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| Union Benefits Update March 2013 |
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Happy International Women's Day from all at Member Connect! This month we bring you some handy home loan hints from ME Bank, an update about our new website called 'Working Life', there's two great DVDs up for grabs plus our FREE union member footy tipping competition!
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A few simple strategies can help you enjoy supersized savings on your home loan.
A great starting point to save money on your home loan is shopping around for the best deal, and aim to review your mortgage at least annually to make sure the rate remains competitive.
With hundreds of loans to choose from it makes sense to cast your net wide. Some of the lowest rates are offered by the non – major banks. Some offer exclusive benefits which are definitely worth a look – like ME Bank's 0.45% p.a. rate reduction on its standard home loan, available to members of eligible super funds and unions.
Something to be wary of is loans offering a very low introductory rate. You could find yourself paying a far higher rate once the initial honeymoon is over.
To see how you could make big savings on your home loan, ask one of ME Bank's mobile bankers to meet with you at your home or workplace. Call ME Bank on 13 15 63 or visit mebank.com.au .
Read more
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Show off your footy tipping talents by joining the famous ACTU/ME Bank footy tipping competition. A free tipping competition just for union members.
After the final rounds of the 2013 season the highest ranked tipsters for both AFL and NRL codes will receive a $1,000 EveryDay Transaction Account from ME Bank*, the bank for union members. The annual ME Bank / ACTU Footy Tipping Competition, run exclusively for union members, is back for the 2013 season! The best news is it's FREE to join and you could win a $1000 deposited in an EveryDay Transaction Account from ME Bank at the end of the season for both AFL and NRL codes.
To join simply follow these links:
Join the AFL Competition , Password is union
Join the NRL Competition, Password is union
*For full terms and conditions please go to memberconnect.com.au.
Good luck and happy tipping!
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Finding your 'lost super' and rolling it back to your active super account can now be done online – no paperwork and no hassles. And, if the amount is less than $200 you may be able to claim it as cash by using our new Online Identification Verification system.
Visit unclaimedsuper.com.au and select Search Now. Then simply enter your member number (from your statement), name and date of birth. Once we have confirmed a match:
GO to unclaimedsuper.com.au and do a search today.
Cash claim means a direct credit to a bank account in the same name as your AUSfund membership. ^ Auto consolidation can only occur to an active super account in the same name as your AUSfund membership. Industry Fund Investments (IFI), ABN 17 006 883 227, AFSL 229881 the Trustee of AUSfund is wholly owned by Industry Fund Services Limited, ABN 54 007 016 195, AFSL 232514.
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You could win a fantastic $2000 Shopper Travel voucher*, simply by registering or reconfirming your contact details to receive emailed offers from Union Shopper.
To be in the draw, members just need to complete and submit an entry form, located online at www.unionshopper.com.au/wintravel or in Union Shopper's 2013 Directory of Services.
Members will also receive an additional entry in the draw for each eligible friend or colleague who registers to receive emailed offers from Union Shopper as a result of their referral.
Union members save significant time and money by taking advantage of our exclusive emailed offers, including wine, insurance, gift, computer, accommodation and travel deals.
To see how easy it is to save with Union Shopper, call 1300 368 117, or visit www.unionshopper.com.au today.
* For terms and conditions, please visit www.unionshopper.com.au/wintravel
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Registrations are now open for the 2013 Mother's Day Classic fun run/walk. Be sure to register as part of your union or Trades and Labour Council team in an event in your state! If you're in Melbourne and would like to join the ACTU team, we are called 'ACTU – The Walkers United' and we'll be participating in both the walking/running events. Don't forget to wear your union gear on the day!
From modest beginnings in 1998, the Mother's Day Classic has grown into one of Australia's largest national charity events and has become an integral part of Mother's Day for thousands of Australians. The Mother's Day Classic has raised $14.8 million dollars since it began in 1998.
ME Bank is the major sponsor of the Mother's Day Classic.
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Enter the draw to win one of three copies of both Food Safari series 4 and the spectacular Storm Surfers Member Connect are giving away to 6 lucky union members this month!
To win a copy of Food Safari email
memberconnect@actu.org.au by close of business Friday 22nd March 2013.
To win a copy of Storm Surfers email
memberconnect@actu.org.au close of business Friday 22nd March 2013.
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With International Women's Day approaching, it's a good time to think about (and take action!) on issues affecting women in today's workforce.
Women continue to be propelled into insecure work as many employers fail to modernise their approach by offering flexible hours to staff with family responsibilities.
Unions are concerned that a lack of compromise and forward thinking is pushing many women into work where they earn less and don't have security or leave entitlements.
ACTU President, Ged Kearney says gender discrimination is alive and well in Australia and action is needed to protect pregnant women, mothers and those caring for disabled and the elderly.
"Women are much more likely to be the ones who are forced to forfeit careers and stay at home with children," she says. "They are also the ones who usually cut back on work to look after elderly parents. What we see is that women have less super saved for retirement, earn less over their lifetime and are much, much less likely than men to hold senior company positions. You could say caring costs women a hell of a lot."
Read more on 'The Cost of Caring'.
Tell us your own experience of balancing work and family.
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Australian People for Health, Education and Development Abroad (APHEDA) was created in 1984 as the overseas aid agency of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. Help strengthen the fight for social justice around the world by buying or selling tickets in 2013 and show your solidarity with workers and their families in developing countries.
First prize – $8,000 Travel Voucher
Take the holiday of your dreams with this travel voucher valued at $8,000. Prize can be used on both domestic and international travel.
Voucher can be partially redeemed so you can choose to take a big holiday or a number of smaller trips.
Second prize – $1,399 Commuter Bike
This Dutch-made bicycle has all the bells & whistles! See the full bike specs and a video about some of its features Valued at $1,399 from Gazelle, the Netherlands' #1 bike brand.
Tickets are still just $2 each and can be ordered online at www.apheda.org.au
or by phone 1800 888 674.
The APHEDA Raffle is proudly supported by ME Bank and ACTU Member Connect.
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Subscribers to the Union Benefits newsletter are being given a special sneak preview of an exciting new website that has been developed by the ACTU.
It's called Working Life, and the vision is to create an online platform to tell our members and the wider public all the fantastic things that Australian unions do and are up to.
Working Life has been designed as a news and opinion website, and entertaining and compelling storytelling about work and work-related issues is the name of the game.
The beta version of the website has just gone live and will continue to evolve.
Feel free to explore the site, add comments, join the discussions, and think about the work you do and whether we can help you help working people by communicating it. Show it to your family and friends – we'd love to hear their feedback too.
If there are things you like, or think could be done differently, please email suggestions to the ACTU's New Media Editor Mark Phillips (mphillips@actu.org.au or x266) who will make sure the Working Life team can take them on board.
We are also keen to make the most of the incredible talent throughout the union movement, so if you have ideas for stories, know some members who we should profile, have an event or issue that should be promoted, or want to become a regular contributor, also please contact Mark.
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