For everyone Unparalleled support for AEU members

The legal team has grown this year, welcoming back Michael McIver as the Industrial Manager and our new Industrial Officer, Melinda Bolton, who has joined us from another large union.

Alongside assisting with industrial issues related to the VGSA, the TAFE negotiations, and the agreements in early childhood, we are working with organisers to modernise and renegotiate disability agreements. The industrial team is also focused on recovering benefits for individual members, including recouping underpayments for EC members initially employed at the wrong classification. This includes thousands of dollars in unpaid wages, superannuation, and for lunch breaks. We also successfully resolved six employee dismissal claims worth more than $70,000 in entitlements, and on more favourable terms, such as converting a “termination” into a “resignation”. We continued our Victorian Institute of Teaching (VIT) blitz, assisting many members with their responses to inquiries and notices regarding their registration. 

AEU members can access external legal representation at a level we believe to be unparalleled in any other union in Victoria. Our personal injury lawyers resolved major WorkCover claims for five members, totalling more than $1.5 million in compensation and six minor lump sum claims valued at more than $165,000.