Unions NT

31/08/2026

Day 20 of Code Yellow and our members are still raising the alarm.

31/08/2026

Register to meet with our Migrant Workers Hub in Katherine this thursday. And while you are there, give their new page a like.

Free Information Session for Temporary Visa Holders in the Northern Territory

25/08/2026

📰 📰 NT UNION NEWS 📰 📰

There’s plenty happening across the Territory right now, and workers are at the centre of it.

Health workers are calling for urgent action on hospital overcrowding and resourcing following weeks of intense pressure at Royal Darwin Hospital.

Corrections workers have called out the NT Government’s double standards as negotiations drag on, while the government moves ahead with plans for a privately operated 1,200-bed remand and processing centre.

Social services workers are preparing for sweeping new child protection laws to take effect on 31 August, despite serious concerns from workers and experts about resourcing and the impact on Territory families.

These are different workplaces, but the message is the same: NT workers deserve to be listened to, properly resourced, and respected.

17/08/2026

“The government is socialising the risk and privatising the profits.”

UWU NT secretary on ABC Darwin this morning with Lara Stimpson talking about the problems with privatising a 1200 bed remand and intake prison in the Northern Territory.

The announcement comes at a time where major prisons have being absorbed back into public funding in other states because of the rising cost of privatising public institutions.

17/08/2026

MEDIA RELEASE

The NT United Workers Union has condemned the CLP Government's decision to privatise the operation of a new men's correctional facility in Darwin, describing it as one of the most reckless corrections policy decisions ever proposed in the Northern Territory.

Quotes attributable to NT Secretary, United Workers Union Erina Early :

"Privatisation is not about improving outcomes. It is about turning a core public service into a business opportunity,
allowing private corporations to profit from incarceration
while Territorians carry the risk, cost and consequences.

"Every dollar paid out as profit is a dollar not invested in correctional officers, rehabilitation programs, mental health services, prisoner education or community safety.”

"This decision sends an insulting message to correctional officers who have dedicated their careers to keeping Territorians safe. Rather than addressing staffing shortages, excessive workloads and ongoing safety concerns, the Government is outsourcing their profession to the private sector.”

"If Government wanted to demoralise correctional officers, it is hard to imagine a more effective way to do it. Officers are asking why Government is investing in privatisation instead of investing in the workforce it already has. Many will see this decision not as a solution to the challenges facing NT Corrections, but as evidence that Government has given up on fixing them.”

14/08/2026

We love the term Territory Tough. But being tough isn’t about carrying everything on your own. It’s about showing up for your mates. Checking in. Having the hard conversations. And knowing that it ain’t weak to speak.

Here in the Territory, we look after each other. We know it’s okay to not be okay, and we know that asking for help is a sign of strength. No one in our community should ever feel like they have to face life’s challenges alone. That’s why we walk.

Join Unions NT this Sunday at East Point Reserve as we come together to walk, talk and show that no one has to go it alone.
📍 East Point Reserve
⏰ Join us Sunday, 7am, 16 August 2026

Come walk with us. Bring a mate, check in on someone you care about.

13/08/2026

💰 A BIG WIN FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATORS! 👏

Early childhood educators do some of the most important work in our community, educating, caring for, and supporting our children during the years that matter most. And that work deserves to be properly valued.

The Albanese Labor Government has funded a 15% pay increase for eligible Early Childhood Education and Care workers, backed by a further $3.6 billion investment over two years to lock in the increase. Combined with increases to minimum wages, the Government says a typical full-time educator will be around $255 a week better off, while an early childhood teacher will be around $410 a week better off, compared with December 2024.

The pay increase is already making a difference. The early childhood workforce has grown by around 20,000 workers, while job vacancies have fallen by almost 31%. This is what happens when we recognise the value of workers.

For too long, early childhood educators, in a workforce overwhelmingly made up of women, have been undervalued and underpaid.

12/08/2026

As National Secretary of the CPSU, Melissa Donnelly has fought for better pay, job security, flexible work and stronger rights for workers, including securing 18 weeks paid parental leave for both parents and groundbreaking work-from-home rights.

We look forward to working with Melissa as she takes on this important role and continues the fight for working people across Australia. ✊

12/08/2026

🚶‍♀️ WALKING OFF THE WAR WITHIN🚶‍♂️

This weekend, Darwin is coming together to walk as one, share the burden and start important conversations around mental health and su***de prevention. Walking of the War Within is about more than just a walk; it’s about connection, mateship and reminding people in our community that no one should have to carry their struggles alone.

Whether you’re walking for yourself, for a mate, for someone you’ve lost, or simply to show your support, we encourage you to get involved and stand alongside our community.

👟 Lace up your shoes
🤝 Bring a mate
💙 East Point Reserve, 7AM Sunday 16 August

Let’s show up for one another, Darwin.

28/07/2026

📣📣 SHOUT OUT 📣📣
Fearless leaders Sally McManus and Michele O'Neil have announced they will step down from the ACTU. We want to say thank you for your tireless and courageous work securing workers' rights at the national level. Territorians are better off because of it.