Please review this brief guide to attending the conference:

• Buying Tickets
  The prices for the event are as follows:
  
  Unwaged: Free
  Waged: $25
  Solidarity: $50
  
  Tickets will be available via direct debit as well as on the door (cash only).
  
  To make registration smoother, we encourage attendees to pre-book their tickets through direct debit. Please type your name and 'AUWU' in the description. Unwaged attendees are not required to pre-book
  
  Our direct debit details are as follows:
  
  AUSTRALIAN UNEMPLOYED WORKERS UNION INC
  BSB: 633000
  ACCOUNT NUMBER: 154665681

• Registration
  Registration for the event will begin at 8:30am for a 9am start. Please arrive earlier to give yourself enough time to register.

• Running Sheet
  The final running sheet of speakers is available here.
• Transport
  The best way to get to the conference is to take the number 12 tram from Southern Cross Station a few stops down toward Southbank and get off at stop 126 (Cnr Clarendon Street and City Road under the Freeway). From there, 120 Clarendon Street is just a few minutes walk further down Clarendon.
  
  If you plan on driving, the best all-day parking option is on Market Street a few minutes away, opposite the Aldi supermarket and near the Woolworths. The cost is $30 for 7+ hours
• Food and Drink
  Lunch and morning tea will be provided, with vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options available
• Tell your story of unemployment or underemployment
  We are still accepting stories from people who would like to tell their story of unemployment, underemployment or receiving social security to the conference. Please let us know if you would like to read out your story on the day as soon as possible.

• Helping us to promote set up the event
  To help us make the event a success, please promote the eventthrough your networks.  Additionally, if you are available onMonday the 18th of April after 12pm or on the day itself to help with odd jobs that would be greatly appreciated. Please let us know if are available to help set up and/or pack up.

Look forward to seeing you on the day.

Who are the Australian Unemployed Workers Union (AUWU)?

Formed in late 2013, the AUWU is a national organisation run by the unemployed for the unemployed. Currently, we have roughly 3,500 members and branches in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney, and Adelaide. The uniting aim of the AUWU is to fight for the rights and dignity of unemployed and underemployed Australians. To join the AUWU for free, click here. All are welcome.

In addition to offering advocacy and support services for our members, the AUWU provides Australians with a platform to fight back against the Government’s ongoing attacks against unemployed and underemployed workers. Our overall aim is to initiate a national grassroots political movement against Australia’s employment crisis and to help organise a popular movement pushing for immediate and extensive Government action in this area.

The ‘Solving Our Employment Crisis’ conference forms an important part of this campaign.

What Employment Crisis?

According to the Federal Government’s own statistics, there are currently just under 11 job seekers competing for each job vacancy. This ratio has almost tripled since 2008.

Making things even harder for unemployed and underemployed Australians, successive federal governments have failed to provide even the most basic income support for people left behind by this employment crisis. According to the Melbourne Institute, the Newstart allowance is $386 per fortnight below the Henderson Poverty Line (assuming maximum rent assistance). It has been 22 years since the Newstart entitlement was increased in real terms.

Then comes the punitive array of activities and appointments forced on unemployed workers by the Government’s $6.8 billion, 4-year jobactive employment services system. Due to the Department of Employment’s continued failure to adequately regulate the employment services industry, unemployed Australians are routinely bullied, mistreated and forced into unfair activities by their job agent.

Every day the AUWU’s National Advocacy Hotline deals with new cases of unemployed workers being unfairly treated by their job agency. As there is no Government service designed to assist unemployed workers in their dealings with the employment services industry, we have been increasingly unable to keep up with the growing demand for our service. The current proposal by the Coalition Government to give the employment services industry unprecedented new powers to issue unemployed workers with on-the-spot financial penalties underscores the urgency of this issue.

The effects of Australia’s employment crisis are not limited to only unemployed and underemployed people. As unemployed and underemployed Australians are pushed deeper into poverty and despair by this crisis, they become increasingly willing to accept work at lower wages and conditions. This phenomenon has not only systematically undermined the strength of the trade union movement over the last few decades, but it has also created a strong downward pressure on wages and conditions leading to significant stagnation in real wage growth.

The aim of the ‘Solving Our Employment Crisis’ conference is to create a united front to combat Australia’s employment crisis and to take steps toward proposing solutions. Come along and join in this long overdue struggle for the rights and dignity of all Australians.