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 About Us  About Unions NSWAbout UnionsWho's WhoInformation Centre What's Going On? Annual Reports   
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Ernie Razborsek - Industrial Officer
As with 1998, in 1999 Newcastle based Industrial Officer, Ernie Razborsek, continued his responsibilities in the northern region of the state and also spent some time outside of the Hunter Valley. Newcastle Trades Hall CouncilThe integration of Labor Council and Trades Hall continues successfully with the two offices working together more closely than ever. This is evidenced by joint initiatives and the sponsoring of projects directed primarily at occupational health and safety, industrial, job security and union recruitment and retention issues. The union movement in the Hunter has moved closer together due to the integration of offices. During 1999 successful negotiations achieved greater representation on the Trades Hall Executive. This should, in turn, with further negotiations, pending on a variety of matters, set a climate which would allow other major unions in the region to affiliate to Trades Hall with a degree of confidence that all the unions in the region can work together and will have a combined voice and support each other. State ElectionAs with the Federal Election last year the Trade Union Movement lent total support to all Australian Labor Party (ALP) candidates in the region this year. With the seat of Waratah (the safest ALP seat in the State) being abolished, sitting member John Price had to contest the most marginal Liberal seat of Maitland. With assistance from the unions, John was able to regain the Maitland seat for the ALP after an absence since the Wran years. Building & Construction Project AgreementsLabor Council has continued to play a key role in negotiating agreements in the building & construction industry for major projects. Negotiations are in progress with Peabody for a new Agreement for continued development and upgrading of their huge open cut mines, this should be finalised early in the year 2000. Port Waratah Coal Services, already the worlds biggest coal loading facility, has commenced a $750M expansion. The company's manager Rio Tinto, asked Labor Council for an Agreement to construct the upgrade. Negotiations ensued with the Construction Project Managers Bechtel, and an agreement has been reached for wages and conditions well beyond those catered for in the parent awards and Contractor Enterprise Bargaining Agreements. After years of negotiations and a final court decision for Redbank Power Station against Energy Australia on various matters, the two year project was commenced earlier this year. Because of delays the pace setting Construction Agreement was re-negotiated this year in time for the start of work. This project is situated at Warkworth in the middle of the Hunter Valley which has the highest unemployment rate in the state. Since the demise of the Power Station Construction Agreement during the Greiner/Fahey reign, wages and conditions in this industry have fallen to an all time low, with allegations of shonky contractors under-paying employees and therefore squeezing reputable contractors out. In 2000, the Building and Construction Unions will conduct a campaign and seek, through the New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission, a new Award to replace the old agreement. Ernie has also negotiated other Agreements in the Hunter Region. Macquarie GenerationThe state's biggest Generator has been interesting and time consuming this year for Ernie. An Agreement to restructure Power Station Operators was concluded early in 1999 which ensured a more structured, defined and diverse career path with prospects of wage increases. The Macquarie Generation Award expired mid-year and, accordingly, a Log of Claims was developed by the industry's unions, led by Labor Council early in the new year when negotiations commenced. Because of outstanding issues from previous rounds and management's own demands, negotiations were prolonged and tough with settlement not being reached until August increases were backdated to the expiration of the old Award. In order to overcome some of the difficulties that were experienced, Labor Council has invoked an unused Consultative Mechanism clause in the Award so any outstanding issues, or new issues which may arise during the course of the three year Award, can be dealt with and the new Award re-negotiated without clouds hanging over the parties. Hunter Water CorporationAs reported last year, Ernie continues to assist the Hunter Water Union with its amalgamation with the Australian Services Union (ASU). These negotiations are now subject to the formalities and should be finalised soon. With respect to the Corporation, negotiations were finalised this year for wage increases and consolidation of all Awards and Agreements in the organisation into one. Satellite EBA's have been negotiated in some divisions to allow for such things as annualised wage rates, consolidation of special rates and other matters which are unique to those parts of the organisation. To date, negotiations for a Salaried Classification restructure have not run smoothly. Negotiations to finalise this matter were targeted for May 1999, however, negotiations before the New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission fell down in December and a lengthy arbitration of the matter will ensue. Negotiations collapsed because of the relentless pursuit of the Corporation on job security by attempting to downgrade members' current entitlements in this regard. Ernie's other responsibilities:Ernie continues his membership of:
Ernie was also appointed recently to the Local Aboriginal Employment Project Committee, a sub-committee of the Hunter Area Consultative Committee, charged with addressing Aboriginal unemployment in the region.
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