Union members are volunteering to conduct thousands of conversations with Australians about the desperate need for pay rises during a national door knock in September.

Over two weekends, door knocks and market stalls will be held in more than 40 locations, covering Queensland, NSW, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia and Western Australia.

Volunteers will be hearing people’s concerns about the lack of fair pay rises under the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison Government, and talking about the union movement’s plan to change the rules so people can get fair pay rises that keep pace with the cost of living.

Quotes attributable to ACTU Secretary Sally McManus:

“Australia needs a pay rise that covers the cost of living, and these door knocks give working people a chance to talk about what the wage crisis has meant for them. Their families and their communities, and what can be done about it.

“The Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison Government has not only watched on as wage growth slowed to nothing and then actually started going backwards, they have cut penalty rates, capped public sector pay, clung to outdated rules on pay negotiations and refused to prioritise using local providers of goods and services.

“Wages are going backwards because the enterprise-only bargaining system is failing workers. To lift wages we need to change the rules and remove restrictions on bargaining.

“The Morrison Government is the biggest advocate of trickle-down economics Australia has ever seen, it’s extremely out of touch and has no plan to get working people the pay rises they need.”