Meeting held : 30 August 2007
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 30TH AUGUST 2007
IN THE TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM
AT 4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY, AT 6.05 PM
The President, Com. S. Moait occupied the chair.
PRESENTM. Lennon (Acting Secretary), M. Thistlethwaite, A. Peters, C. Christodouolou (Deputy Assistant Secretaries)
OPENING
OF THE The President, Com. S. Moait opened the meeting by
MEETING recognising the traditional owners of the land on which the meeting was being held, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.
MINUTES The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon, moved:-
"That the minutes as circulated be received".
Com. M. Want seconded.
CARRIED
The Acting Secretary Com. M. Lennon, moved:-
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted".
Com. B. Tubner seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS
From The Australian Workers' Union, Greater New South Wales Branch appointing:- P. Moylan in place of S. Rumph.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon, moved:-
That the credentials be received and the delegates welcomed".
Com. A. Ferguson seconded.
CARRIED
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for:- J. Robertson, B. Holmes, J. Kiejda, S. Rumph, S. Walsh, M. Stuart, G. Dwyer, F. Barnes, J. Diamond, G. McLean, V. Higgins, B. Parker, B. Fitzpatrick.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon, moved:-
That the apologies be received and accepted".
Com. A. Owens seconded.
CARRIED
GUEST SPEAKERS
Dr. Victor Batarsei
The President, Com. S. Moait introduced Dr. Victor Batarsei, Mayor of Bethlehem and invited him to address the meeting.
Dr. Batarsei said that unions all over the world were effective bodies influencing governments. Dr. Batarsei was therefore seeking affiliates support in having United Nations resolutions regarding Bethlehem implemented by Israel. He said that the current situation was having a disastrous impact on Bethlehem and its citizens with high levels of unemployment and poverty. Dr. Batarsei said that the people of Bethlehem want to work together to make Bethlehem safe, prosperous and welcome to all.
Anton Salman
The President, Com. S. Moait, introduced Com. Anton Salman, Councillor, Bethlehem City, and invited him to speak to the meeting.
Com. Salman reiterated the comments of Dr. Batarsei and asked affiliates for their support in having the United Nations resolutions implemented.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon in thanking Dr Batarsei and Com. Salman said that he had had the pleasure of visiting Bethlehem in 1984 however on a more recent visit to the Middle East he had been unable to do so. He said that unions would continue to work for peace in the Middle East.
ITUC - ACTU Asia Pacific Labour Network
The President, Com. S. Moait formally welcomed the ITUC-ACTU Asia Pacific Labour Network delegates.
Ross Wilson - President NZCTU
The President, Com. S. Moait, introduced Com. Ross Wilson and invited him to speak to the meeting on behalf of the delegates.
Com. Wilson said that it was a privilege to express solidarity with Australian Trade Unions, and to especially acknowledge the Your Rights At Work campaign which would defeat the Howard Government soon. Com. Wilson said that the ITUC - ACTU Asia Pacific Labour Network delegates were seeking to have APEC leaders adopt fair labour standards as part of their discussions. He said that the Australian Union Movement was a beacon of hope to many nations in the Asia Pacific because of our campaigns to ensure workers rights are a central issue to the community. A victory for the YR@W campaign at the forthcoming election would be an important victory for all union movements in the region he said.
In moving a vote of thanks Com. M. Lennon said that the ITUC-ACTU agenda was important for all workers. He said that the release today of a report on slavery was an important issue and that delegates were to be congratulated for insisting that the issue be dealt with to provide dignity and human rights to those in this situation. Com. Lennon wished them well with their work over the next week.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From the Australian Workers' Union, Greater New South Wales Branch: - advising Unions NSW that the decision on Ronald Shores' death in the Cross City Tunnel by the NSW Deputy State Coroner, Magistrate Milovanovich who said that this fatality was "was a tragic but preventable death" when he was crushed by unsecured rock when working on a platform which did not have overhead protection or side guards. The union said that they wished to express their condolences to Mrs Marlene Shores and her two daughters who had yet again had to relive the agony and sadness of that tragic day that cost the life of a loving husband, father. They said that the Coroner's decision contained several pertinent findings:
1. The responsibility of ensuring Mr Shores could complete his daily tasks in a safe manner fell squarely on the shoulders of his employer;
2. The employer clearly knew that Mr Shores would work under an unsupported tunnel roof;
3. There was no cage on the boom platform to protect Mr Shores from falling objects; and
4. The real issue here is that a risk was identified and while it could not be totally eliminated, the potential for an accident or fatality could have been reduced through effective risk assessment and implementation.
