Australian Services Union
The Australian Services Union (ASU) represents workers in industries as diverse as local government, airlines, utilities, social and community services, information technology, transport and travel, call centres, and private sector clerical and administrative. We exist to defend and advance the rights of our members. We have a proud history dating back to 1885 but we have grown with successive generations of members, modernising our methods, to remain a contemporary organisation, well versed in the needs of today.
You can follow the ASU on Facebook and Twitter so you can stay in the loop for information about the world of work. We don’t just post materials for our members, but interesting links and memes on a variety of issues relating to everyone’s quality of life!
120,000 people working together
The Australian Services Union is over 120,000 people working together to defend and advance their rights at work.
Many of our advances have come after a struggle but, at the same time, we have sought to build good faith relationships with our members’ employers.
ASU members work in a broad range of geographical locations from urban, to regional, to rural, to remote communities. ASU members also work in a diverse range of occupations in the private, public and community sectors. As a result we are in a position to intimately understand the key concerns of Australian workers.
The industrial environment has become more and more complex over the years, and our Union has responded to these challenges. We are a modern and democratic organisation with an array of specialists dedicated to ensuring the best possible outcomes for members.
ASU membership coverage
Local Government
The ASU is the largest union in local government. Depending on the state, just about all workers are covered, from waste collectors to managers, librarians to gardeners, child carers to administrative staff.
Airlines
The ASU is the largest union in the airline industry. Coverage includes customer service (airports, call centres, retail, reservations etc), airline freight organisations, maintenance, engineering, stores, catering, IT, finance and administration.
Utilities
Utilities coverage encompasses water and energy industries with workers including clerical and administrative staff; meter readers; electricity industry workers; pole inspectors; linesmen; technical officers; power station operators; and supervisors.
Transport & Travel
This broad category incorporates our coverage in shipping and ports, road transport, travel and public/private transport (rail, trams, buses). Coverage includes shipping clerks; port controllers; travel agents/consultants; station administrative staff; revenue collectors; inspectors; call centre employees, administration and train controllers.
Clerical & Administrative
The ASU has members employed as private sector clerical and administrative (C&A) employees in most industries in Australia. Almost all C&A workers are eligible to join the ASU.
Social & Community Services
The range of classifications covered in the SACS industry is very broad, including: case manager; social worker; clerical & administrative worker; employment consultant; family support worker; family therapist; financial counsellor; group worker; indigenous child protection worker; indigenous housing worker; welfare worker; youth worker.
Call Centres
The ASU is the largest private sector call centre union covering in-house customer service representatives in all the other ASU industry sectors and stand alone customer contact and contract call centres.
Info Tech
In IT, service technicians for computers/networks, photocopiers and general business equipment are our members.
Find out more about coverage with details about specific positions.