Translators and Interpreters Australia

Translators and Interpreters Australia Translators and Interpreters Australia is the trade union for workers providing translation, and interpreting services right across Australia.

As a union of working translators and interpreters, so we know the issues, and we are working together from within to address the barriers to secure work and fair pay in our industry. We are part of the Professionals Australia network with more than 20,000 union members across Australia. We bring T&Is together not only to work for better wages and to ensure your rights are protected but also to help resolve the issues facing our profession.

Union member Voula Tomaras spoke with SBS Greek about why professional interpreting is essential for non-english speakin...
11/12/2025

Union member Voula Tomaras spoke with SBS Greek about why professional interpreting is essential for non-english speaking communities, especially in health settings, and why you should always insist on a certified interpreter.

But interpreting profession is becoming increasingly unsustainable as low wages, insecure work and weak procurement standards drive de-professionalisation. This is putting our communities at risk.

We are asking interpreters and supporters to stand with us in demanding a sustainable, properly regulated profession. Please sign and share the open letter to the Federal Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Anne Aly: https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/a-unified-call-for-a-stronger-language-services-workforce

Listen to Voula’s interview on SBS Greek:
https://www.sbs.com.au/language/greek/el/podcast/sbs-greek

Across the interpreting industry, too many companies refuse to pay interpreters when a call fails after pickup. It is un...
02/12/2025

Across the interpreting industry, too many companies refuse to pay interpreters when a call fails after pickup. It is unfair, and it forces workers to absorb the cost of technical faults they didn’t cause.

That’s why the decision by All Graduates to reverse their unpaid sub-60-second policy matters. Their CEO acted quickly and fairly, showing leadership the rest of the industry should follow.

Here’s what happened 👇
❌ All Graduates had introduced a policy that would cut pay for short failed calls.
📣 Interpreters raised concerns.
✉️ We raised it immediately.
👂And the CEO listened, showed leadership and promptly withdrew the policy.

Interpreters will continue to receive the full minimum engagement every time they pick up a call.

If this company can do the right thing, others can too.
If you’re facing unfair practices, talk to your union!

24/11/2025

When people cannot communicate with the systems meant to protect them, lives are at stake. Courts, hospitals, emergency services and community agencies all rely on translators and interpreters to deliver justice, safety and essential public services.

Yet the language services sector continues to operate in crisis conditions. Chronic underpayment, insecure work and lax procurement standards are driving qualified practitioners out of the profession and exposing governments to unacceptable risk. This is not a workforce issue alone. It is a public safety issue.

That is why our CEO Sam Roberts presented Australia’s new Workforce Code for Translators and Interpreters at the AUSIT National Conference. This Code sets out a practical, enforceable approach to lifting standards, strengthening NAATI credential compliance and rebuilding a sustainable professional workforce. Professionals Australia has the industrial expertise, the evidence and the support of practitioners to implement it.

Government action is essential. Without proper regulation and procurement reform, the shortages will deepen, and the risks will grow. The Workforce Code provides a clear pathway forward.

Share this video to raise awareness and support the push for reform. The open letter is linked in the comments. 👇

Australia’s language services workforce keeps courts running, hospitals safe, and government services accessible, yet th...
19/11/2025

Australia’s language services workforce keeps courts running, hospitals safe, and government services accessible, yet the profession is held together by underpaid, insecure work and decades of government cost-cutting.

At the AUSIT National Conference, Professionals Australia CEO Sam Roberts will set out the reforms needed to stop the sector sliding even further into crisis. Not another round of consultation. Not another policy review. Real structural change.

Sam will be speaking about a new Workforce Code designed to lift standards, strengthen NAATI credential integrity, and push governments toward the procurement reform practitioners have been calling for. Because this profession deserves more than patch-ups and lip service. It deserves a future.

If you’re at AUSIT 2025, come to our session tomorrow, November 20, at 2:50pm to hear our plan to make this industry sustainable and safe.

HISTORIC WIN: Australia’s First Interpreter Enterprise Agreement 🎉After two years of determined action, Auslan interpret...
13/11/2025

HISTORIC WIN:
Australia’s First Interpreter Enterprise Agreement 🎉

After two years of determined action, Auslan interpreters delivering the Video Relay Service (VRS) through Concentrix have made history, winning Australia’s first Enterprise Agreement for interpreters.

• Guaranteed wage growth
• Stronger workplace protections
• Fairer conditions

This didn’t come easy. When the employer refused to listen, members stood together and won.
This win sends a powerful message: when interpreters unite, they change the industry for good.

The Concentrix Auslan Interpreter EA 2025 is a milestone for fair pay and respect.

📣UNION WINInterpreters stood together for fair pay and won.All Graduates planned to stop paying for On-Demand calls that...
10/11/2025

📣UNION WIN

Interpreters stood together for fair pay and won.

All Graduates planned to stop paying for On-Demand calls that lasted under 60 seconds if they failed due to technical issues. Professionals Australia stepped in, challenged the policy, and within a week, it was reversed.

Now, if you answer an On-Demand call and it fails to proceed for any of the employer’s cited reasons, you will still be paid the full fee.

This is what union strength looks like. Fair pay protected. Rights respected.
Join your union and stand with your colleagues.

UNION WIN: Language Services RecognisedThe Victorian Government has officially reaffirmed that translation and interpret...
29/09/2025

UNION WIN: Language Services Recognised

The Victorian Government has officially reaffirmed that translation and interpreting are essential services for multicultural communities.

This is a step forward, won by the voices of our members who spoke up during the Multicultural Review. Special thanks to Miriam Chiu and Kass Halastanis for reinforcing our collective voice.

But recognition alone doesn’t change your payslip. The fight continues for fair pay and secure jobs. With the Review now public, we’re pressing the Government and LanguageLoop to deliver real outcomes, without more delays.

Every interpreter and translator has a role to play.
💪 Share this. Join your union. Strengthen our power.


UNION WIN: SAFETY & RESPECT FOR INTERPRETERS Psychosocial harm is not “part of the job.” After relentless campaigning by...
23/09/2025

UNION WIN: SAFETY & RESPECT FOR INTERPRETERS

Psychosocial harm is not “part of the job.” After relentless campaigning by WA members and a WorkSafe investigation, the WA Health Department has been forced to act.

Interpreters now have official rights:
• To accept or reject unsafe assignments
• To a proper briefing and paid prep time
• To withdraw on ethical grounds
• To a debrief; every assignment, every time

This is a historic shift: your health and safety is no longer optional. Language Service Providers with WA government contracts now carry a clear duty of care.

Union delegate Fabi holds the policy statement that proves what collective power can achieve.


Address

148-152 Miller Street
North Melbourne, VIC
3003

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+611300273762

Website

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