UNION OF ARCHITECTURAL WORKERS Join. Organise. Change a broken industry.
Members

Code of Conduct

Last updated: 1 March 2025

Purpose

The UNION OF ARCHITECTURAL Workers exists to advance the collective interests of architectural workers. To do this effectively, we must maintain a culture of respect, solidarity, and inclusion. This code of conduct applies to all members, committee volunteers, and participants in union activities, whether in person, online, or in any other context associated with the union.

We are committed to providing a welcoming, safe, and productive environment for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion, age, socioeconomic background, or professional role.

Expected behaviour

All participants in union activities are expected to:

  • Act in solidarity, support fellow workers, respect differing perspectives, and prioritise collective benefit over individual advantage.
  • Communicate respectfully, listen actively, engage in good faith, and disagree constructively. Robust debate about strategy and policy is welcome; personal attacks are not.
  • Respect confidentiality, protect the privacy of members and the confidentiality of internal union discussions. Never share another member's personal information, workplace details, or membership status without their explicit consent.
  • Act democratically, participate in democratic processes, respect collective decisions even when you disagree, and hold elected representatives accountable through proper channels.
  • Behave ethically, act honestly, transparently, and in accordance with the union's values. Do not use your position in the union for personal gain.

Unacceptable behaviour

The following conduct will not be tolerated:

  • Harassment, intimidation, or bullying of any kind, including but not limited to unwelcome comments about a person's identity, appearance, or personal life.
  • Discrimination on the basis of gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity, religion, age, or socioeconomic background.
  • Deliberate disclosure of another member's personal information, workplace details, or membership status without their consent.
  • Disruption of union meetings, events, or communications in a manner that prevents productive participation by others.
  • Acting as a representative of the union without authorisation, or making public statements on behalf of the union without committee approval.
  • Misuse of union resources, including funds, mailing lists, or digital platforms, for personal benefit or purposes unrelated to union activities.

Reporting

If you experience or witness behaviour that violates this code of conduct, we encourage you to report it. Reports will be handled confidentially and with care.

You can report a concern by:

  • Contacting any committee member directly, in person or by email.
  • Using our contact form and selecting "Workplace support" as the enquiry type.
  • Emailing conduct@uaw.org.au, which is monitored by the Convenor and Deputy Convenor.

All reports will be acknowledged within 48 hours. We will work with you to determine an appropriate response.

Consequences

Violations of this code of conduct may result in one or more of the following actions, depending on the severity and context:

  • Private conversation, an informal discussion with a committee member to address the behaviour and agree on a path forward.
  • Formal warning, a written notice documenting the behaviour and the expected change.
  • Temporary suspension, temporary removal from union activities, communications, or platforms for a specified period.
  • Expulsion, permanent removal from the union, carried out in accordance with the union's constitution and democratic processes.

All decisions regarding consequences will be made by the committee in accordance with principles of procedural fairness. The affected person will have the opportunity to respond before any formal action is taken.