Meeting held : 15 June 2006
Chair of Meeting: The President, Comrade. Sandra Moait
Location of the meeting : Trades Hall Auditorium, 4 Goulburn St Sydney
UNIONS NSW MEETING MINUTES
MEETING HELD THURSDAY 15TH JUNE 2006
IN THE TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM
AT 4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY, AT 6:08 PM
The President Com. S. Moait occupied the Chair.
PRESENT: - J. Robertson (Secretary), M. Lennon (Assistant Secretary), C. Christodoulou, M. Thistlewaite, A Peters (Deputy Assistant Secretaries).
MINUTES: -
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson, moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be received".
Com. B. Riordan seconded.
CARRIED
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson, moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted".
Com. R. Coombs seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS:
From: The Communications Electrical Electronic Energy Information Postal Plumbing and Allied Services Union of Australia, NSW Telecommunications & Services Branch appointing: - D. Irons in place of I. McCarthy.
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for: - I. McCarthy, N. Lewocki, P. McGregor, C. Game and B. Holmes
GUEST SPEAKER
The President, Com. S. Moait, introduced Mr. Peter Jennings, Executive Officer, Union Aid Abroad APHEDA and Ms Dascia Bennett, Members Equity for the drawing of the annual Union Aid Abroad APHEDA raffle.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE: -
1. From the Australian Workers' Union, Greater New South Wales Branch: - advising Unions NSW of the success of the Lindsay Campaign Event held at Penrith Lakes on Monday 12th June 2006. The Union said that the event was well attended and that the feedback had been positive and that there was no doubt that the Targetted Seats Campaign was having a real affect in getting the Your Rights At Work message across to the broader community.
The Union congratulated Unions NSW in particular, Mary Yaager and the Lindsay Your Rights At Work Committee for their tireless efforts in making the 12th June event so successful. The Union said that they also wished to acknowledge the assistance of RTBU delegates and other unions who had contributed to the success of the event.
Com. J Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation: -
"That the correspondence be received and all those involved in the Lindsay Campaign, in particular, Mary Yaager and the RTBU delegates be congratulated on the success of last Monday's event at Penrith Lakes".
Com. P. Farrow seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
2. From the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union, NSW Branch: - advising Unions NSW of a challenge to the union movement issued by Alan Jones on his radio program this morning. The Union said that Mr Jones had advised his listeners that he had never been contacted by anyone complaining about their AWA; either in terms of their wages and conditions, or having been forced to sign an AWA. The Union said that they were certain that every union would have many examples of their members being offered AWA's which were clearly inferior to the wages and conditions which would apply to a collective agreement. They also said that there were many examples of vulnerable works - such as the young, those without high demand skills and people who are captive to their debts who were being offered a "take it or leave it" AWA by their employer. The Union said that Mr Jones was incorrect in what he had said and that this misinformation reinforces the Government's lies that AWA's are good for ordinary Australian workers. The Unions said that in their view this was not a challenge that we should ignore and requested that Unions NSW should coordinate a response to Mr Jones to ensure that the truth about these 'poisonous' contracts is exposed.
Com. J Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation: -
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW continue to highlight the impact of AWA's on working people by providing examples to all media outlets."
Com. A. Ferguson seconded.
CARRIED
3. From the Police Association of New South Wales: - thanking Unions NSW for their assistance in addressing the recent Biennial Conference of the Police Association and their participation in the subsequent panel session together with Dr. John Buchanan form Sydney University, Bishop Kevin Manning, Bishop of Parramatta and Mark Burgess from the Federal Police Association concerning the Federal Government's WorkChoices Legislation. The Union said that 145 delegates, all frontline police from around NSW, as well as representatives from Police Unions across the country had been able to hear first hand from a panel of experts on the real affects of this legislation.
The Union advised that after the session the following motion was passed
unanimously:
"That this conference publicly endorses the participation of the PANSW in the campaigns being run by Unions NSW and the ACTU including ongoing financial contributions in relation to the WorkChoices Legislation".
The Union said that this motion had been passed notwithstanding the fact that as State Government employees they were not currently affected by the legislation. The Union also advised that delegates were also aware of guarantees given to the Association by the Prime Minister that he "will not seek a future referral of powers from State Governments in respect to the employment of state police" and from the Leader of the Opposition in NSW that they would not hand over industrial relations powers for public servants if elected. They said that nevertheless delegates had chosen to support continued participation in the campaign and that it was clear that their decision was motivated not only by a desire to protect a system that has delivered decent wage increases and conditions for police but by a broader desire to ensure that the communities that our members have sworn to protect do not suffer as a result of these changes. Delegates were also focused on the effects closer to home as the interjection from the floor during the Opposition Leader's speech were illustrated when he was asked "what about our families".
The Union said that their members also understood all too well the point that Bishop Manning had raised in his thought provoking address. The Union said that over the next 18 months their members would be required to police the various protests which will become more prevalent once the effects of this legislation become clear to the community even though they are themselves opposed to the changes. Further, that this makes the longstanding protocols that they have in place between the Government, Unions NSW and the Police Association all the more important and that it was crucial that we work together to ensure that they are observed and that trade unionists and the broader community understand the difficult role police will be required to play.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation: -
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW congratulate the Police Association for its decision to continue to support the Rights At Work Campaign.
