Meeting held : 19 November 1998
Chair of Meeting: The Acting President, Com. S. Moait
LABOR COUNCIL MEETING MINUTES
MEETING HELD 19TH NOVEMBER, 1998 IN THE
TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM
AT 4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY, AT 6.06 P.M.
PRESENT: M. Costa (Secretary), J. Robertson (Assistant Secretary), M. Lennon, G. Gregory (Executive Officers).
The Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved:-
"That the minutes as circulated be received."
Com. M. McTigue seconded.
CARRIED
The Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved:-
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted."
Com. V. Herman seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS:
For this evening's meeting:
From Australian Services Union, New South Wales Clerical and Administrative Branch - appointing P. Sekhon.
From Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union, Construction & General Division - appointing T. Papaconstuntinos in place of A. Ferguson.
From Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia - appointing D. Tozer, S. Davies in place of J. Owen, M. Brown.
Moved and seconded:-
"That the credentials be received
and the delegates welcomed."
APOLOGIES:
Apologies were received and accepted from: J. Whelan, N. Steer, G. Donnelly, G. Dwyer, A. Peters, G. Seargant, B. Riordan, J. Hennessy, B. Johnson.
GUEST SPEAKER:
The Acting President, Com. S. Moait, welcomed and introduced Com. Don McDonald, former National Secretary of the Building Workers' Industrial Union, and invited Com. McDonald to address delegates.
Com. McDonald addressed Council about the book he and his wife, Audrey, had written entitled Intimate Union: Sharing A Revolutionary Life. He advised that he had attended Labor Council in the 1940's and his wife, Audrey, from the late 1950's. He said that in the ensuing years there had been great changes and many of them for the better.
Com. McDonald stated that Labor Council was a place of great battles and great orators. In the book he said Audrey writes about her first ACTU Congress with an all male executive and very few women in attendance. He advised Council that it was clear the struggle over the years has been about the dignity of labour and the empowerment of workers.
Com. McDonald said the building industry was the focus of many struggles and that one of particular note was the campaign for full pay when an employee was on workers compensation. The success of this campaign saw those benefits flow to all workers in all industries. He said that in the early years of his work with the BWIU, safety equipment that was now a way of life in the industry, was a major issue with workers struggling just to receive hard hats and other safety equipment.
Com. McDonald said that the thrust of the book is about how trade unions have made Australia a better society.
In moving a vote of thanks to Com. McDonald for his address to Council tonight, the Secretary, Com. Costa made it clear that the period detailed in the book was a passionate one where people spoke and acted with passion.
Com. Costa indicated that Com. McDonald highlighted three great issues of the time: the dignity of labour; humanity and the empowerment of people. He quoted Jennie George's comments in relation to the book where she said:
"Their beliefs, values and humanity will strike a cord with all who continue their struggle for a better world."
Com. M. Want seconded.
CARRIED BY ACCLAMATION
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From The Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia - advising Council that the nominal term of the energyAustralia Award was shortly to expire and a number of unions had lodged a two year pay claim with backdated effect to 1 July, 1998. The Association requested Labor Council convene a meeting of affiliates, with members employed at energyAustralia, to discuss the nature of the union's claim and seek to ensure a co-ordinated approach to these important negotiations.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:
"That the correspondence be received and Labor Council convene the meeting, as requested."
Com. W. Wooldridge seconded.
CARRIED
2. From the Textile, Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia - advising Council that a regional New South Wales based Company, Riverina Wool Combing Pty Ltd, intended to contract out their entire maintenance department to another employer. The Union said that it, and other affiliated unions, were currently before the Australian Industrial Relations Commission over the proposed termination of thirty three maintenance workers, from this Company, and how this would effect their rights under the existing EBA. The Union attached a resolution which it requested Labor Council adopt at tonight's meeting.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:
"That the correspondence be received and Labor Council support the unions campaign and encourage affiliates to attend the rally on Monday, 23 December, 1998, at 1.00pm outside the Company's offices at 157 Liverpool Street, Sydney."
Com. B. Jensen seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From the Finance Sector Union of Australia, NSW/ACT Branch - advising Council that it had released previously unpublished ABS data showing 1 million hours of overtime worked in the finance sector per week, of which sixty-nine percent was not being paid for due to workers fearing for their job security. The Union said despite this latest revelation and community backlash against the loss of service and financial institutions, the larger institutions are now seeking further deregulation of the industry to allow for more takeovers and greater job losses. The Union requested Labor Council's assistance and support in calling for the establishment of a tripartite summit.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:
"That the correspondence be received and Labor Council support the establishment of a tripartite summit to deal with the work and jobs crisis in the finance sector."
Com. G. Derrick seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
4. From The Health and Research Employees' Association of New South Wales - advising Council of a recent recommendation that the Association's Sub-branches had endorsed, as follows:
We the members of (3/7) Sub-branch request H&REA inform Labor Council who in turn inform all unions the reason for Ambulance Officers ignoring LTOs (Life Threatening Only).
