Maternity Leave

As unemployment bites, unions increase membership, push for paid maternity leave

Union membership has increased by 56,000 according to Bureau of Statistics data released 17 April, with more than 1,750,000 workers being union members and unions now covering 24% of employees (excluding casuals). While union membership is up, unemployment is also up with an official unemployment rate of 5.7%. But according to the Australia Institute the real rate of unemployment may be 11.7 per cent, when 'hidden unemployed' are taken into account.

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