Questions Answered

The UAW is a union of architectural workers who organise together to protect and advance our shared interests. We operate under the Fair Work Act 2009 and have legally protected rights to represent workers, negotiate conditions, and take collective action. Joining is a legally protected right. Your employer cannot discriminate against you for being a member.

Unionised workers in Australia earn on average 6 to 8 % more than non-unionised workers in comparable roles. In architecture specifically, unpaid overtime, pay secrecy, and sham contracting remain widespread precisely because workers lack collective representation. Architectural Workers United in the United States secured the first-ever private-sector architecture collective bargaining agreement in 2024, including a 36-hour work week and just-cause termination protections. The UAW brings that same model to Australia.

Professional bodies like the Australian Institute of Architects represent the profession as a whole, including practice owners and employers. A union represents workers specifically. Our interests are not always the same as those of employers, and we need an organisation that advocates for us without that conflict of interest. We support the work of professional bodies on design advocacy, education, and regulation, but we fill a different role: defending and advancing the rights and conditions of the people who do the work.

Membership fees are structured on a sliding scale to ensure affordability at every career stage. Students and unemployed workers pay a reduced rate. Full details are provided during the joining process. Union dues are tax-deductible under section 8-1 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.

Yes. Sole practitioners face many of the same systemic pressures as employed workers: race-to-the-bottom fees, unpaid work, and isolation. The union provides solidarity, shared resources, salary benchmarking data, and a collective voice advocating for better conditions across the entire profession.

No. Union membership is confidential. We will never contact your employer or disclose your membership to anyone without your explicit consent. Under sections 346 to 347 of the Fair Work Act, it is unlawful for an employer to take adverse action against you because of your union membership. Section 361 creates a reverse onus of proof: if adverse action occurs, your employer must prove it was not because of your union activity.

Absolutely. Students are future architectural workers, and the sooner you understand your rights, the better equipped you will be when you enter the workforce. Student membership is free.

Our membership is open to all architectural workers. However, the union exists to represent the interests of workers. If you are an employer, we encourage you to support fair conditions in your own practice and to respect your employees' right to organise.

If you are covered by the Architects Award 2020, your employer is legally required to pay overtime at 150 % of your minimum hourly rate for all hours worked beyond 38 per week (clause 17.1). Failure to do so is a breach of federal workplace law. If you believe your overtime is not being paid, contact us for confidential advice.

No. Since December 2022, pay secrecy clauses are unlawful under the Fair Work Act (sections 333B to 333D). You have the right to discuss your pay with anyone. Your employer cannot include pay secrecy provisions in your contract, and any existing clauses are unenforceable.

The Closing Loopholes Act 2023 introduced new restrictions on the use of fixed-term contracts. Employers cannot use consecutive fixed-term contracts for the same role beyond two years or two consecutive contracts. If your arrangement exceeds these limits, the contract may be deemed to be ongoing employment with full entitlements.