Meeting held : 19 June 1997
Chair of Meeting: The President, Com. J. Whelan
LABOR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
MEETING HELD 19TH JUNE, 1997 IN THE
TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM
AT CORNER GOULBURN AND SUSSEX STREETS, SYDNEY, AT 6.04 P.M.
The President, Com. J. Whelan, occupied the Chair.
PRESENT:- M. Costa (Acting Secretary) M. Lennon (Executive
Officer).
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved:-
"That the minutes as circulated be received."
Com. J. Lemair seconded.
CARRIED
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved:-
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted."
Com. W. Hickey seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS:-
For tonight's meeting:
From The Australian Services Union, New South Wales Clerical and Administrative
Branch - appointing S. Bower.
Moved and seconded:-
"That the credentials be received
and the delegates welcomed."
APOLOGIES:-
Apologies were received and accepted from: G. Gregory, S. Moait, I.
Munro, M. Want, G. Donnelly, J. Garrett, L. Darnley, I. West.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE:-
1. From the Australian Municipal, Administrative, Clerical and Services
Union - advising that it had, in conjunction with other Local Government
Unions, been pursing the question of Private Certification regarding the
role that the private sector may have in the assessment system. The Union
had been advised that amendments to the Integrated Development Assessment
(White Paper and Exposure Draft Bill) had been prepared. It requested that
a further meeting with the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning be organised,
to discuss the amendments, as soon as possible.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and the requested meeting
be arranged."
Com. J. Merchant seconded.
CARRIED
2. From the Australian Council of Trade Unions - advising that
at a meeting of affiliates on June 13, 1997, called to discuss the union
movement's response to the Employment Advocate, the following course of
action had been agreed:
1. The ACTU and its affiliates restate their continuing opposition to
the office and functions of the Employment Advocate.
2. The Employment Advocate's request for a meeting with the ACTU should
be agreed on the basis that the meeting shall include any interested ACTU
affiliates. The ACTU should write to the Employment Advocate confirming
this position.
3. All affiliates should provide the ACTU (Tim Pallas) with any information
they consider relevant to the operation and functioning of the Employment
Advocate, including:
i. The content of proposed or approved AWAs;
ii. Any analysis of the AWAs against the statutory no disadvantage test;
iii. Advice concerning the EA's activities in promoting AWAs;
iv. The EA's activities in respect of the Freedom of Association provisions;
v. Any advice that the EA is providing free legal representation and
to whom.
4. The ACTU should advise all affiliates that it is maintaining a central
database of the Employment Advocate's activities - this information should
be generally accessible to all affiliates upon request.
5. Affiliates are encouraged to require the EA to justify his activities
- for example:
i. Unions should seek employment advocate assistance for employer breaches
as Part XA of the Act;
ii. Where AWA's are being considered or approved require the EA to justify
the process.
6. Unions and the ACTU should also consider legal challenges against
the EA activities where it is apparent he has failed to apply or applied
in a discriminatory fashion his statutory responsibilities.
The ACTU requested Council's and Unions' assistance in drawing to its
attention problems encountered with the EA and participation in the above
processes of scrutiny.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Labor Council co-ordinate
the gathering of the information requested."
Com. D. Reiss seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From the Australian Services Union, New South Wales and Clerical
and Administrative Branch - advising of the following resolution carried
at its recent monthly meeting, and requesting Labor Council's endorsement;
"This meeting condemns the Federal Coalition Government's snubbing
of the unemployed and their families with a do-nothing 1997 Budget.
The Coalition's 1997 Budget stated that unemployment would reduce
to 8.25% but the Treasurer later changed this to 8.5%. Now, the Treasurer
says that unemployment is stuck around 8.7%. Clearly, the unemployed do
not have a priority with the Coalition. This is borne out by the Coalition's
scrapping in 1996 of the many unemployment schemes that had been introduced
by the Hawke-Keating Governments. These schemes were designed to provide
work and build up the work skills of the unemployed to assist them in improving
their job prospects.
We call upon the Coalition to reintroduce job schemes so that the
unemployed and their families can believe that the Australian society cares
for their plight."
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Labor Council endorse
the Union's resolution."
Com. J. Bennett seconded.
CARRIED
4. From the Trades and Labor Council of Western Australia - providing
for Council's information, and distribution to all affiliates, a copy of
the preliminary comments received from the International Labour Organisation
on the detail of the Third Wave legislation. It advised that arrangements
were being made for a speakers tour in early July to give detailed information
on this legislation and the threat it poses to workers nation-wide. It
requested Council's assistance in organising the itinerary. The W.A.T.L.C.
thanked the Labor Council and its affiliates for the outstanding support
they were receiving from unions throughout Australia.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Labor Council co-ordinate
with the W.A.T.L.C. in regard to the proposed speaking tour and that the
correspondence be circulated to all affiliates."
Com. B. Robson seconded.
CARRIED
5. From the Public Service Association of New South Wales - advising
that it had produced a set of four posters as part of its campaign against
racism.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and circulated to all affiliates
for their information."
Com. R. McConville seconded.
CARRIED
6. From the Electrical Trades Union of Australia, New South Wales
Branch - concerning its rally scheduled for next Thursday, June 26
to be held at 80 William Street, Sydney and requesting Labor Council send
a representative to address the rally concerning the ramification of the
Howard's legislation.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Secretary, Peter Sams,
address the rally on behalf of the Labor Council."
Com. B. Schmidt seconded.
CARRIED
REPORTS:-
1. RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN
Executive Assistant, Michael Gadiel, reported that a week long Central
Coast Recruitment campaign was set to start on Monday, June 23, 1997. Advertising
in the local media had begun and several media events had been planned,
the 1800 number had been set up and a number of responses had been received
already. The launch would be held at 11.00 am on Monday, 23 June at Gosford
RSL and Peter Sams, Jennie George and John Whelan would be in attendance.
There would be a debriefing session at the RSL at 4.00pm each day of the
campaign.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved:-
"That the report be received."
Com. C. Bosworth seconded.
CARRIED
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved:-
"That the report be adopted."
Com. G. Childs seconded.
CARRIED
2. PART-TIME WORK AGREEMENTS
Executive Officer, Com. M. Lennon, gave a report on the Part-time Work
Agreements Case. He reported that, despite the best endeavours of the unions,
an agreement could not be reached with the various employers groups on
the minimum conditions to apply in part-time work agreements. As a consequence,
the matter would be heared by the Full-bench in the week commencing 21
July. Com. Lennon stated that prior to Labor Council finalising its position
on the minimum conditions a meeting of affiliates would be convened.
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved:-
"That the report be received."
Com. C. Bosworth seconded.
CARRIED
The Acting Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved:-
"That the report be adopted."
Com. J. Lemair seconded.
CARRIED
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6.27 P.M.
About Unions NSW
