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 About Us  About Unions NSWAbout UnionsWho's WhoInformation Centre What's Going On? Annual Reports   
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John Robertson – Assistant Secretary
ResponsibilitiesJohn Robertson’s responsibilities as Assistant Secretary have included the building and construction industry, breweries, local government, warehouse and distribution, major disputes, the oil industry, the Roads and Traffic Authority and the Department of Public Works and Services. Industrial AgreementsDuring 2000 John co-ordinated the negotiation of project awards and agreements for a number of projects in the building and construction industry. These included: -
Each of these awards/agreements involved the negotiation of arrangements with the builders or developers that aim to complete the projects on time and within budget. The awards/agreements contain provisions that deal with issues that increase flexibility, such as the accumulation of Rostered Days Off, dispute settlement procedures for employer specific disputes, project wide disputes and demarcation disputes. In return, the employees are paid a project productivity allowance for the achievement of agreed milestones identified during the negotiations. John also continued to play an integral role with a number of construction projects. These included:-
John co-ordinated the negotiation of an enterprise agreement for the Carlton & United Brewery’s Kent Brewery at Broadway. The negotiations involved the Australian Liquor Hospitality & Miscellaneous Workers Union – Liquor & Hospitality Division, Australian Services Union (Clerical & Administrative Branch), Australian Workers Union and Electrical Trades Union. The agreement built on previous agreements that have been negotiated over the years establishing the Kent Brewery as one of the reform success stories within CUB. The agreement covers all areas of the brewery operations and all employees engaged on the site. The agreement continues to ensure that the brewery remains competitive and viable well into the future. John was also involved in the negotiation of enterprise agreements at Dairy Farmers covering the maintenance and service staff and the Roads and Traffic Authority maintenance crews. OrganisingDuring 2000 John has been responsible for chairing the Labor Council’s Organising Committee, which meets the first Friday of every second month throughout the year. The Committee’s charter is detailed in the Labor Council’s rules and provides for each affiliate union secretary to be represented on the Committee. The Committee is intended to provide a forum for the exchange of information and ideas on ways of achieving a shift towards organising as a means to reinvigorate the union movement. As part of this process the Committee has established links with the ACTU Organising Centre and received presentations from both Michael Crosby and Adam Kerslake from the Centre. Next year the Labor Council, through the Organising Committee, will be assisting a number of affiliates in the development of an organising campaign targeting workers in rural New South Wales. The pilot campaign will be held in the Central West region of New South Wales focusing on the Bathurst and Orange area. If the pilot campaign is a success it is anticipated that additional campaigns will be conducted throughout the State. John was involved, with Sarah Kaine, in the interview and selection process for Labor Council’s two young people in the Organising Works programme of 2000. Both were placed with affiliate unions and successful in graduating from the programme. Following from the success of the Big Lunch Break held in Hyde Park in 1999, John organised a similar event that was held in Church Street Mall at Parramatta. The event was a success with a large number of affiliate unions being represented on the day and using this event to boost their organising activities in the Parramatta business district. The event enabled activists from various workplaces in the area to meet and discuss common issues. The continued success of the event ensures that another Big Lunch Break is held in 2001. State Wage CaseJohn, with the assistance of Chris Christodoulou, ran Labor Council’s State Wage Case application before a full bench of the Industrial Relations Commission of New South Wales. The case was a historic event as it was the first time a State Wage Case had been heard in Wollongong. The case was a success and the Commission awarded a flow on of the National Wage Case decision to workers employed in New South Wales under State awards. The decision granted workers an increase of $15.00 per week. ConferencesIn 2000 John addressed a TWU delegates conference on the historical role Labor Council had played, as well as the future challenges in reinvigorating the trade union movement. The strategy involves assisting affiliate unions in adopting organising practices. John also addressed the Committee of Management of the Environmental Health & Building Surveyors, the Media Entertainment & Arts Alliance delegates from the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and the Police Association’s Commissioned Police Officers Annual Dinner. On each occasion he detailed the case for change and outlined the type of assistance that Labor Council could provide to affiliate unions in making the transition to an organising union. John was one of a group of speakers that included Chris Puplick, the Privacy Commissioner in New South Wales, at a conference at Australian Business Limited on surveillance in the workplace and the impact this was having on the privacy of workers. This provided an opportunity to convey the trade union movement’s concerns with monitoring in the workplace to an audience comprised mostly of employers. Behind the LabelJohn was involved in assisting the Textile Clothing & Footwear Union with their campaign to establish a programme that would require the major retailers in New South Wales to ensure that all clothing manufactured for them was performed by workers paid the appropriate rate of pay. This involved John lobbying the New South Wales Government, in conjunction with the TCFUA, for the introduction of legislation following an inquiry into the proposal by the Department of Industrial Relations. To date the Government has not properly responded and Labor Council will continue to press the Government to introduce legislation on this matter. John’s other responsibilities:-John’s other responsibilities in 2000 included membership of the following boards and committees:-
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