QCU Media

MEDIA RELEASE Thursday, 11 June 2026 The Queensland Council of Unions (QCU) and the Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union (AMIEU) are calling for urgent scrutiny of overseas labour hire and visa recruitment practices at JBS Australia, the Australian arm of the world's largest meat processing company. Reports indicate that JBS's Dinmore facility has recruited an additional 800 migrant workers over the past year, increasing its workforce by more than 50 per cent to around

MEDIA RELEASE 6 May 2026 Queensland Unions has launched a campaign, calling on the LNP Crisafulli Government to back down on proposed changes that would weaken critical workplace health and safety protections for Queensland workers. On 21 January 2026, the LNP Government released its official response to a Queensland Productivity Commission report into the construction sector. Buried within that response are proposals that would significantly wind back Queensland's world-lead

MEDIA ALERT 6 May 2026 WHAT: Queensland Council of Unions General Secretary Jacqueline King will be available for media in Cairns, responding to proposed rollbacks of workplace health and safety laws and a looming review of the workers' compensation scheme. The Hands Off Our Safety campaign unites unions representing hundreds of thousands of workers across Queensland, including key Far North industries like tourism, healthcare, retail, the public sector and construction. WHO:

MEDIA ALERT 1 May 2026 WHAT: Queensland Council of Unions General Secretary Jacqueline King and other Queensland union leaders will be available for media interviews on Labour Day, calling out the growing gap between wages and the cost of living, and warning against attacks on workers' rights. WHO: Jacqueline King, General Secretary, Queensland Council of Unions Union Leaders WHEN: 9:00am, Monday 4 May 2026 WHERE: Cathedral Square Corner of Turbot and Wharf Streets, Brisbane

MEDIA RELEASE 30 April 2026 Thousands of union members and their families will take to the streets across Queensland this Monday, 4 May, to celebrate Labour Day and send a clear message: Hands Off Our Safety. Marches and community events will be held across the state – from Brisbane to Ipswich, Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, Maryborough, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Rockhampton, Mackay, Townsville, Cairns, and across Queensland's mining communities. Queensland Council

MEDIA ALERT 28 April 2026 Date: Tuesday, 28th April 2026 Location: Speakers Corner, Queensland Parliament Queensland Unions Ceremony: 12:00 PM Press Conference: 1:00 PM Speakers available Jacqueline King, General Secretary Queensland Council of Unions Leesh Dawson, Adult child of Graham Dawson (Coal Miner killed at work in 2021) Stacey Schinnerl, State Secretary, Australian Workers Union Stephen Smyth, General Vice President, Mining and Energy Union Media are invited to atten

MEDIA RELEASE 27 April 2026 Queensland unions are warning workers' lives are at risk, launching a major statewide advertising campaign to stop the Crisafulli LNP Government from winding back workplace safety laws on the eve of International Workers Memorial Day. The Hands Off Our Safety campaign brings together unions representing hundreds of thousands of workers across Queensland, from construction and mining to nursing, teaching, retail and emergency services, in a united s

MEDIA RELEASE Tuesday, 07 April 2026 Thousands of vulnerable migrant workers in Queensland could lose any support for visa and work-related assistance in the upcoming May budget. The Queensland Migrant WorkWise program, delivered by the Queensland Council of Unions and funded by the Department of Home Affairs, is a pilot initiative providing on the ground education and support to temporary visa holders and their employers about workplace and visa rights (www.qldmigrantworkwis

MEDIA RELEASE Friday, 5 March 2026 Queensland Unions has lodged a submission to the Federal Government's inquiry into the operation and adequacy of the National Employment Standards, backing the QCU's now national 'It's for Everybody' campaign to introduce 10 days of paid reproductive health leave for all workers. The submission, lodged last Friday, calls on the Albanese Government to strengthen the National Employment Standards by recognising reproductive health leave as a u

MEDIA RELEASE 10 February 2026 Queensland Unions will mark the opening of the 2026 Queensland Parliament with a protest rally launching its "Hands Off Our Safety" campaign, calling on the LNP Crisafulli Government to back down on proposed changes that would weaken critical workplace health and safety protections for Queensland workers. On 21 January 2026, the LNP Government released its official response to a Queensland Productivity Commission report into the construction sec