The Association advised that a number of ambulance officers had been refused access to casualty departments to deliver and hand over a patient. On several occasions this year, hospital casualty departments have declared a Restricted Access status or attempted to have the Ambulance Services Co-ordination Centres redirect these ambulances, and the patients, to other hospitals which increased transport times and potentially compromised patient care. The New South Wales Health Department has declared in writing, on two separate occasions in the past, that irrespective of whether a hospital casualty department wished to accept life threatening cases only, and irrespective of whether a hospital declared restricted access status, they must accept patients from the Ambulance Service of New South Wales when they were delivered by ambulance transport. The Association requested that the correspondence be distributed to affiliates for their information.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:
"That the correspondence be received and circulated to affiliates, as requested."
Com. A. Lillicrap seconded.
CARRIED
5. From Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union, Construction & General Division - advising Council that, with the state election imminent, it believed it would be appropriate for Labor Council and affiliates to meet with the Premier, The Hon. RJ Carr, MP, and the Minister for Industrial Relations, The Hon. JW Shaw, QC, MLC, to discuss identifying areas of reform in the Industrial Relations Act. The Union requested Labor Council compile a list of relevant resolutions for reform carried during the past three to four years, but not yet implemented, and that a meeting of affiliates be convened to consider that list and any other key areas of reform.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:
"That the correspondence be received and Labor Council convene a meeting of affiliates to identify areas of reform for discussion with the Premier and Minister for Industrial Relations."
Com. T. Papaconstuntinos seconded.
CARRIED
6. From The Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers, Australia - seeking the support of Labor Council to stop attempts by Sydney Water's trading arm, Australian Water Technologies (AWT), to eliminate basic conditions of employment, including reduced sick leave entitlements, increased hours of work, reduced employers' superannuation contribution and the abolition of paid parental leave. The Association advised that AWT had made an application in the Australian Industrial Relations Commission for a new award to apply to its employees interstate, including those who transfer from New South Wales. The APESMA stated AWT's attempt to undermine conditions of employment was a dangerous precedent for all unions with members in State-owned Corporations in New South Wales, which were looking for business interstate or overseas. The Association requested Labor Council support unions in Sydney Water by demanding that Sydney Water and AWT maintain current conditions for workers regardless of where the work is carried out.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:
"That the correspondence be received and Labor Council make representations to the portfolio Minister The Hon. Craig Knowles, MP, and Sydney Water in relation to this matter."
Com. T. Naylor seconded.
CARRIED
7. From the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance - advising Council of its recent involvement in enterprise agreement negotiations with the Royal Blind Society of New South Wales. The Union said that during the course of negotiations, it had become clear the employer was intending to strip away core conditions, such as penalty rates, shift allowances for work performed outside normal hours and allowances for Saturday work, as well as hours of work arrangements, rostered days off, sick leave reporting requirements and existing wage progression arrangements. The Union said that when affiliates had raised concern, the employer attempted to lock the union out of the process by seeking a non-union enterprise agreement and although workers in charities and non-profit organisations are typically highly committed to their work and are prepared to forego high salaries, this should not give employers licence to attack conditions in the matter in which the Royal Blind Society had attempted.
The MEAA requested Labor Council warn affiliates, with members in charitable and non-profit organisations, that this sort of approach to enterprise bargaining may be an emerging trend and to reiterate the union movement's determination to stand up to hardline employers, no matter what industry they operate in.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:
"That the correspondence be received and referred to a meeting of relevant unions."
Com. B. Robson seconded.
Com. M. Want spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
8. From Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union, Construction & General Division - attaching correspondence forwarded to the Managing Director and Chief Executive of James Hardie raising its concern in respect of the dangers of ongoing exposure of building workers, and the public, to asbestos. The Union, whilst acknowledging that asbestos had been finally removed from James Hardie's products, believed that the Company had an ongoing responsibility to the community at large and as such, proposed a specific way in which James Hardie could minimise this danger. The Union stated the Company should place warning notices on its asbestos free products that might be used in conjunction with renovations or repairs to old asbestos cement products. The Union sought Labor Council endorsement of its proposal.
Com. Costa moved Executive Recommendation:
"That the correspondence be received and Labor Council write to James Hardie in similar terms to the CFMEU correspondence."
Com. T. Papaconstuntinos seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Secretary, Com. M. Costa, advised delegates that leaflets were being distributed at tonight's meeting giving details of a celebration to be held on Monday, 23 November, 1998, at 8.00pm announcing the 'Rebirth of the Musicians Union'. He said this would be held on Monday, 23 November, 1998, at 8.00pm at the Basement, 29 Reiby Place, Circular Quay.
The Secretary, Com. M. Costa, announced that it was Com. Joe Lyons 70th Birthday and wished Joe congratulations and many happy returns from the Officers and Staff of the Labor Council and its affiliates.
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6.53PM
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