Meeting held : 28 February 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 28TH FEBRUARY, 2008
IN THE TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM
AT 4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY, AT 6:02 PM
The Acting President Com. B. Johnson occupied the Chair.
PRESENT: - M. Lennon [Acting Secretary], C. Christodoulou, M. Thistlethwaite, A. Tattersall, A. Kerslake (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 Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes of 14th February 2008 as circulated be received".
Com. F. Barnes seconded.
CARRIED
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes of 14th February 2008 as circulated be adopted".
Com. B. Holmes seconded.
CARRIED
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of 21st February 2008 as circulated be received".
Com. M. Want seconded.
CARRIED
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes of the Annual General Meeting of 21st February 2008 as circulated be adopted".
Com. V. Higgins seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS
From The Australian Workers' Union, Greater New South Wales Branch appointing: - L. Heaney in place of R. Collison.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the credentials be received and the delegates welcomed".
Com. M. Want seconded.
CARRIED
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for: - S. Moait, J. Robertson, M. O'Halloran, J. Diamond, C. O'Sheades, L. Hankinson, R. Collison, N. Lewocki, J. Kiejda, M. Stuart.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the apologies be received and accepted".
Com. M. Want seconded.
CARRIED
QUESTION WITHOUT NOTICE:
Com. F. Barnes asked the Acting Secretary if he was aware of the Workers' Float in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras on Saturday.
The Acting Secretary said he was aware of the float as there has been for many years and encouraged affiliates to participate.
GUEST SPEAKER:
The Acting President, Com. B. Johnston, introduced Ms Katherine Black who is an American Anti-War Activist and invited her to address delegates.
Com. Black indicated that she works for AFSCME and is a delegate to the Philadelphia Labor Council. She is touring Australia speaking on behalf of US Labor against the Iraq War. Many US Labor unions have been vocal in their opposition to the Iraq war and this is the first international conflict that the US has been involved in that is opposed by all Labor unions.
Com. Black indicated that US Labor has a relationship with Iraqi Labor and trade unions and is working with such organisations to alleviate the oppression Iraqi workers face. Together they are working to establish basic labor rights such as the right to strike and the right to collective bargaining.
Com. Black will be speaking at a large anti-war rally on 16th March 2008 and she encouraged all affiliates and delegates to support the rally.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon thanked Com. Black for her address and indicated that AFSCME was a well known union to Australians and many Australian unions had strong relationships with AFSCME. Com. Lennon congratulated the US Labor movement for their principled stand against the war and their support for Iraqi Labor. Unions NSW will circulate the details of Com. Black's speaking engagements to affiliates.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From the Chairman of the Australian Fair Pay Commission:- advising Unions NSW that the Australian Fair Pay Commission had confirmed, following discussions with the Government, that it would continue to set and adjust Australia's federal minimum wages but would discontinue its reviews of Australian Pay and Classification Scales and of junior and training wages in the Australian labour market. The Commission also announced that they would cease the process of creating and publishing Australian Pay and Classification Scales (Pay Scales). They said that the changes to the Commission's program had been made in light of the award modernisation process announced by the Government. These changes recognise that the reviews of Pay Scales and of junior and training wages, and the creation of new Pay Scales would overlap with and duplicate the award modernisation process. The Chairman, on behalf of his fellow Commissioners, thanked Unions NSW for their interest in and contributions made in relation to these reviews and the Pay Scale creation process. He said that the Commission would continue to set minimum wages until the establishment of Fair Work Australia in 2010. The Chairman advised that advertisements calling for submissions to the 2008 minimum wage review had been published in the national press. He said that all Australians were welcome to make a submission and that the Commission was interested in receiving a wide range of views on relevant issues and encouraged Unions NSW to participate.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW liaise with the ACTU about an appropriate submission to the Minimum Wage Review."
Com. B. Smith seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
2. From the Australian Workers' Union, Greater New South Wales Branch:- advising Unions NSW that WorkCover had now finalised their new structure for the future. They said that the emphasis of the restructure continued to be focused on an advisory role rather than an enforcement role for inspectors. The Union said that whilst they accept that WorkCover had an advisory role to play, the proposed structure does not place enough emphasis on enforcement. They requested Unions NSW seek a meeting with WorkCover as a matter of urgency to discuss and resolve this matter.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW organise a meeting with WorkCover regarding the impact of the restructure on its enforcement role as a matter of urgency."
