Welcome to the Queensland Union’s Workers’ Rights & Resources page created to assist with providing information on Coronavirus, your work and your workplace health and safety.

Currently Queensland Unions are joining with other Australian unions and workers calling for the federal Government to further expand the JobKeeper package to casual employees who have been in their job less than 12 months and temporary visa workers. This would help around 1.5 million workers.

You can sign a petition to support this move to expand the package.

QCU Resources

Your union will be able to assist with specific questions about Coronavirus and your workplace.

QCU FACT SHEETS & FAQs

• FAQs on the JobKeeper Wages Subsidy Scheme
• Analysis of the JobKeeper Scheme
• FAQs for Health & Safety Reps
• WHS Toolkit for Health & Safety Reps
• WHS Guidelines for Health & Safety Reps
• WHS PowerPoint presentation on COVID-19
• Working from Home
• Mental Health Contacts

CONTACT INFORMATION

Contact details for unions affiliated to the Queensland Council of Unions.

Need to join a Union? Talk to Australian Unions about which union covers you.

Government resources

These are federal government fact sheets on how the Wages Subsidy will be applied:

• The Wages Subsidy for Employees
• The Wages Subsidy for Employers
• The Wages Subsidy for Businesses

This link is to Services Australia concerning financial support for coronavirus affected job seekers:

https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/news/more-financial-support-coronavirus-affected-job-seekers

This link advises of eligibility.  Choose from the left hand navigation pane for the best description.

https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/individuals/subjects/affected-coronavirus-covid-19/people-who-dont-get-payment-from-us-coronavirus-covid-19

The following link is the Centrelink Payment and Service Finder.  It’s a quiz that requires financial and family details to calculate how much and what services can be accessed – Job service providers help in finding a new job etc

https://www.centrelink.gov.au/custsite_pfe/pymtfinderest/pfResultsPage.jsf?prg_id=2c0c25d500c849e198c70ff865ab2dd3&wec-appid=pymtfinderest&page=B85394B003A9466CAD7ACE8AB1730868&wec-locale=en_US#stay

This link provides a contact in the event that a worker contracts Coronavirus during the course of carrying out their duties at work and other info on safety at work in relation to Coronavirus

https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news/2020/coronavirus-covid-19-workplace-risk-management

HSR Support Service Page

Information for Health and Safety Reps in Queensland workplaces

Workers’ Psychological Support Service

Information for Queenslanders experiencing a work-related psychological injury to access this independent, confidential and free service to connect with the right community services.

ACTU Resources

This is a link to information on workers’ rights, tools and resources for dealing with COVID-19
https://www.actu.org.au/coronavirus

This explainer video is also a quick guide to the current situation.

Remember there will be additional local government, state government and community group supports available (including Lifeline and BeyondBlue)

In the first instance, people should check any entitlements contained in their enterprise agreements and also check what other policy entitlements may have recently been introduced.

Michael Clifford
General Secretary
Queensland Council of Unions