Meeting held : 03 April 2008
Chair of Meeting: The Acting President, Comrade Barry Johnson
Location of the meeting : Trades Hall Auditorium, 4 Goulburn St Sydney
UNIONS NSW MEETING MINUTES
MEETING HELD THURSDAY 3RD APRIL 2008
IN THE TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM
AT 4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY, AT 6:04PM
The President Com. S. Moait occupied the Chair.
PRESENT: - J. Robertson [Secretary] M. Lennon [Assistant Secretary],
C. Christodoulou, M. Thistlethwaite, A. Tattersall (Deputy Assistant Secretaries).
OPENING
OF THE
MEETING: The Acting President, Com. B. Johnson 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 Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be received".
Com. M Want seconded.
CARRIED
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted".
Com. B. Riordan seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS
From The Australian Workers' Union, Greater New South Wales Branch appointing: - L. Heaney in place of R. Collison.
From The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance, NSW Branch appointing:- M. Thomson in place of C. Game.
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the credentials be received and the delegates welcomed".
Com. A. Ferguson seconded.
CARRIED
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for: - A. Kerslake, R. Collison, M. O'Halloran, G. Dwyer, S. Walsh, C. Game, T. Bougatsas, S. Edsall.
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the apologies be received and accepted".
Com. M. Want seconded.
CARRIED
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From the Hon. Carmel Tebbutt MP, Chair of the Parliamentary Joint Standing Committee on Children and Young People:- advising Unions NSW that the committee had resolved to conduct an Inquiry into Children and Young People 9-14 years in NSW. The Committee invited Unions NSW to make a submission to the inquiry by 5th May 2008.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW convene a meeting of interested affiliates with a view to making a submission to the Inquiry Into Children and Young People."
Com. B. Smith seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
2. From the Maritime Union of Australia, Sydney Branch:- advising Unions NSW of a series of events under the title LabourFest OZ which was being put together by the MUA to coincide with their National Conference and the International Mining and Maritime Conference where mining and maritime unions from around the globe would descend on Sydney to develop and strengthen international solidarity between workers internationally. The MUA said that their National Conference also marked the 10th anniversary of the conspiracy by Corrigan and the Howard Government to remove unionised workers from the waterfront. The Union said that events would take place from the 7th April to 15th April. They said events would include a labour film festival, painting and art exhibition, dance and theatre performances, a book launch and a exhibition of the Wharfies Mural at the Australian National Maritime Museum. The MUA said of special significance was the event being held on Friday, 11th where they would be reclaiming Hickson Road and the area renamed Barangaroo. They said that this area would always be the Hungry Mile for generations of maritime workers and the MUA had secured an agreement with the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority which will ensure the continued existence of "The Hungry Mile" through recognition of the significant landmarks and tributes to maritime history and heritage. The MUA invited all affiliates to attend and be part of the celebrations which would include actor Jack Thompson reading the poem "The Hungry Mile" as well as many other performers.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and details of the events of LabourFest OZ be circulated to affiliates for their information and support."
Com. A. Ferguson seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From the New South Wales Nurses' Association:- regarding changes to the way State Superannuation pensioners receive increases in their pensions. The Association said that at the present time pensions were only indexed once a year which put State Superannuation pensioners at a disadvantage to pensioners in other states who have their pensions indexed twice a year. They said that even the Howard Government move to twice yearly indexation following the recommendation of a Senate Inquiry in 2001. Twice yearly indexation meant that there was less of a lag time for pensioners in receiving increases and keeping up with the cost of living. The Association said they believed that the best way for the issue to be brought to the government's attention was by a letter writing campaign by pensioners to their local members. They a submitted a draft letter which pensioners could use and requested that public sector unions circulate this letter to their retired members encouraging them to engage in the letter writing campaign.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW circulate the draft letter regarding indexation of State Superannuation pensions to public sector unions and encourage their retired members to forward them to their local members of parliament."