The Union said that the Coroner had also raised the possibility that the tunnel constructor may have undertaken a time/cost analysis and proceeded with the more cost effective tunnelling methods. They said that they viewed this with great concern that the Cross City Tunnel project costing approximately $1 billion may have had a culture where the contractor was seeking to save time and money. Tunnelling construction companies do face the prospect of either major fines if the project is not completed on time or conversely can receive significant bonuses if the project is completed earlier that the estimated completion date. The AWU believes that the construction company, Baulderstone Hornibrook had to have had a far better communication system with the designers, constructors and the employees, particularly in relation to the ongoing safety on the job. The union said that the State Government through the RTA outsourced all its responsibilities to contractors which they believed created a working environment not conducive to the best safety practices. They said that since the accident they had worked with industry and WorkCover to produce a new code called "Tunnels Under Construction Code of Practice, 2006." The Code discusses safe tunnel design, training provisions, and managing risks and that the distribution and enforcement of the Code was supported by the coronial inquest findings. The union said that WorkCover was launching a prosecution in the Ron Shores fatality. They said that they would be supporting Marlene Shores and her two daughters through this very difficult ordeal. The AWU said that they hoped that all of the Coroner's findings and recommendations in relation to the tunnelling accident were fully implemented and hopefully would ensure a safer working environment for people working in the tunnelling industry.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW support the call that all of the Coroner's Findings and Recommendations in relation to Ronald Shores death be implemented to ensure a safer tunnelling industry."
Com. R. Collison seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
2. From the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union:- advising Unions NSW that Cochlear continues to deny its production workforce the right to collective bargaining and union representation. They said that the union had a very strong mandate to be recognised by Cochlear as the legitimate representative of its 260 manufacturing workers as the workers had voted by over 98% in two secret ballots conducted by the AMWU calling upon Cochlear to negotiate with the union, and have rejected two
attempts by Cochlear to unilaterally impose WorkChoices employee collective agreements. The Union said they were continuing to campaign in the workplace (which is on the boundary of Joe Hockey's seat of North Sydney and the Prime Minister's seat of Bennelong), and in the community. They said they have received hundreds of messages of support from members of the community, Cochlear customers and from concerned investors. The Union advised that today they had placed a "You Tube" video which attacks Cochlear and the Howard Government for denying workers' collective bargaining rights and requested that the video be launched at tonight's meeting.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW support the launch of the YouTube video by Cochlear workers as part of their campaign to have a union negotiated agreement in their workplace.
Further, Unions NSW encourage affiliates and activists to log onto the video."
Com. T. Ayres seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
The Youtube video was then shown to the meeting.
3. From the New South Wales Local Government, Clerical, Administrative, Energy, Airlines & Utilities Union and Public Service Association of New South Wales:- regarding the release of Professor Owen's report on the Inquiry into the privatisation of the NSW Energy Industry. The USU said that it was an open secret that the State Government planned to sell off the retail sector of the State owned energy corporations in order to support the building of a privately owned power station and to rake cash into the State's coffers. The union said they believed this would have a massive impact on jobs and that partial privatisation would be the beginning of the end for State Government owned electricity corporations. They said that privatisation would also come at great cost to NSW consumers as the private sector controls supply so as to ramp up electricity prices. Over the last few weeks the USU has urged the government to postpone this debate until such time as rational, reasoned argument could occur outside of the emotive context of the federal election campaign. They said that should the plan, as had been reported in today's Daily Telegraph, to sell retail be jammed through State Cabinet next week, that this could only be seen as an attempt to exploit the unstable political environment of the federal election campaign
to pursue an unpopular and destructive infrastructure reform agenda. The USU said that today's Galaxy poll showed that the public was opposed to electricity privatisation. They said that the policy was not tested at the State election and that the Iemma Government did not have a mandate to head down this path. The union was now contacting NSW State Cabinet members to urge them to take a responsible position and defer any further discussion of privatisation until such time as a debate can be held in an appropriate public political forum.
