AEU Charter

AEU Charter

Established in the AEU Federal Rules (Rule 4)

The Objects for which the Union is established are:

1. To uphold the rights and to foster, protect and improve the rights and interests of members industrially and otherwise;
2. To obtain and secure for its members the best possible conditions and proper and sufficient remuneration, and to guard them against any hardship, oppression or injustice in connection with their employment;
3. To encourage and foster improvement of the status, training and qualifications of all members;
4. To obtain equal pay and employment rights for members of both sexes;
5. To ensure that its members enjoy the same civil rights as are enjoyed by other citizens;
6. To formulate policies through the democratic involvement of members in the decision-making processes of the Union;
7. To foster, protect and promote the interests of government and public education including kindergarten and pre-school education, infants and primary education, secondary education, technical and further education, education at universities and colleges of advanced education, and recurrent education;
8. To secure the participation of and influence of members in the administration, development and planning of education;
9. To secure improvements in educational methods and the standard of education; to foster the complete and satisfactory educational development of all students and to foster and encourage a more equal distribution of the individual and social benefits of education;
10. To speak authoritatively for members;
11. To co-operate with and assist other organisations, associations, institutions and groups in the pursuit of these Objects;
12. To amalgamate affiliate or in any manner associate with other organisations, associations, institutions and groups in the pursuit of these Objects;
13. To purchase or otherwise acquire and undertake all or any part of the property, assets, and liabilities of any one or more of the organisations or associations with which the Union is authorised to amalgamate, affiliate, or otherwise in any manner associate;
14. To transfer all or any part of the property, assets and liabilities of the Union to any one or more organisations or associations with which the Union is authorised to amalgamate, affiliate, or otherwise in any manner associate;
15. To uphold the rights of labour and to represent members in the peak councils of the trade union movement and in international forums or organisations;
16. To represent the Union and its members in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission, in any other industrial tribunal or any court;
17. To determine actions on matters of concern to members in relation to international affairs and to carry out these actions internationally;
18. To provide financial assistance to members and their dependants in the pursuit of these Objects;
19. To act as an agent for and on behalf of members or non-members in a manner consistent with these objects and the rules and consistently with the interest of members and to do all things necessary and incidental thereto;
20. To provide legal assistance to members at the Union’s sole and absolute discretion;
21. To provide from time to time such services to and for members as shall be determined;
22. To establish funds for mutual assistance and support in the carriage of these Objects;
23. To acquire land and other property real or personal for the use and benefit of the Union and to sell, exchange or dispose of any such land and property;
24. To borrow or raise money in such a manner as may be determined from time to time by the Union, and in particular by the issue of debentures or debenture stock perpetual or otherwise charged upon all or any part of the property of the Union both present and future, or without any such charge and upon such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Union, and generally, to borrow money in any manner and on any conditions;
25. To invest the funds of the Union;
26. To elect, appoint and employ Officers and Professional Officers and employees for the furtherance of the Union’s Objects and to remunerate such persons by salaries, wages, honoraria and other payments and benefits;
27. To make contributions to the financing of superannuation schemes or retirement funds for the benefit of the elected, appointed or employed Officers Professional Officers and employees and to enter into such arrangement as may be necessary for that purpose;
28. To take any gift of property real or personal, whether subject to any trust or not, for any one or more of the Objects of the Union;
29. To undertake and execute any trusts or any agency business which is directly or indirectly conducive to any Object of the Union;
30. To subscribe to any charity, or to make donations for any public purpose or for any purpose in direct or indirect furtherance of any Object of the Union;
31. To promote the extension of the Union throughout Australia;
32. To take any action as may be considered necessary and proper to carry out these Objects.