James, rank and file member of the NTEU

How long have you been a union member?

2 years.

Why did you join the union?

I joined the union for political reasons, and an understanding that all workplaces need a strong, efficient union to represent their workers’ needs.

What’s your best memory/story about being in the union movement?

Mostly, participating in the meetings and debates that accompanied the rise of the COVID workplace and attempts to strip workers of their rights and entitlements.

What’s the most important issue facing the union movement today?

Our workforce is facing two issues: casualisation and complacency. The first is self-explanatory, the second refers to how many of us are trained to believe that we will be ok and do not need to act collectively, only as individuals.

Why should people join their union?

It is imperative that we as an educated workforce put our money where our mouth is and not only join our unions, but be active. There is no time in history where it makes sense to sit on the fence.