The PSA advised that at an affiliates meeting earlier this week one affiliates advised that they had met with the Premier who indicated that he would not necessarily wait until after the Federal election before making any decision on the future of the power industry. The Union said that to privatise any part of the currently government owned power industry would be a breach of faith to the people of New South Wales. They said that this Government had not gone to the last election with a policy of privatisation and that it was important Unions NSW and its affiliates take immediate action to ensure that no privatisation occurs. The PSA requested that an urgent meeting of affiliates be convened to discuss the possible privatisation of the power industry.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW notes that the Government has no mandate to privatise State assets and therefore calls on the Government to delay any decision on the privatisation of the power industry until there has been thorough and wide ranging consultation with the community.
Further, that an urgent meeting of affiliates be convened to discuss the issue."
Com. B. Kruse seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
4. From the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union: - calling for a State Government sponsored Public Forum to discuss the exploitation of guest workers. The Union advised that they had written to Premier Iemma regarding the issue. They requested that Unions NSW and its affiliates support the continuing campaign by the AMWU and other unions on this issue and that a meeting with the Premier be arranged to discuss holding a Public Forum in NSW.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW support the call for a public forum on the exploitation of guest workers as requested."
Com. J. Bandara seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
5. From the Health Services Union, NSW Branch:- concerning the current dispute the Health Services Union, (HSU) has with the Ambulance Service of NSW (ASNSW) and the NSW Health Department. The Union said that following their claim for a work value case for the state's 3000 plus Ambulance Officers, which has been with the ASNSW for 2 years now, the ASNSW had only just provided them with its response on 16th August. They said that the ASNSW whilst offering in many instances an 8% increase, has offset that against a number of long standing Award provisions meaning for example; a Year 1 Ambulance Officer could take home $22.61 a week less, with the loss of call out provisions, and late meal allowances; and in the case of an Advanced Life Support Officer a loss of possibly $73.59 with the withdrawal of the (ALS) allowance, call out provisions and late meals. The Union said that it was also faced with the Ambulance Service's refusal to implement a Death and Disability benefit for the States Ambulance Officers and they remain the only emergency service workers who don't receive the benefit. The HSU advised that during a hearing in the IRC before the Deputy President last week, NSW Health would not state on record that the benefit would be applied, following a request from the Deputy President in this matter that such written confirmation should be made available to the HSU that day or the next, nothing had been provided, the Premier himself last week recommitting to an effective date of 10th November 2007. The Union advised that the response by their members has been described as anger, appalled, frustration, shock and disbelief with record attendance of members at Ambulance Sub-Branch meetings overwhelmingly endorsing industrial action, in the form of the non collection of debtor details of patients they transport to hospital, commencing Wednesday, 29th August until a mass meeting of members this Saturday in Sydney. Members are only seeking increases to match their increases in clinical skills and the measures introduced by the Ambulance Service. The Union said that officers were constantly working under staffed, frustrated with delays to emergencies with access block in the state Emergency departments, and with an Ambulance Service Management that undervalues their worth, hence the "not worth paying, nor worth charging for" campaign.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW support the HSU in their campaign to achieve a just wage outcome for Ambulance Officers."
Com. P. Mylan seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
REPORTS
1. Resignation of Annie Owens
Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon reported that Annie Owens had resigned as Secretary of the Liquor, Hospitality & Miscellaneous Union and as a Vice President of Unions NSW. He said that the Executive had received this resignation with regret and had expressed their sincere appreciation for her efforts on behalf of working people and offered their best wishes for Annie's future. Com. Lennon said both he and the Secretary had appreciated Annie's wise counsel and support.
Com. M. Lennon moved:-
"That the report be received and Annie Owen's resignation be received with regret."
Com. B. Johnson seconded.
Com. Annie Owens spoke.
CARRIED
Com. M. Lennon moved:-
"That the report be adopted and that Annie Owen be thanked for her commitment and wonderful work on behalf of working people."
Com. B. Johnson seconded.
CARRIED
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. No Meeting Next Week
The Acting Secretary advised that there would be no Executive or General Meeting next Thursday, 6th September 2007. Meetings would resume on Thursday, 13th September 2007.
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 7:00 PM
President:___________________
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