What is a union?

A union is an organisation of workers in a particular industry or occupation that represents their interests in negotiating with employers and lobbying government on workplace issues. Unions in Australia are registered under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 and regulated by the Fair Work Commission's Registered Organisations division.

Australia has a long union tradition stretching back to the 1830s, with major historical strikes including the 1890 Maritime Strike and the 1891 Great Shearers' Strike shaping the early labour movement and contributing to the founding of the Australian Labor Party in 1891. Today the peak national body is the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU), founded in 1927, which represents about 38 registered unions and three million members. Major unions include the United Workers Union, the Shop, Distributive and Allied Employees' Association, the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, the Australian Education Union, and the Health Services Union.

Union membership is voluntary and protected by law. The Fair Work Act prohibits adverse action by an employer against an employee because of their union membership, non-membership, or industrial activity. Union officials have rights of entry to workplaces under the Act for investigating breaches of the Act or holding discussions with members, subject to notice and other procedural requirements. Unions are usually the principal bargaining representatives in enterprise agreement negotiations.

Union membership in Australia has fallen from about 51 per cent of employees in 1976 to about 12.5 per cent in 2022 according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with the largest concentrations in the public sector, education, health, transport, and the construction industry. Membership fees vary by union but typically range from 5 to 15 dollars per week and are tax deductible. The Albanese government's industrial relations reforms since 2022, including the Secure Jobs, Better Pay Act, have expanded union rights in multi-employer bargaining.