Equal Opportunity Policy

The Australian Workers’ Union is an equal opportunity employer. The Organisation regards the needs for reconising, accepting and utilizing the diverse skills and talents of its workforce as vital to its continued success. To do this, it strives to foster an environment which supports and respects differences and encourages growth of all employees. If a complaint is made, Senior Officials are committed to supporting the complainant and respondent, restoring a harmonious working environment and ensuring the complainant is not made to suffer in any way for having made a complaint.

Federal and State legislation make it unlawful to discriminate against another person in various circumstances.

Equal opportunity means ensuring equal access based on merit. The Australian Workers’ Union does not and will not unlawfully discriminate in our business dealings on the basis of:

• Gender
• Physical Features
• Age
• Medical Record
• Disability (Physical/Mental)
• Pregnancy of Potential Pregnancy
• National Extraction or Social Origin
• Colour
• Marital Status
• Industrial Activity
• Family Responsibilities or Parent/Carer Status
• Religious Belief
• Sexual Preference/Lawful Sexual Activity Impairment
• Personal Association with people with certain
• Political Opinion/Belief or activity attributes

Discrimination is bad management. It precludes the Organisation from benefiting from the talents of all employees and the different skills and experiences they bring to the workforce.

Discrimination can also occur as a result of failure or refusal by a Senior Official to grant opportunity or confer a benefit on alleged discriminatory grounds, or due to the incorrect implementation or abuse of Organisational policies and procedures.

This policy relates to recruitment (including recruitment advertising), employment conditions, compensation and benefits, training and educational opportunities, promotions, transfers, terminations and all other aspects of employment.

This policy also encompasses Affirmative Action legislation and principles, which aim to counter inequities between men and women in all aspects of employment by, for example, encouraging men and women to enter into non-traditional occupations.

All employees have an obligation to ensure that the EEO Policy is complied with and all Senior Officials are obliged to provide the necessary leadership and guidance to other employees.

The Australian Workers’ Union will take all possible steps to ensure that an employee is not victimized and/or subjected to ridicule or embarrassment for voicing concerns about these issues or making a complaint.

In looking to the future, the Organisation intends to improve upon its success by ensuring all employees understand and behave in accordance with the policy of Equal Employment Opportunity.