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| Union Member Benefits Update December 2009 |
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As they say – ‘tis the season to be jolly – and boy, do we have
some reasons to be jolly this month! Our final edition for 2009 has some fantastic giveaways as well as some great
articles to sink your teeth into; there’s an exciting new product from ME Bank, a Christmas hamper to give away,
another great DVD competition, our newest discount offer for union members from Hertz plus much, much more!
Thanks for reading Your Union Member Benefits Update in 2009 and have a fabulous Festive season. Warmest regards, The Member Connect Team.
Member Connect, Your Member Benefits Update.
Photo: Member Connect Call Centre Xmas
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Now the dinosaurs in Canberra have voted down the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme what better time to get the Clean Energy message out in the streets. Give one of these great calico bags to your friends, your local MP or perhaps even Tony Abbott!
Buy one now from the ACTUs new online Campaign Shop for union and community activists to purchase campaign merchandise. The bags cost just $4 each plus delivery.
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The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) says paying attention to your super is good thing because it’s for your retirement. However, faced with tough times and job losses some members may make ill informed decisions and get caught up in illegal schemes to take their money out of super.
Promoters of illegal schemes may claim you can withdraw your super, or use a ‘self managed fund’, to pay off debts, make a deposit on a home, or buy a car or holiday. In the worst cases, the promoters steal all your money. ASIC has obtained jail terms for the most serious offenders.
Generally you can’t touch your super till you retire. If you meet strict conditions, you may be allowed to access your super legally, in cases of financial hardship or on ‘compassionate grounds’. The fund may not charge you to legally withdraw your money but you may be required to pay tax on any withdrawals.
To find out more about super visit ASIC's website FIDO at
www.fido.asic.gov.au/super
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It’s back again, folks! Some of the excellent organisations that make up our Member Connect family have again made generous contributions to our Christmas Hamper which is sure to bring joy to one lucky union member!
Contents of our hamper include:
- 2 bottles of bubbly from Industry Fund Financial Planning (IFFP)
- a $50 Coles/Myer Gift card from AUSfund
- 2 Gold Glass movie tickets and 2 x $10.00 Food and Beverage vouchers from Discount New Cars
- a $50 Wish Gift Card courtesy of Union Shopper
- an MP3 Player from Members Equity Bank
TO ENTER: Email
Member Connect before 5pm on Thursday 17 December 2009 and tell us the website addresses for two of our endorsed service providers listed above.
Hint: memberconnect.com.au will direct you through to all the places you need to go to find the answers!
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ACTU Member Connect has organised a great new Hertz car rental offer for union members:
- New corporate discounted rates guaranteed 365 days per year, including peak periods
- Vehicle Registration Recovery fee is waived = $5.50 p/day saving
- Lower standard Accident Damages Excess of $770 instead of the usual excess of $3,300
- Lower rates on optional renter protection = up to $6.00 p/day saving
- Free membership to Hertz #1 Club Gold which is valid worldwide
- 10% discount off international affordable rates for NZ, UK, Europe, USA & Canada
Bonus Upgrade – You can also receive a bonus upgrade when you rent with Hertz between 1 November 2009 and 20 December 2009, for a minimum rental period of four days or more. Simply quote your ACTU Member Connect CDP 1862758 and also PC 137852 when making your booking. Offer is subject to availability at participating locations in Australia only and conditions apply.
Visit the Hertz website for an online quote or phone Hertz on 13 30 39.
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East Timor, 1975: As Indonesia prepares to invade the tiny nation of East Timor, five Australian-based journalists go missing.
Four weeks later, veteran foreign correspondent Roger East is lured to East Timor by the young and charismatic José Ramos-Horta to tell the story of his country and investigate the fate of the missing men.
BALIBO is a political thriller that tells the true story of crimes that have been covered up for over thirty years.
“A riveting political thriller, BALIBO is far from the niche documentary-style feature it might sound like on paper...” Sarah Reid, GRAZIA
Competition – Member Connect has 3 copies to give away to 3 lucky union members. Simply email
Member Connect
with your name, address, union and membership number to go in the draw by close of business Thursday 17th December.
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Buy your cards and gifts from APHEDA this festive season and send a message of hope to workers and their families in developing countries.