MEDIA RELEASE 9 February 2026 Queensland Unions will mark the opening of the 2026 Queensland Parliament with a protest rally launching its "Hands Off Our Safety" campaign, calling on the LNP Crisafulli Government to back down on proposed changes that would weaken critical workplace health and safety protections for Queensland workers. On 21 January 2026, the LNP Government released its official response to a Queensland Productivity Commission report into the construction sect

24 December 2024 2024 End of year statement - jacqueline king 2024 has been an extraordinary year for Queensland workers. In May, Queensland Unions won important changes to our work health and safety laws, including stronger rights and powers for Health and Safety Representatives. Industrial manslaughter laws were extended to cover bystanders who are killed as a result of reckless or negligent actions by a business or undertaking, and its now much clearer that multiple partie

MEDIA RELEASE10 December 2024 Queensland Unions Welcomes Premiers Commitment to Ban Abortion from the Parliament Queensland Unions General Secretary Jacqueline King said she welcomed today’s statement from the Queensland Premier to ban abortion rights bills from the Queensland Parliament. “Queensland Unions campaigned strongly during the election to place abortion and reproductive health rights firmly on the agenda and to prevent any regression to pre-2018 when Queensland wom

MEDIA RELEASE28 November 2024 Queensland Unions Slams Deputy Premier for Rushing through Dangerous Laws Queensland Unions General Secretary Jacqueline King said she was aghast that the Deputy Premier was attempting to rush through and pass draconian laws that will strip away Queensland workers’ rights to safe workplaces. “It is simply outrageous that laws affecting workers lives and their safety should be rushed through Parliament on its first day. It is disrespectful to

STATEMENT14 OCTOBER 2024 Suspension of BPICS Wages and Conditions The Queensland Council of Unions has slammed the announcement by the LNP Deputy Premier to suspend the rights of construction workers to fair and decent wages and conditions on government funded projects. QCU General Secretary Jacqueline King said that there has been zero consultation with unions or workers over the announcement which would affect thousands of construction workers and jeopardise the delivery of

MEDIA RELEASE22 OCTOBER 2024 Crisafulli’s one word slip sparks fear in Queensland public sector workforce With four days until election day, Queensland Unions say public sector workers are confused and concerned by comments made yesterday by Opposition Leader David Crisafulli in relation to who an LNP government will deliver decent wages and conditions to in the Queensland public sector if elected this weekend. Queensland Unions General Secretary Jacqueline King said Mr Crisa

MEDIA RELEASE22 OCTOBER 2024 Queensland voters demand Crisafulli rule out conscience vote on abortion Queensland workers are calling on David Crisafulli to use tonight’s final leaders debate to rule out a conscience vote on abortion, with momentum building on a Queensland Unions led petition to the LNP reaching more than 10,000 signatures. The “Stand up for Reproductive Rights” petition was established off the back of several union led demonstrations regarding reproductive ri

MEDIA RELEASE17 OCTOBER 2024 Public sector unions seek election commitment for equal paid parental leave The Queensland Police Union has this week joined the Queensland Council of Unions in a joint campaign for equal paid parental leave across the state public sector, calling for commitments from both Labor and the LNP to assure workers of their job security, decent wages and improvements to paid parental leave. Queensland Unions says the commitment, part of bargaining agreem

MEDIA RELEASE11 OCTOBER 2024 LNP Out of Touch on Abortion: Poll Shows Queensland’s peak union body has slammed the Crisafulli opposition for failing to listen to workers, with an independent poll commissioned by the union confirming three quarters of respondents do not support any repeal of current abortion laws in Queensland. The survey, taken by over 1000 voting aged Queenslanders, shows the attitudes of Queenslanders to abortion do not align with those of the majority of

MEDIA RELEASEFRIDAY 27 SEPTEMBER 2024 Crisafulli Ducking Question of Reproductive Rights and Abortion What: Rally for Reproductive RightsWho: Queensland workers and supporters, including nurses, teachers, police, and workers from a broad range of industries Details: midday, Friday 27 September 2024, Grand Ramp, King George Square Contact: Susannah Kits - 0484 585 446 On the eve of International Safe Abortion Day, the peak body representing workers across Queensland will today