Meeting held : 20 September 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 20TH SEPTEMBER 2007
IN THE TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM
AT 4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY, AT 6:03 PM
The President Com. S. Moait occupied the Chair.
PRESENT: - M. Lennon [Acting Secretary], A. Peters (Deputy Assistant Secretary).
OPENING
OF THE
MEETING: The President, Com. S. Moait opened the meeting by 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. B. Riordan seconded.
CARRIED
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted."
Com. B. Holmes seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS
From The NSW Teachers Federation appointing: - L. Simon in place of P. De Graaff at tonight's meeting.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the credential be received and the delegate welcomed."
Com. R. Fortescue seconded.
CARRIED
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for: -J. Robertson, C. Christodoulou, M. Thistlethwaite, A. Ferguson, M. Want, M. Stuart, B. Kruse, C. Haigh, W. Hickey, B. Parker, B. Fitzpatrick, B. Smith.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the apologies be received and accepted."
Com. B. Tubner seconded.
CARRIED
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From the Defence Reserves Support Council: - requesting nominations for union representation on the NSW Defence Reserves Support Committee.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW re-nominate Matt Murphy as its representative on the NSW Defence Reserves Support Committee."
Com. B. Riordan seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
2. From The Entrance - Bateau Bay Branch, Australian Labor Party:- advising Unions NSW of their members support for the proposal to have the Aged Pension increased by $60.00 per fortnight. They also congratulated the union movement on their on-going Your Rights At Work Campaign.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW support the proposal to increase the Aged Pension by $60.00 per fortnight."
Com. B. Tubner seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From The Hon. John Della Bosca, MLC, Minister for Education & training, Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for the Central Coast, Minister Assisting the Minister for Finance:- advising Unions NSW that he had recently asked Professor George Williams from the University of New South Wales to undertake an Inquiry into Options for a New National Industrial Relations System. The Minister said that the Inquiry was intended to put forward ideas as to how a fair and harmonised national industrial relations system that appropriately balances the interests of employers and employees could be put in place in partnership between the Commonwealth and the State of New South Wales. He said Professor Williams had commenced work on the Inquiry and had produced an Issues Paper which is intended to be the basis of a process with stakeholders and that the Paper was available from the Inquiry website at www.industrialrelations.nsw.gov.au The Minister said that the consultation process would be undertaken by Professor Williams over the next few weeks and he understood that Professor Williams would be meeting with Unions NSW and affiliated unions for this purpose. He said that submissions to the Inquiry could be made electronically through the website.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW welcomes the Government's Inquiry into options for a new National Industrial Relations System.
Further, Unions NSW make a submission to the Inquiry after consultation with affiliates."
Com. B. Holmes seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
4. From the Shop, Distributive & Allied Employees' Association, New South Wales Branch:- advising Unions NSW that there had been a significant development in the campaign against Spotlight AWA's. The Union said that the company had now agreed to enter into discussion with the SDA about a union collective agreement. They said that both the SDA and its members in Spotlight welcomed this development and expressed their thanks and appreciation to unions, the parliamentary wing of the labour movement and also concerned members of the public who had assisted them in their campaign against these AWA's. The SDA would now work towards progressing those discussions to a point where a union collective agreement was secured for all Spotlight employees.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and the SDA be congratulated for their success in bringing Spotlight to the bargaining table to negotiate a union collective agreement.
Further, the thanks of the SDA be forwarded to affiliates."
