Meeting held : 17 August 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 17TH AUGUST 2006
IN THE TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM
AT 4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY, AT 6:04 PM
The President Com. S. Moait occupied the Chair.
PRESENT: - J. Robertson [Secretary], M. Lennon [Assistant Secretary], C. Christodoulou, A. Peters (Deputy Assistant Secretaries].
MINUTES: -
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be received".
Com. P. Sinclair seconded.
CARRIED
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted".
Com. M. Want seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS
From The NSW Teachers Federation appointing:- C. Marks in place of J. Lemaire.
From The Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia, NSW Branch:- appointing D. Karlsson in place of J. Owen and H McNabb in place of S. Davies.
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the credentials be received and the delegates welcomed".
Com. B. Parker seconded.
CARRIED
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for: - A. Klassens, C. Game, M. Thistlethwaite, J. Kiejda and B. Holmes.
GUEST SPEAKER:
The President, Com. S. Moait introduced and welcomed Rathana Chea, from the Ethnic Communities' Council of NSW. Com. Chea thanked Unions NSW for the opportunity to speak. He said that the Ethnic Communities Council is made up of a diversity of community organisations and that the Ethnic Communities Council was seeking to work with community and other organisations on a range of issues in defence of citizens working rights and against racism. Com. Chea said that they were seeking to work with Unions NSW on these issues including workers rights and the problems with WorkChoices. The challenge is to ensure members don't live as second-class citizens he said.
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson, thanked Com. Chea for his address and said that he looked forward to a dialogue with the Ethnic Communities Council. He said that building relationships with community organisations was important and that Unions NSW would continue to reach out to those organisations on issues of importance to workers and their families.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union, Construction & General Division, NSW Branch:- advising Unions NSW that Mansoor Osanlu, President of the Tehran Bus Workers Union in Iran had been released after spending seven and a half months in gaol. The Union said that upon his release from gaol Mansoor had acknowledged the contribution of the international trade union movement. He said that unfortunately hundred of trade unionists and opponents of the repressive regime in Iran remained in gaol.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and whilst Unions NSW welcomes the release of Tehran Bus Workers Union President, Mansoor Osanlu, we reaffirm our call that the Iranian Government cease the oppression and imprisonment of other trade unionists in the country."
Com. A. Ferguson seconded.
CARRIED
2. From the Hon. Morris Iemma, MP, Premier of NSW:- informing Unions NSW of the recently announced creation of a NSW State Plan. The Premier said that the Plan would identify clear priorities for the NSW Government over the next ten years and the strategies needed to achieve them. He said that most importantly, the State Plan would contain a more open approach to ensuring Government did its job and provided effective services. The Premier invited Unions NSW representatives to participate in the State Plan Stakeholder Forum on Friday, 25th August 2006 at the offices of the Department of State and Regional Development.. He said that the purpose of the Forum was to get the views of Unions NSW on the priorities for the NSW Government, the measures of success for each of these priorities and how we could work together to deliver them.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW accept the invitation to send representatives to the State Plan Stakeholder Forum on August 25th and liaise with affiliates about appropriate representation."
Com. M. Want seconded.
CARRIED
3. From the Musicians' Union of New South Wales:- advising Unions NSW that for the last ten years they had been working towards a rationalisation of the legislative barriers impacting on the employment of musicians throughout New South Wales. The Union said that prior to the last state election, the State Labor Party had made a commitment to act on the recommendations of the Vanishing Acts report into live music opportunities in New South Wales. They said that following consultation with industry stakeholders, the Premiers' Department published the Live Music - Issues Paper in February 2003. The Union said that the long needed rationalisation of live music regulation was presently being addressed in both the Liquor Bill 2005 and the proposed transfer of the place of public entertainment authority from the Local Government Act to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. The Union sought the support of Unions NSW and affiliated unions in their efforts to re-establish a vibrant and sustainable live music industry in New South Wales and requested that Unions NSW consider an appropriate executive recommendation concerning these issues.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW support the efforts of the Musicians' Union to ensure that music regulation in New South Wales is rationalised to allow for a vibrant and sustainable live music industry."
Com. N. Lewocki seconded.
CARRIED
4. From the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union, NSW Branch:- advising Unions NSW a resolution passed by their District Committee which operates in the Albury Wodonga area to establish a Cross Border Trades and Labour Council. The Union said that following the meetings held by Unions NSW during the recent bus tour, that the proposal had been the subject of consideration by delegates from a number of unions for some time. The AMWU said that in their view the proposal made sense and that it would allow for better co-ordination of union activities in the region.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and in the first instance Unions NSW enter into discussions with relevant affiliates about the establishment of a cross border Trades and Labour Council in the Albury Wodonga region."
Com. T. Ayers seconded.
CARRIED
5. From the Hon John Della Bosca MLC, Minister for Industrial Relations:- regarding the Commonwealth's National Reform Agenda which, he believes would have a detrimental impact on workplace safety conditions for workers in NSW. The Minister said that in May 2006, the Workplace Relations Ministerial Council agreed that the COAG National Reform agenda on workplace safety be included in the Australian Safety and Compensation Council work plan, subject to the following four principles:
1. the use of a tripartite approach - the states, unions and employers;
2. there be no reduction in safety standards or current levels of support for injured workers;
3. a considered analysis of the implications for compliance efforts required by employers, and regulators; and
4. proper consideration be given to the resource implications for employers, and regulators.