Com. B. Holmes seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
4. From the NSW Teachers Federation:- advising that in their correspondence to Unions NSW dated 7th February 2008 they advised that the NSW Government had walked away from negotiating a new industrial agreement with teachers about staffing. They said that instead the government intends to make unilateral changes to staffing arrangements is public schools from April 28th, 2008 and that these changes would take away teachers' rights at work. These changes would also take away the right of every student in every classroom across the state to have qualified teachers delivering the curriculum. The Federation said that they have had signed agreements with the Department of Education and Training about staffing pursuant to Section 26 of the Teaching Services Act since 1993 and that these industrial agreements had been re-negotiated every three years.
The Federation said that two weeks before the State Election in March 2007 the then Education Minister made the following promise to the Federation's State Council on behalf of the government:
"The NSW Government takes responsibility for making sure that every school in NSW is staffed with experienced teachers and we will continue to do so. The Coalition will destroy the NSW Staffing Agreement. We know they tried in 1989 and their desire to do so has just got stronger with Howard's industrial relations fixation. They believe in an unfettered market and the result will be chaos. Schools in favourable locations, in cities and along the coast, will take their pick of applicants. Schools in less favoured locations will be forced to accept what they can and in many cases they will not have sufficient staff. A deregulated workforce would change forever public education in NSW. We would no longer be a public education system but rather 2240 schools pitted against each other. That is not the vision for public education that a Labor Government has."
The Federation advised that their members would stop work for two hours on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 to protest the government's actions and that a 24 hour strike was likely to follow. They requested that Unions NSW write to the Minister for Education and Industrial Relations, John Della Bosca urging him in the public interest to direct the Department to resume negotiations with the Federation.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW reaffirms its support for the Teachers' campaign over staffing arrangements by writing to Minister Della Bosca urging him to direct the Department to resume negotiations with the Federation."
Com. J. Diamond seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
5. From the Rail Tram and Bus Union, New South Wales Branch: congratulating Unions NSW on the success of the Working Women's Conference held on 10th - 11th March this year, and the opportunity it provided for working women to discuss issues of importance in their lives. The Union said that the issue of paid leave for parents was identified by the Women's Conference as fundamental to the ability of people to combine work and family doing justice to both. They said that recent announcements that the federal ALP may be considering guaranteeing all women in paid employment 14 weeks leave was a welcome first step in lifting Australian working women's rights towards the level enjoyed in every other advanced country in the world. The Union said it was clear however that 14 weeks was only a first step for a campaign to provide every woman with 26 weeks paid leave. They proposed that a report on the deliberations arising from the Women's Conference and discussed at the Women's Committee meeting be presented for debate and endorsement at the next meeting of Unions NSW.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and the recommendations of the Unions NSW Women's Committee regarding an appropriate level of maternity leave be considered at next week's meeting."
Com. N. Lewocki seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
6. From the Public Service Association of New South Wales:- regarding the report currently being prepared by Ross Garnaut for the Rudd Government on recommendations for an emissions trading scheme proposed to be in place by 2010. They said it was reported that he was recommending there be no free carbon emissions permits granted to current electricity generators and that he recommends that permits be auctioned and the money raised be put directly towards assisting low income families in covering the expected increases in the cost of electricity arising from the cost of carbon. The PSA said they supported this recommendation and was pleased to see specific recommendations for initiatives to help working families. They said that Treasurer, Michael Costa had come out strongly against these proposals and seeks that free permits be given to current electricity generators. The PSA said that this defeats the whole purpose of the carbon trading scheme, hence their support for a recommendation that also supports working families to meet the expected price rises. The PSA requested Unions NSW convene a meeting of all affiliates to seek endorsement of the Garnaut recommendation that there be no free permits. They said that there was a range of options currently being put forward as to what the targeted reductions should be by 2020 and that the meeting should also seek support for a realistic target to be introduced as part of the scheme.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and a meeting of affiliates regarding the Garnaut recommendations on an Emissions Trading Scheme and the allocation of permits be convened as requested."
Com. S. Turner seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
REPORTS
1. Electricity Privatisation
Gosford City Council
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson reported that a resolution had been received from Gosford City Council opposing the government's privatisation proposals for the electricity industry. The Secretary said that the Council was to be congratulated for its stance and the resolution was further evidence of the level of community opposition to the government's proposals.
Com. J. Robertson moved:-
"That the report be received and noted."
Com. M. Want seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6: 24PM
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