Why Is "Members First" Silencing Members?
"Members First" campaigners have hijacked multiple official UWU Facebook groups — removing members, silencing debate. Worse still, they're using officials from another union, Professionals Australia, to do it. This isn't members first. This isn't democratic. This is members last.
Members of UWU and Professionals Deserve the Truth
"Members First" is silencing the very members it claims to represent.
If your campaign needs to ban members from their own communities, delete their voices, and operate through shell accounts — you're not putting members first. You're putting members last.
Members banned. Posts deleted. Groups hijacked.
Throughout February 2026, "Members First" campaigners and former UWU staff member has used administrator access they'd retained after leaving the union to launch a targeted attack on multiple official member spaces of the United Workers.
Rank-and-file members have been removed and blocked from multiple groups, barring them from rejoining. Posts and comments — written by members, for members — have been permanently deleted. All to shut down debate and spread propaganda.
An intersection of three organisations.
At the centre of this isn't just a few rogue individuals. It's an intersection of three organisations — and all roads lead back to the "Members First" campaign and Professionals Australia.
A campaign to silence
"Members First" campaigners have used retained administrator access to UWU Facebook groups after leaving employment. They have used that access to hijack multiple groups, ban members, and delete content. This is consistent with "Members First's" approach of ignoring members' concerns and silencing those whose opinions they don't like.
"Members First" Campaigners
Evidence indicates that one of the campaigners behind the group hijackings is the same person managing the Facebook page for Tim Kennedy — the "Members First" candidate for National Secretary in the UWU election. The people silencing members are the very same ticket promising to put "members first."
Professionals Australia Employee
Multiple former UWU employees have moved to Professionals Australia, including the individual responsible for the hijacking of the Facebook groups. One employee is running as a candidate for "Members First", and another was seen filming content for the "Members First" campaign's NSW launch. We've heard multiple reports of Professionals employees contributing to the "Members First" campaign. And we've heard multiple accounts from other Professionals Australia staff who feel really uncomfortable about this. This union belongs to UWU members, not outside union officials.
Our Union.
Our Business.
Open Letter to the Executive of Professionals Australia
This letter is open for signing by all members of the United Workers Union and Professionals Australia who believe in democratic, transparent unionism free from outside interference.
We, the undersigned members of the United Workers Union and Professionals Australia, write to you with grave concern regarding the conduct of employees of Professionals Australia and their direct involvement in the internal affairs of the United Workers Union.
It has come to our attention that a former UWU staff member — now employed by Professionals Australia — has, on multiple occasions, used retained administrator access to hijack UWU member Facebook groups, systematically removing and blocking union members and deleting member-generated content. This same individual has simultaneously been operating social media pages for a candidate in the current UWU election under the "Members First" banner. A separate current Professionals' employee is capturing content for the "Members First" campaign, and another Professionals Australia official is running as a candidate in the UWU election.
Professionals Australia now has several former UWU employees on its payroll. The pattern of conduct raises the unavoidable question: is Professionals Australia aware of, condoning, or directing interference in the democratic processes of another union?
We demand the following
- Cease all interference in the UWU election. Professionals Australia must immediately direct all current employees to cease any involvement — direct or indirect — in the internal elections, campaigns, and communications of the United Workers Union.
- Return all UWU digital assets. Any social media accounts, groups, pages, or digital assets belonging to or affiliated with UWU that are currently controlled, administered, or accessed by current Professionals Australia employees must be returned to UWU immediately and unconditionally.
- Commence an independent investigation. Professionals Australia must initiate a transparent, independent investigation into the potential misuse of union resources — including staff time, equipment, and organisational infrastructure — by employees engaged in activities related to UWU's internal election.
- Publish the findings. The results of the investigation must be made available to members of both unions in full, without redaction.
Union democracy is not a spectator sport — and it is certainly not an arena for fellow organisations to meddle in. Members of both our unions deserve to know that their dues, their resources, and their staff are being used in their interests — not to undermine the democratic rights of workers in another organisation.
We call on you to act swiftly and decisively to restore trust, uphold the principles of democratic unionism, and ensure that the members of Professionals Australia are not unwitting participants in electoral interference.
The undersigned members of UWU and Professionals Australia
Your name will be added to the list of signatories. Email addresses are never published.
Do you know something? Tell us.
If you are a current or former employee of Professionals Australia and you have information about interference in the UWU election, misuse of union resources, or related misconduct, we want to hear from you.
Submit anonymously — no name or email required
Your identity will never be published without explicit consent
All submissions are treated in strict confidence
You can upload supporting documents or screenshots
Submissions are encrypted and stored securely. We will only contact you if you provide an email and opt in to follow-up.
Report the conduct to the Fair Work Commission
You can also make a formal whistleblower report directly to the FWC about the conduct of a registered organisation or its officials.
📞 Call 1300 341 665
✉️ Email regorgs@fwc.gov.au