Com. N. Allen seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From the New South Wales Local Government, Clerical, Administrative, Energy, Airlines & Utilities Union: - thanking Unions NSW for their co-operation and support for the anti-privatisation rally held on Tuesday, 26th February 2008. The Union said that the feedback from their members who attended had been uplifting and positive. They said that the USU believed that the outcome of the rally was an enormous success and expressed their sincere gratitude to all efforts shown by Unions NSW.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and all involved in Tuesday's successful rally are to be congratulated for sending a clear message to the government that the public won't tolerate the sale of essential public services."
Com. B. Kruse seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
4. From the New South Wales Local Government, Clerical, Administrative, Energy, Airlines & Utilities Union:- regarding suggestions this week from some employers about restrictions on minimum wage rises as part of the fight against inflation. The Union said that such calls should be resisted at all costs and that those on minimum wages could least afford any restrictions on increases. They said that in a report this week from the Australian Fair Pay Commission they pointed out that earnings for those on the minimum wage had declined relative to household earnings and that earning for some household types had declined relative to Henderson Poverty Lines. The Union said that all low paid workers needed these increases; it was those at the top end of the scale i.e. over-over-paid executives who should be feeling the pain. They requested Unions NSW dismiss any call by employer organisations or employers for restrictions on increases to the low paid.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW oppose any attempts to restrict increases to low paid workers, for whom the maintenance of real wages is crucial to maintaining a decent standard of living."
Com. M. Want seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
5. From the South Coast Labour Council: - advising Unions NSW of a privatisation protest to be held outside the Member for Wollongong, Noreen Hay's office at 3.00pm on Monday, 3rd March 2008. The council advised that the protest had been organised in conjunction with AMWU delegates in the region and would involve activists from People Power Illawarra. He said they were encouraging the broader community to participate. They said that delegates should note that at the last public meeting held in Wollongong on this issue on 19th February, none of the 5 Illawarra Labor MP's had attended, despite having received personal invitations 2 weeks prior. The people of the Illawarra deserve better from their elected representatives and that since their State members did not see fit to attend our meetings on such an important issue, the community would come to them and that the protest on Monday will signal the start of this phase of the campaign. The Council sought the support of affiliates to demonstrate the opposition to the government's privatisation agenda.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and information on the rally in Wollongong be circulated to affiliates for their information and support."
Com. A. Rorris seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
REPORTS
1. International Women's Day - Women's Rights At Work Conference
Deputy Assistant Secretary, Com. A. Tattersall reminded delegates that as part of the centenary of International Women's Day Unions NSW is hosting the Women's Rights At Work Conference on Monday 10th and Tuesday 11th March 2008.
All affiliates are encouraged to support and attend the conference.
Com. M. Lennon moved:-
"That the report be received."
Com. R. Mallia seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
Com. M. Lennon moved:-
"That the report be adopted."
Com. B. Holmes seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
SCROLLS OF HONOUR:
The Acting Secretary Com. M. Lennon presented the following delegates with their Scrolls of Honour: -
1. Dick Whitehead
Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union
Construction & General Division
NSW Divisional Branch
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon said Com. Whitehead had been a long standing member of the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union.
Com. Lennon said Dick joined the FEDFA in 1965 and was elected to the Committee of Management in 1974; became a member of the CFMEU's Officer's Committee of Management in 1993; CFMEU Occupational Health & Safety Officer from 2004 - 2007 and had been a tireless campaigner for workers' rights and social justice.
2. Bill Docherty
Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union
Construction & General Division
NSW Divisional Branch
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Lennon said Com. Docherty had been a long standing member of the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union.
Com. Lennon said Bill joined the BWIU in 1971 and was elected as an Official in 1988. He was a Member of the CFMEU Committee of Management from 2000 - 2007; Member of CFMEU State Council 2000 - 2007 and an unrelenting advocate of workers' rights.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. Power Privatisation Protest
Monday 3rd March 2008 3.00pm
Outside the office of Noreen Hay, Member for Wollongong
Suite 2, 111 Crown Street, Wollongong
2. What Women Need - Conference for Centenary of
International Women's Day
10th and 11th March 2008
Trades Hall Auditorium
Further information is available from Amanda Tattersall at a.tattersall@unionsnsw.org.au
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6: 40PM
Acting President:____________________________________
About Unions NSW
