Make the Switch

The Federation is asking members to switch over the way they pay their union subscriptions in order to protect themselves and keep their union strong in the face of the Howard Government's attacks on workers via the new federal industrial relations legislation.

We are asking members to 'make the switch' to direct debit or direct credit card payments rather than the traditional payroll deductions.

Under the new legislation it is not possible in the federal industrial jurisdiction for industrial agreements to have payroll deductions of union fees as it is regarded as "prohibited content" by the new legislation. In fact, under the new federal laws it is an offence if a person seeks to have payroll deductions included in any agreement.

There have been occasions in the past when various governments have, either threatened or have actually taken away payroll deductions of union fees in an attempt to punish the Federation and its members during industrial campaigns.

The Federation knows from teacher unions in other states that conservative governments have in their industrial relations legislation, abolished payroll deductions by employing authorities leaving teacher unions weakened and their members vulnerable. Even though teachers in NSW are currently covered by state industrial awards we cannot rely on any future state government not to hand over their industrial relations powers to the Federal Government, especially if the Federal Government attempts to withhold federal funding. We have already seen this in the TAFE and higher education sector.

We believe that members 'switching to direct payments' is the best way to keep the union strong and therefore provide the best protection to individual teachers in the face of the Howard government's attacks on workers.

Please select your preferred method of direct payment and click Next. You will be taken to an appropriate page which will allow you to provide your account details. Alternatively, please click here if you prefer to download the form (PDF).

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Last Modified: 25 Jan 2010