Netball stars join AWU

Date: 14 February 2005

Australia's top netball stars have joined the country's oldest trade union, The Australian Workers' Union (AWU), in a new alliance to improve the incomes and health and safety conditions of netball players.

The alliance between the Australian Netball Players Association (ANPA) and the AWU was first reported in an exclusive story in the new edition of the AWU's national quarterly magazine, The Australian Worker.

The alliance brings the top 120 players in Australia's eight national league netball teams, including the stars of Australia's international squad, into the AWU which will represent the players in partnership with the ANPA.

AWU National Secretary Bill Shorten said that many of our top netballers on average earn less than $4,000 a year from their sport, so many actually lose money from the cost of training, travel and equipment.

"The AWU's experience in representing other elite sportspeople such as horseracing jockeys will help us to better represent the interests of some of the most talented women in Australian sport. We look forward to working with the new leadership of Netball Australia to make it a better sport for fans and players," Mr Shorten said.

Liz Ellis, the captain of Australia's national squad and of reigning premier team, the Sydney Swifts, said: "Many elite netball players face financial hurdles in the pursuit of their dreams. We think that by getting together with the AWU we will have the resources to provide a voice for sportswomen in general," Ms Ellis said.

Paul Bell, CEO of the ANPA, said: "The Australian Netball Players Association looks forward to working in partnership with the AWU, not just to improve the income security of netballers but also to improve health and safety conditions across the sport."

Elite players who spoke in favour of the alliance at a news conference on February 13 were Catherine Cox (Australian and Sydney player) Sharelle McMahon (Melbourne Phoenix co-captain), Ingrid Dick (Melbourne Phoenix player) and Amanda Burton (former Melbourne Kestrels player and current team representative).

The eight national league teams signing up with the AWU are the Perth Orioles, Adelaide Thunderbirds, Melbourne Phoenix, Melbourne Kestrels, Sydney Swifts, Hunter Jagers, ACT/AIS Darters and the Queensland Firebirds.

For further information

Contact:	Jeremy Vermeesch
Union:	The Australian Workers' Union National Office
Phone:	03 8327 0888
Fax:	03 8327 0899
Email:	jeremy.vermeesch@awu.net.au
WWW:	http://www.awu.net,au

LaborNET is proudly created, designed and programmed
by Social Change Online for the Labor Council of NSW
[Credits] [Site Matters]