The Minister advised that the NSW Government supports a co-operative approach, which will improve and harmonise workplace safety frameworks across Australian jurisdictions. He said that he was concerned that the Commonwealth Government had not entered the negotiations in good faith. He said that the Commonwealth initially reneged on the Ministerial agreement and refused to agree to the four principles and that after numerous written requests and the threat that NSW would not participate in an ASCC Working Party, the Commonwealth agreed to the principles.
The Minister advised that at the ASCC meeting on 15th August 2006, the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry suggested that these principles should act only as a guide to the ASCC. These principles were not meant as a guide, but the very basis on which the ASCC should operate. He said that the ASCC would not agree that its work would be subject to these safety principles, in particular COAG's direction that there be no reduction in safety standards for workers, NSW had no choice but to withdraw its representative. The Minister said that he had again written to Minister Andrews confirming that NSW's continued participation on the ASCC was contingent on its work being subject to the four principles and that he had also requested an urgent meeting with the Minister to ensure that these matters were resolved as soon as possible. He said that at the same time as these events involving the ASCC, the Commonwealth was embarking on a legislative path to establish a parallel occupational health and safety and workers compensation scheme, with the initial step being the passing of the OHS and SRC Legislation Amendment Bill 2005 and Occupational health and Safety (Commonwealth Employment) Bill 2005, which is currently before the Commonwealth Senate. The passage of these bills will mean non-public sector employers can be covered by the Commonwealth OHS and workers compensation regime. The Minister said that it was clear to him that the Commonwealth was intent on giving many employers the option of choosing which workers compensation. He said and occupational health and safety legislative regime they wish to comply with. With the Commonwealth Scheme being one of self-regulation, the Minister fears that this will simply be a race to the bottom. The Minister said that he was committed to a co-operative approach to workplace safety and would not countenance any attempts by the Commonwealth Government to act unilaterally on occupational health and safety policy, putting at stake the safety of workers.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW offer its strong support to the NSW Government's position that any discussions at a national level on Workplace Safety be on the basis of no reduction in existing safety standards in NSW.
Further, Unions NSW condemns any attempts by the Federal Government to weaken safety standards in NSW, either through the ASCC process or by seeking to establish a parallel OHS and Workers Compensation Scheme at a national level"
Com. G. Dwyer seconded.
CARRIED
6. From the Finance Sector Union of Australia, NSW/ACT Branch: - advising Unions NSW of the review of the Transactions & Unsecured Lending Operations (TULO) area of the Westpac Bank's Concord Service Centre which employees approximately 1,100 staff. The Union said that Westpac was actively reviewing TULO functions with a view to contracting some or all of the work to offshore providers, most probably to India. They said that up to 400 jobs could be sent to India before the end of this year. The Union said that their members working at Westpac's Concord Centre had last Friday carried the attached resolution in support of their efforts to keep their jobs in Australia. The Union said that for the sake of current and future generations and the sustainability of our diverse economy, Australia must be more than a shop-front economy and that technical and non-customer facing jobs were important in the provision of career opportunities and skill development in New South Wales. The FSU seeks the support of Unions NSW with their campaign to have Westpac abandon their plans to send local jobs offshore.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW supports the resolution from FSU members at Westpac's Concord Service Centre and the union's campaign to have the company abandon its plans to send jobs offshore."
Com. G. Derrick seconded.
Carmel Burke spoke.
CARRIED
REPORTS
1. Campaign Report
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson reported on the bus tours and how effective this had been in terms of both raising awareness of WorkChoices and getting feedback from regional areas as to the impact. He thanked affiliates for their support in providing staff, local activists and promotion for the bus trips. He then thanked Unions NSW Officers, Dan Walton and Dan Kildea for their efforts in making the bus tours so successful.
Com. J. Robertson moved:-
"That the report be received and noted"
Com. N. Allen seconded.
CARRIED
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. ALP Policy Forum
Date: Thursday 24th August 2006
Time: 7.00p.m.
Venue: Trades Hall Auditorium, 4 Goulburn Street, Sydney
Guest Speakers: Jenny Macklin MP, Shadow Minister for Education
Senator Penny Wong, Shadow Minister for Employment
RSVP: Elizabeth Scully Phone: (02) 9207 2000 or
Email: Elizabeth@nswalp.com.
2. CFMEU Solidarity Rally Re Prosecutions
Date: Tuesday 29th August 2006
Time: 10.00a.m.
Venue: Trades Hall 4 Goulburn Street Sydney
[Entry Via 377 Sussex Street)
For further information phone CFMEU 9749 0400 or
email enquiries@nsw.cfmeu.asn.au
YOUR RIGHTS AT WORK RAFFLE
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson announced the drawing of the Your Rights At Work Raffle and asked the President, Com. S. Moait to draw the winning tickets.
The prizes consisted of three framed and signed Reg Mombassa artworks and these were won by Helen Pratt - Bega (South Coast), Ken Chambers - Tura Beach (South Coast) and Bob Smith - Empire Bay (Central Coast).
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6: 45PM
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