Further, that Unions NSW liaise with the Police Association and affiliates to ensure that the long standing protocols regarding protest action continue to be observed".
Com. M. Want seconded.
CARRIED
4. From the National Union of Workers, NSW Branch: - advising Unions NSW of an incident involving employees at Esselte Dymo at Minto. The Union said that these workers had been constantly harassed by their employer to sign Australian Workplace Agreements, but that they had refused to sign. The Union advised that today, these same employees were driven by their employer in a company vehicle to the Campbelltown Art Gallery, where they were questioned by the Office of Workplace Services. The questions they were asked were then relayed to the NUW site Organiser, Mark Cochrane and that so far, five employees had been interviewed at this venue and that the employer intended to interview more people tomorrow. The Union said that they would keep Unions NSW informed on the abovementioned events.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation: -
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW condemn the continued harassment by Esselte Dymo of its employees in an attempt to get them to sign AWA's.
Further, Unions NSW contact the Office of Workplace Services seeking clarification of their role".
Com. D. Belan seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
5. From the Liquor, Hospitality & Miscellaneous Union, NSW Branch: - advising Unions NSW of the successful re-instatement of their member, Ms Denise Guthery who had previously outlined to delegates her recent dismissal from the Pre-School where she had worked for the last three years. The Union said that after three years providing specialised care and education for children with special needs, that Denise Guthrey had been dismissed from her casual position even though the Pre-School were totally satisfied with her work and they had no prospect of losing the government funding which supported her position. The Union said that the Pre-School management committee had dismissed her and re-advertised her position in the local paper, simply because she had asked to be classified as a permanent employee. They also said that Ms Guthrey's award had revently been varied to include the Secure Employment Test case clause and that Ms Guthrey met all the conditions even though it had taken several phone calls for her to discover that her employer had remained within the jurisdiction of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission. The Union advised that they had filed a dispute on Ms Guthrey's behalf. Those proceedings were adjourned in order that the LHMU and the employer's representative could sit down and talk the issue through. The Union advised that as a result of those discussions, Ms Guthrey had been reinstated and had resumed her work in a permanent part-time position and that she had been back at work for three weeks and her job was back to normal. The Union also said that Ms Guthrey was successful because she had been able to access the NSW Industrial system which does not pit worker against employer and that the conciliation powers of the NSW Commission were a legitimate and efficient toll enabling fair outcomes for workers in NSW. The Union said that John Howard was wrong to strip the industrial jurisdictions of their power to settle disputes and that in the Federal system, Ms Guthrey would be out of work for no sensible reason and without any redress and that unfortunately this was the case for too many workers in NSW who are now under the extreme WorkChoices legislation. They said that Ms Guthrey's case showed that the intervention of the Commission can solve industrial disputes however John Howard would prefer that Ms Guthrey simply flounder without any access to redress.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation: -
"That the correspondence be received and the LHMU be congratulated on their success in having their member Denise Guthrey reinstated.
Further, that the case of Ms Guthrey be used to highlight the importance of workers being able to access an unfair dismissal jurisdiction such as the NSW IRC.".
Com. N. Quinn seconded and Denise Guthrey spoke.
CARRIED
6. From the Electrical Trades Union of Australia, NSW Branch: - congratulating Kim Beazley on his announcement on the weekend that a future Labor Government would abolish AWA's or any other form of statutory individual contract. Mr Beazley said that the evidence that had come forward in recent weeks was irrefutable - AWA's were having a detrimental affect on incomes of working people in this country. The Union said that Kim Beazley's announcement would now make the choice very clear for Australians at the next election. It was either a vote for a party that would protect the living standards of Australian families as opposed to the conservatives who would leave families incomes at the mercy of unfair and inequitable AWA's. The Union also said that the Opposition Leader's announcement was a great boost to all those involved in the Rights At Work Campaign.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation: -
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW congratulate the Federal Opposition on its decision to abolish AWA's.".
Com. B. Riordan seconded.
CARRIED
ANNOUCEMENTS
1. Adress By Stuart Rosewarne on Greenhouse/Climate Change and 'Energy Exports Security'
The Secretary announced that an address would be given by Stuart Rosewarne on Thursday 22nd June 2006
Trades Hall Auditorium,4 Goulburn Street Sydney
Time: 12 noon to 2.00p.m.
To register your interest contact Ros Aldridge on 9264 1691 or by email: r.aldridge@unionsnsw.org.au by Monday 19th June 2006
2. Your Rights At Work Central Coast Campaign - Retirees
Meeting Monday 3rd July
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson, announced that as part of the Central Coast Campaign a Retirees Meeting would be held on Monday 3rd July 2006 at 10.30a.m at Gosford Leagues Club, Dane Drive, Gosford. Guest Speakers would be Bernie Banton and Mark Lennon from Unions NSW
RSVP to Ros Aldridge on 1800 688 919.
3. Industrial Relations Society of NSW Annual General Meeting and Luncheon
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson, announced that the Annual General Meeting and Luncheon of the Industrial Relations Society of NSW would be held on Friday, 4th August 2006 from 12 Noon at Parliament House, Macquarie Street, Sydney. The Guest Speaker is the Hon. John Della Bosca MLC, NSW Minister for Industrial Relations. Further information is available by telephoning 9630 5211.
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6:42 PM
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