Visit APHEDA to choose your cards and gifts and show your support for long-term solutions to global poverty. This year, there are four new designs including ‘Peace & Hope’, ‘Their Rights At Work’, ‘Bengerangarah’ and ‘World Dove’ and great mixed packs of past designs for $9 per pack.
APHEDA can also have cards printed with customized greetings for bulk orders. Minimum order for this service is 100 cards.
Click here for pricing and the order form and get your order to our office ASAP by phone, email or fax.
Gifts That Change Lives
Truly beautiful gifts to give to friends and family.
A gift card purchased through the Gifts That Change Lives range is a tax-deductible donation that is directed to the Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA project pictured on the card. Select a gift from $20 to $500, and receive a beautifully printed card that shows how your gift keeps giving to the communities and families with whom Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA works.
Buy great wine – every drop supports APHEDA
By purchasing your usual wine through The Charity Wine Shop, $20.00 from every case is donated to Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA.
Their wineries include some of the more highly recognised brands and also some harder to find 'little gem' boutiques.
Perfect for your office Christmas Party and end of year celebrations at home.
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ME Bank Business has recently released a new product allowing employees to salary package new and demonstrator vehicles.
An ME Leasexpress Novated Lease provides a flexible, cost effective and convenient way to acquire a motor vehicle as part of an employee's salary package. Known as a novated lease agreement, the vehicle costs are deducted as a regular payment from the employee’s salary package, which covers the lease repayments, fuel, vehicle registration, full comprehensive insurance, servicing, repairs and tyres. ME Bank approves and provides vehicle finance, while Leasexpress handles customer service and vehicle delivery. ME Bank plans to market this product to existing customers, Industry Super Fund network employees and union members.
If you would like to know more about the ME Leasexpress Novated Lease visit ME Bank's website.
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Industry Fund Services (IFS) has a range of information flyers, fridge magnets and key rings available for unions and their members.
To ensure easy access IFS has produced a new online ordering website specifically designed as a member education resource for industry fund and union staff – read below to see how a visit to this new site can help you win a Coles Myer voucher!
On the new IFS Order Site you will be able to:
- Browse the entire IFS catalogue of materials
- Download and order IFFP Fact Sheets, IRIS Retirement Income, AUSfund, ME Investment Funds communication and member education materials for your members
- Change your contact details, order on behalf of someone else or assign a separate delivery address for specific orders
- Identify at a glance what’s new
Competition – For a chance to WIN 1 of 4 $20 Coles Myer Vouchers, simply:
- Register your details at ifsorder.com.au
- Forward your confirmation email to us at: ifsmarketing@mail.ifs.net.au
- Wait to see if you’ve won!
Industry Fund Services Pty Ltd (IFS) – ABN 54 007 016 195, AFSL 232 514
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Member Connect has organised for www.discountnewbikes.com.au/unions to
provide union members with tremendous cost savings when it comes to purchasing a new motorcycle. Discount New Bikes Union Member Service is a unique motorcycle buying service, offering discounted prices on
popular makes and models of new bikes for union members. Motorcycles are supplied through a select group of accredited new franchise dealers Australia wide. Remember to use the special web address –
www.discountnewbikes.com.au/unions – to get discounts over and above what Discount New Bikes currently offer to the general public.
Why not visit the Union Specials page where you will find the best prices available on a selected range of new motorcycles.
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The defeat of the government’s CPRS in the Senate last Wednesday (2/12/09) has put up to a million jobs in new clean energy industries at risk. Sadly a handful of politicians are acting like dinosaurs - trapped in the past and ignoring the present. However the government has said they will re-introduce the legislation in the New Year, which is why the ACTU is continuing its Clean Energy Jobs campaign.
Modeling by Treasury and a range of independent reports shows we can create up to a million new clean energy jobs in the next 20 years in new and existing industries if we act urgently to put our climate laws in place. The economic reality that the rest of the world is already moving rapidly, cornering a $6.1 trillion dollar market in clean technology jobs, products and industries.
Australia does not want to become the world’s carbon pollution rust-bucket by failing to modernise and invest.
Australian unions are committed to being part of the solution to the climate crisis, and to building up to a million jobs in clean energy industries that will provide a cleaner environment and a stronger economy.
For more information about the Clean Energy Jobs campaign visit – http://www.cleanenergyjobs.com.au
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