Com. G. Dwyer seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
5. From the NSW Teachers Federation:- seeking the support of Unions NSW in opposing the increase in TAFE fees for 2008. The Federation said that following the disastrous introduction of fees in 2004, which increased the costs to students by some 227%, the then Minister for Education and Training, Andrew Refshauge, had given an undertaking that TAFE fees would only be increased by CPI and that fees for apprentices would be capped at $350. They said that both these undertakings had been broken with the proposed fee increase for 2008 and that some of the most disadvantaged and marginalised groups who previously were not charged fees are now expected to pay $50 upfront. The Federation said that they were particularly concerned that at a time when the State Government, through its State Plan and other policies, was supporting all young people to gain a Year 12 or equivalent had now increased TAFE fees for a Certificate III to $654 per year. They said that despite the Government's claims, TAFE fees for higher qualifications were now amongst the highest in the country and that along with moves to fully commercialise many courses, they believed the State Government was not fulfilling its commitments to accessible public education. The Federation sought the support of Unions NSW and its affiliates in raising these issues with the Premier and the Minister for Education and Training to seek a reduction in the proposed fees for 2008, a recommitment to no increases above CPI, removal of the fee on benefit holders, a $350 cap on fees for apprentices and a commitment to making Year 12 and Year 12 equivalent courses free and accessible.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW support the Teachers Federation in their campaign to have a reduction and caps on TAFE fees in the manner outlined in the correspondence.
Further, Unions NSW raise these issues with the Premier and the Minister for Education and Training as requested."
Com. L. Simon seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
REPORTS
1. Campaign Report
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon reported that we have now received 42,300 signatures with more coming in every day. He said that the gathering of signatures in the city was going well. The bus trip to Eden - Monaro was also going well with excellent attendances at the events that had been organised. The Acting Secretary also reported that various opinion polls commissioned by the media showed the impact of the Rights At Work campaign on voting intentions. He reminded unions that there was a special meeting on the 26th September to consider plans for the final phase of the election campaign.
Com. M. Lennon moved:-
"That the report be received and noted."
Com. M. Issanchon seconded.
CARRIED
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. Eastern Suburbs YR@W Group Meeting
6.30pm Thursday, 20th September 2007
Level 4, Randwick Labor Club
For further information contact Luke Whitington on
0425 214 731 or LukeW@lhmu.org.au
2. Northern Beaches -"the Good, the Bad & the Ugly" Forum
Tom Kenneally and others 27th September 6.30pm for 7pm
For more information and to RSVP contact Lynne Ridge on
0414 550 358.
3. Screening of CFMEU Documentary "Constructing Fear"
Friday, 28th September 2007 at 10.45a.m.
Level 1, Mitchell Theatre, Sydney Mechanics School of Arts
280 Pitt Street, Sydney. This will be followed at 11.30am by a March to Prime Minister John Howard's Office to protest the exploitation of Guest Workers.
4. Australia@Work Report - "The definitive story behind the first
year of WorkChoices Tuesday, 2nd October 2007
9.30am for 10am sharp start - Unions NSW Auditorium
Launch of the most comprehensive study of workers and their agreements ever undertaken in Australia.
RSVP by 21st September 2007 to: Robyn Griffith at rgriffith@unionsnsw.org.au or (02) 9881 5918.
5. Eastern Suburbs YR@W Campaign Launch
Thursday 4th October 2007 - 6.30pm
Waverley Bondi Junction RSL
1 - 9 Gray Street, Bondi Junction
For further information contact Luke Whitington on 0425 214 731 or LukeW@lhmu.org.au
6. 53rd Anniversary Labor Day Dinner
Friday, 5th October 2007
7.00pm -Strangers Dining Room, Parliament House, Sydney
$125 per ticket - All proceeds to "Your Rights At Work" Campaign. For further information contact Alisha Wilde on 9881 5908 or Mary O'Donoghue on 9881 5916.
7. The City of Sydney Spring Cycle will take place going from North Sydney to Sydney Olympic Park. Sunday, 21st October 2007 Following the success of the City to 'Gong bike ride it is proposed that a YRAW group take part in this event which is supporting the MS Society. Further information is available on www.springcycle.com.au. If you are interested please contact Alison Peters at a.peters@unionsnsw.org.au or (02) 9881 5999.
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6: 25 PM
President:____________________________________
About Unions NSW
