Meeting held : 18 June 2009
Chair of Meeting: The President, Comrade Marilyn Issanchon
Location of the meeting : Trades Hall Auditorium, 4 Goulburn St Sydney
UNIONS NSW MEETING MINUTES
MEETING HELD THURSDAY 18 June 2009
IN THE TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM AT
4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY AT 6:00PM
The President, Com. M. Issanchon occupied the Chair.
PRESENT: - M. Lennon [Secretary], C. Christodoulou [Assistant Secretary]
OPENING OF THE MEETING<
The President Com M Issanchon opened the meeting and in doing so recognised the traditional owners of the land on which the meeting was held, The Gadigal People of the Eora Nation.
MINUTES: -
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be received".
Com. J. Kiejda seconded.
CARRIED
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted".
Com. B. Smith seconded.
CARRIED
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for: - B. Holmes, C. O'Sheades, J. Diamond, L. Hankinson, G. Kelly, C. Haigh, J. Hannaford.
The Secretary, M. Lennon moved: -
"That the apologies be received and accepted".
Com. F Barnes seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS
From: The Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia, appointing N. Flores in place of B. Tubner.
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the credentials be received and the delegates welcomed".
Com. R. Fortescue seconded.
CARRIED
GUEST SPEAKER:
The President, Com. M. Issanchon introduced Susan Ryan, Australian Human Rights Group and invited her to address delegates with respect to an Australian Charter Rights. Susan spoke and gave examples of reasons why a Human Rights Act was necessary.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From: the CFMEU:- regarding the sacking of four Thiess Services employees who were seeking a union enterprise agreement. The CFMEU said that they were advised by these employees, that the employer had been negotiating a non-union agreement. Two delegates representing employees were made redundant along with two other employees who were union members. The CFMEU said that the two members and delegates were seeking to have the company agree to the Union being involved in those negotiations, however, this was resisted by the employer. The union said that these employees would not accept that course of action and received their notices of termination. The employees were not made aware at anytime of the employer's intention to make them redundant. Since these sackings, CFMEU have also discovered serious safety breaches in the company's Rhodes operations and therefore the workers and local community would publicity protest.
Com M Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW condemns the sacking of 4 workers by Theiss Services P/L for endeavouring to seek a union enterprise agreement.
Further, that Unions NSW organise in conjunction with the CFMEU and other affiliates a mass rally outside Theiss at Rhodes if the dispute is not resolved by next week".
Com Brian Parker seconded the resolution
CARRIED
2. From: the Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia:- regarding the announcement in NSW's Budget - Local Jobs First: Putting NSW businesses first in new state purchasing plan. The TCFUA said over 500,000 NSW small business and medium-sized businesses are now given preferred treatment by the NSW Government under the benchmark purchasing policy. The NSW Government would require its agencies and State Owned Corporations (SOCs) to provide preferential treatment to Australian-made goods and would spend around $3.9B in goods and services this year. This plan will result on balance in favour of local businesses providing them with great opportunities to expand and sell to government and also resulting in a price preference mechanism and this will mean locally-made content is discounted by 20%, and at times an additional 5%, as compared to overseas-sourced material in tender evaluations. TCFUA thanked Mark Lennon and Chris Christodoulou for their role in convincing the NSW Govt to introduce this policy. As a consequence of this new policy, TCFUA, requested information in relation to the $3.9B worth of contracts
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW congratulate the NSW Government on its Local Jobs First Plan.
Further, Unions NSW request a meeting with the Minister to obtain the information as requested."
Com S Robinson seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From: the Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS):- regarding a letter of support and endorsement. STICS was organised to oppose the Federal Government's Northern Territory Emergency Response Legislation (the NT Intervention) and is made up of Indigenous and non-indigenous activists, community members from a variety of organisations including trade unions and the ALP and other general members of the public. STICS has been campaigning over 2 years, calling on the previous Howard government and now the Rudd government to withdraw the legislation, re-instate the Racial Discrimination Act and to fund Aboriginal-run services, communities and organisations in the NT. STICS are also campaigning against the discriminatory policy of welfare quarantining in prescribed areas to stop and encouraging government funding of remote communities and outstations rather than forcing over 500 communities into 20 towns.
STICS are also arguing for indigenous-run services such as in housing, healthcare and education to be funded additionally by the government without taking away from other important programs.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW support the rally on Saturday 20 June to mark the 2nd anniversary of the Northern Territory Intervention.
Further, consistent with ACTU policy we call upon the Federal Government to cease its policy that aboriginal community's trade their land rights for the provision of essential services".
Com F. Barnes seconded the resolution
CARRIED
4. From: Finance Sector Union:- regarding the Commonwealth Banks' interest rate rise. The FSU were concerned about the Commonwealth Banks' latest attack on the livelihood of working Australians. They said that the Commonwealth bank had lifted interest rates on its home and business loans by ten basis points knowing that the Reserve Bank of Australia has been cutting the official cash rate, adding that the Rudd Government's lending guarantees have ensured stability in the banking sector. The union said that the Commonwealth Bank had also resisted the FSU's legitimate campaign to achieve fair pay for its members and that they deserved to be condemned for its selfish conduct in a time of national need.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW condemns the action of the Commonwealth Bank by lifting nterest rates on its home and business loans".
Com. R. Herbert seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
REPORTS
1. Hand in Hand - A plan to assist union members to survive the recession
2. OH&S Harmonisation.
The Secretary Com M Lennon moved:-
That the reports be received and noted."
Com V Falconer seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1. Public Sector Delegates Conference
Thursday 25 June 2009 at 10am
Teachers Federation, 23-33 Mary Street, Surry Hills
MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6:45PM
President:____________________________________
About Unions NSW
