Meeting held : 26 June 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 26TH JUNE 2008
IN THE TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM AT
4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY, AT 6:03 PM
The Acting President Com. B. Johnson occupied the Chair.
PRESENT: - J. Robertson [Secretary] M. Lennon [Assistant Secretary],
C. Christodoulou, M. Thistlethwaite, A. Tattersall, A. Kerslake (Deputy Assistant Secretaries).
MINUTES: -
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be received".
Com. N. Lewocki seconded.
CARRIED
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted".
Com. M. Issanchon seconded.
CARRIED
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for: - S. Moait, C. Game, C. O'Sheades, E. Cody and J. Kiejda.
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson moved: -
"That the apologies be received and accepted".
Com. N. Nyols seconded.
CARRIED
GUEST SPEAKER:
The Acting President, Com. B. Johnson introduced Mr. Erik Peterson, Labor Director, Wellstone Action USA and invited him to address delegates.
Com. Peterson outlined the activities of Wellstone Action. He said it was a progressive organisation focusing on training and leadership development. Com. Peterson said he was the Labor Program Director at Wellstone. Com. Peterson said Wellstone continued to develop training ideas a way of building a progressive agenda that matters. He said he had learnt a lot from his visit to Australia. In closing, Com. Peterson congratulated unions for the work they did with the Rights At Work Campaign which helped Labor to win the last election.
The Secretary, Com. J. Robertson thanked Com. Peterson for his address and said that winning elections it not enough. It has to be about a social movement that seeks to improve social conditions and changes peoples' lives. Have to motivate people and that is the role of organisations like Wellstone. In closing, Com. Robertson said there is a lot to learn from Wellstone and unions here are appreciative of his visit.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From Rengo Tokyo, Tokyo Local of Japanese Trade Union Confederation: inviting Unions NSW to send a four member delegation to their 27th Regional Committee Meeting in Japan in October 2008.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW accept the invitation for four delegates to attend Rengo Tokyo's Regional meeting in October."
Com. N. Allen seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
2. From the Maritime Union of Australia, Sydney Branch:- advising Unions NSW of their continuing campaign to ensure the preservation of the Hungry Mile, the colloquial name of the area surrounding the now closed Darling Harbour wharves. The MUA said that "The Hungry Mile" was a place of great working class and maritime heritage and history. They said that this precinct was where many struggles had taken place, including the 1998 Patrick picket line. The Union also said that many great battles for wages and conditions had been won in this area. The MUA advised that arising from their campaign activities they had achieved a Memorandum of Agreement with the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority, with the support and endorsement of the State Government. They said that one aspect of the agreement was to rename Hickson Road; "The Hungry Mile". The union advised that a submission had gone to the Geographical Names Board (GNB) from Sydney City Council putting forward such a position and that the proposal was available on the GNB website www.gnb.nsw.gov.au/your_say) for public comment. The MUA requested that organisations and individuals go to the website and support the proposal.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW offer its continued support to the MUA in its campaign to have the Hickson Road precinct renamed "The Hungry Mile".
Further, Unions NSW encourage affiliates to go to the Geographical Names Board (GNB) website to offer their support."
Com. S. Flynn seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union, Construction & General Division, NSW Branch:- advising Unions NSW that Noel Washington, an official of the CFMEU had been charged with refusing to attend an interview with the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) - an organisation set up by the Howard Government to harass, intimidate and bully workers and their unions in the construction industry. The union advised that Noel had originally been summoned to appear in Court on 8th August but has now been advised that his court appearance has been adjourned to another date to be determined. The CFMEU said that the ABCC had wanted Noel to answer questions relating to union meetings held at Bovis Lend Lease in 2007. They said that Noel had taken a stand and did not attend the questioning because, in his own words:
"The ABCC are the biggest bullies I've ever dealt with. The laws they have at their disposal have no place in a so called democratic society like Australia and they use those laws freely to go after ordinary workers. They frighten people, they threaten people by forcing them to attend these interrogations, workers are not entitled to choose their legal representative and they are forbidden to talk to anyone about what took place in these interrogations. I'm not going to talk about what happened at a union meeting. I'm not going to give up workers, our members or any official of the union."
The union said that Noel had been courageous in taking a stand against the injustice of these laws and that if found guilty Noel faced a six month prison sentence. They said that such laws had no place in a civilised country. Further, none of the offences the ABCC is charged with enforcing are criminal in nature or carry gaol terms. The CFMEU advised that the day of protest in support of Noel Washington scheduled for the 8th August had been postponed until a new date for Noel's appearance in Court was determined.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW give its support to Noel Washington as he faces the prospect of a prison sentence for standing up for workers rights.
Further, Unions NSW contends that the treatment of Com. Washington is further evidence of the need for the immediate abolition of the unjust and inequitable ABCC."
Com. B. Parker seconded the resolution.
