pub was sold to overseas developers, Building Industry Unions announced a Green Ban on the site – no unionist would assist in the demolition of this cultural icon.Musicians and artists leant their voices to the media chorus, pointing out the significance of the Curtin as a live music venue. At the same time, Trades Hall partnered with the Heritage Trust in making a submission to Heritage Victoria. Heritage Victoria later recommended the protection of the John Curtin, and finally in January 2023 we learned that the owners had agreed to an impressive 10-year lease for Rusty and the Curtin crew. Said Trades Hall Secretary Luke Hilakari: “I think the generations of people beforehand that have appreciated the John Curtin would be very pleased...
Read

State Election 22

With the Federal Liberals on the dust heap of history, union volunteers turned immediately to the Victorian state election. Volunteers mobilised support around around workplace issues to keep a divisive and dangerous Victorian Liberal party from seizing power. Volunteers collected petition signatures on issues like sick pay for casual workers and reform of the apprenticeship system, in an effort to pressure politicians to keep workplace justice squarely in focus during the state election. It’s a strategy that put workers on the offence - campaigning for improvements to working conditions and social justice, not just resisting cuts. These conversations were the culmination of years of work by unionists to define what Government can do to improve the lives of working Victorians. The result was yet another routing of the Victorian Liberals and a strong mandate for the Andrews Labour Government to continue to deliver progressive policies that benefit all Victorians.
Read

2022 Federal Election

Politics isn't just about men in suits on the evening news. Politics is the rights we have at work. Our wages. It's about healthcare that's accessible to everyone, great schools for our kids, our precious natural environment, and the world we live in.  It's how we rebuild from the pandemic. Politicians follow votes, which means they follow people. Together, we as workers campaigned to mobilised community support for the things that really matter.  Workers in union fought tooth and nail for every scrap of pandemic assistance over the last 3 years; from JobKeeper and JobSeeker, to pandemic leave, to vaccine leave, to workplace protections.  The Liberal Party led by Scott Morrison did not stand up to the collective, grassroots action of union members across Victoria. He doesn't hold a hose and now he doesn't hold office as PM. Workers in union are campaigned to get rid of Scott Morrison's terrible Liberal Government and won. We Are Union.
Read

Wage subsidy for workers during covid

It's not often we see eye to eye with the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, but as Covid-19 hit Australian shores, both workers and bosses knew that without urgent intervention, Australia faced mass unemployment and the collapse of many businesses. Unions and employers demanded the sleepy Morrison Government introduce a guaranteed wage subsidy to save our jobs and save local businesses.   Workers demand a #WageSubsidyNow | Share your story with your networks on why you demand to see a #wageSubsidyNow with #NoWorkerLeftBehind or tell us about the situation you're in. We are... | By Victorian Trades Hall Council | Facebook 853 views, 19 likes, 7 loves, 0 comments, 8 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Victorian Trades Hall Council: Share your story with your networks on why you demand to see a #wageSubsidyNow with... When the Federal Government did act, the response was inadequate. The wage subsidy was low, and millions of workers on visas were excluded, causing massive hardship. The union movement continued to campaign for an expansion of the scheme.  Victorian Trades Hall Council Secretary Luke Hilakari spoke to PK on ABC in response to the Morrison Government's wage subsidy announcement, while this... | By Victorian Trades Hall Council | Facebook 2.5K views, 69 likes, 5 loves, 12 comments, 19 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Victorian Trades Hall Council: Victorian Trades Hall Council Secretary Luke Hilakari spoke to PK on ABC in response... Advocacy from workers in union meant that at the state level, workers who couldn't attend work due to needing to isolate were paid isolation payments. But again, the Morrison Government failed Victorians by refusing broader pandemic leave payments.   
Read

Solidarity with public housing residents

In July 2020, residents in nine public housing towers in Flemington and Kensington were locked down suddenly and without warning. The Victorian union movement immediately stepped up to support residents, raising funds online with unprecedented speed. In total, over $286,000 was donated. Union volunteers delivered thousands of hot, culturally appropriate meals to residents, taking direction from local community leaders. Unionists worked with AMSSA to coordinate donations of goods needed by residents. Log in or sign up to view See posts, photos and more on Facebook. Getting immediate support to the people in the towers was a logistical nightmare, but unionists persevered, delivering thousands of meals and goods deliveries during the lockdown and disbursing funds to the community afterwards. Tonight we purchased halal meat, by resident request, and delivered and distributed with our amazing comrades at @AMSSA. One resident called out while... | By Victorian Trades Hall Council | Facebook 9.3K views, 369 likes, 124 loves, 18 comments, 60 shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Victorian Trades Hall Council: Tonight we purchased halal meat, by resident request, and delivered and distributed...  
Read

YES! Marriage Equality

Immediately as the 2017 postal survey on marriage equality was announced, the Trades Hall campaign machine was ready to go. Within hours, posters were ordered. Voter enrolment drives at universities across Australia were coordinated with the National Union of Students. Door knocks, phone banks and street stalls were a daily occurrence as Trades Hall became the hub of Victoria’s Marriage Equality campaign.
Read

Wage Theft is a Crime

We did it! Wage theft is now a crime in Victoria. The Wage Theft Bill came into force on 1 July 2021. Young workers, union members and activists have campaigned hard for years to stop dodgy bosses stealing wages. Bosses found guilty of the crime of wage theft can now face hefty fines and jail time.
Read

Industrial Manslaughter

Together, we won Workplace Manslaughter laws in Victoria.
Read

Put the Liberals Last

Under the State Liberal Government, Victorian public sector workers were facing crises.  Together, firefighters, teachers, nurses, paramedics, and hundreds of other workers campaigned collectively to raise public awareness of the government's failures. 
Read

STOPPED Napthine's Silencing Act

In 2014, then Premier Dennis Napthine introduced amendments to the Summary Offences Act to crack down on protests and remove the protection for Victorians' right to peaceful assembly. 
Read

Megaphone campaigns

See what workers are currently campaigning on - and send your solidarity!
Read