Com. Noel Washington addressed the meeting.
CARRIED
4. From the Police Association of New South Wales:- regarding the future of the NSW Industrial Relations System and, in particular media reports that the NSW Treasurer has had the Treasury provide advice as to the cost of the NSW Industrial Relations System. The association said it is understood that this was with a view to determining savings that would accrue if the Government referred all its industrial relations powers to the Federal Government. They said that this decision was in direct breach of a written promise by the then Police Minister, Deputy Premier John Watkins in the lead up to the 2007 state election. On the 23rd February, 2007 the Deputy Premier had written to the Association in the following terms"
"The Government remains strongly committed to the retention of state-based industrial relations system for all NSW public sector workers. This includes a commitment to the right to collective bargaining, an awards system, an independent umpire in the NSW Industrial Relations Commission and protection for workers from being unfairly dismissed."
The Association said that the actions of the Treasurer suggested that the Government was considering reneging on the promise it made to police officers and to other public sector workers in this state. They said that this was utterly unacceptable and represented a fundamental breach of faith between the Government and its workforce. The Association advised that in contrast the Leader of the Opposition at its recent Biennial Conference had advised as follows:
"Let me make it clear, I don't believe any future Coalition government would ever hand this state's public servants, especially police, to the federal government."
They said it would indeed be ironic if the State Labor Government was to hand over its Industrial Relations System at the same time the Liberal Opposition confirmed its commitment to retain it. The Association requested that Unions NSW, on behalf of all public sector unions, demand that the Iemma Government adhere to both the word and spirit of its pre-election commitment and guarantee that the NSW Industrial Relations system, with all the fundamental protections for the workers who provide the frontline services to the people of this state, would be retained intact.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW calls on the State Government and, in particular the Acting Minister for Industrial Relations to reaffirm the government's election commitment that the NSW Industrial Relations system would be retained intact."
Com. P. Remfrey seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
5. From the Finance Sector Union, NSW Branch:- regarding the takeover of St. George Bank by Westpac. The Union said that if allowed to go ahead the takeover would mean the loss of the only significant challenger to the market power of the big four banks, and with it competition and genuine alternatives for customers. They said they were also concerned that the proposal would result in the loss of some 5,000 jobs, overwhelmingly from NSW. The FSU advised they had been campaigning against the takeover, the fate of which would ultimately be decided by Treasurer Wayne Swan. They said that part of the campaign included a petition addressed to Treasurer Swan and they hoped that Unions NSW and affiliates would support the FSU by circulating their respective networks and returning the completed petitions to the FSU by the end of July. The union said that more information on the campaign at the website of Save the Dragon Coalition at www.savethedragon.com.au.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW continue its support for the FSU in their campaign to save St. George Bank by encouraging affiliates to support the petition and circulate it to their respective networks as requested."
Com. C. Gambian seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
6. From the Electrical Trades Union of Australia, NSW Branch: - advising Unions NSW of a press release issued by the Treasurer of NSW on 25th June in which he outlined the proposed timetable for the sale/lease of sections of the electricity industry in NSW. The union said that the NSW Government had spent millions of dollars in advertising over the last 6 months telling the public of NSW that they were only going to lease the Generators, and that they were complying with ALP policy because the assets were remaining in public hands and that there would be no sale of anything tangible, only a retail book. The union said that the Treasurer had now turned these commitments and undertakings on their head. The ETU said that Treasurer Costa had announced that one of the generators, Eraring Energy, would be combined with the retail customer base of Integral Energy and sold by way of a public float on the share market, thereby reneging on every commitment that he and the Premier, Morris Iemma had given in relation to this issue. They said that one can only wonder where that leaves the other commitments that the Premier and Treasurer had given in relation to retail customer protection, the maintenance of pensioner rebates the building of new capacity or their commitments to staff. The union said that truth, honesty and integrity were such important elements of any public campaign and that it would appear that these virtues were non-existent in certain quarters.
Com. J. Robertson moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW condemn yesterday's announcement by the Treasurer on the strategy for the sale of the state's electricity assets as further evidence of the duplicitous and underhand way the government has conducted the debate on the future electricity needs of NSW."
Com. M. Stylli seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
1. Seminar by Professor David Coats - Work Foundation London
Topics for Discussion - Union Futures: Why progressives should care about the future of organised labour & Learning from the UK Blair experience: What to do and what not to do.
Thursday, 3rd July 2008 2.30 - 430pm
Training Room 1, Ground Floor, Labor Council Building,
377 Sussex Street, Sydney
For further information contact Unions NSW on 9881 5900.
2. 'Christmas in July'
Members Equity are celebrating 'Christmas in July' after the
Unions NSW Meeting on Thursday, 3rd July 2008.
RSVP to Amy Wand - awand@membersequity.com.au
Or by telephone (02) 8296 0363.
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6: 39PM
Acting President:____________________________________
About Unions NSW
