LABOR COUNCIL MEETING
MINUTES
MEETING HELD 9TH DECEMBER,
1999
IN THE TRADES HALL
AUDITORIUM
AT 4 GOULBURN STREET,
SYDNEY, AT 6.04 P.M.
PRESENT:- M. Costa (Secretary), J. Robertson (Assistant Secretary),
M. Lennon, N. Steer (Executive Officers).
The
Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be received."
Com.
Hawkins seconded.
CARRIED
The
Secretary, Com. M. Costa, moved: -
"That the minutes as
circulated be adopted."
Com.
B. Harris seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS
From The Australian Liquor, Hospitality &
Miscellaneous Workers Unions: - until further notice; Ian West, Mark Boyd,
Sonia Minutillo, Annie Owens, Julie Gordon, Julie Power, Chris Christodoulou,
Aaron Magner, Jim Heath.
For
tonight's meeting
From The Australian Services Union NSW Clerical
& Administrative Branch: - appointing P. Sekhon.
From The Australian Manufacturing Worker's Union,
Vehicle Division: - appointing S. Johnson and Lyne Farmer.
APOLOGIES:-
Apologies
were received and accepted from: - G. Donnelly, G. Davis, B. Johnson, N.
Lewocki, R. Plain, G. Dwyer, B. Riordan.
GUEST SPEAKER
The
President, Com. J. Whelan introduced the Director of Organising for the Service
Employees Service International Union from the United States of America, Mr Tom
Woodruff and invited him to address Council.
Com.
Woodruff firstly thanked Council for the opportunity to address delegates.
Com.
Woodruff said Australia was recognised as still having a strong labor movement.
He said unlike in the US, Australia was beginning to re-build its movement at a
much earlier stage than had been the case in the US. He said he believed that
the Australian movement was starting its re-building process from a much
stronger base than the US Unions had commenced. He said he believed one of the
keys to the process being undertaken by the Union movement was the employment
of specialist organiser with the key focus of organising workers in non-union
workplaces into active collective unions.
The
Secretary, Com. Costa thanked Com. Woodruff for his address and said that the
Service Employees International Union was more progressive than most in the US.
Com.
Costa said there were many areas that Australian and US Unions could learn from
each others experience.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE:
1. From the Australian Workers' Union,
NSW Branch: - advising Council that BHP Iron Ore in the Pilbarra region of
Western Australia, had attempted to move over 1,000 of its workers from union
based awards to individual contracts. The Union said it was concerned that the
position taken by BHP in the Pilbarra region was only the beginning and the
trend would escalate throughout the rest of BHP's operations dividing the
workforce and stripping hard fought conditions from the workers. The Union said
the workers in Western Australia had voted to campaign against the individual
contracts offered by BHP which would commence with a 24 hour stoppage on Monday
13th December 1999. The Union sought Council's support in its campaign to stop
BHP from moving workers out of union based awards to individual contracts.
Com.
M. Costa moved the Executive Recommendation: -
"That the correspondence be
received and Labor Council condemn the actions of BHP in the Pilbarra with the
introduction of individual contracts. Further, that Labor Council offer its
support and assistance to the unions involved in the campaign to stop workers
being forced to sign individual contracts".
Com.
N. Allen seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
2. From the NSW Teachers Federation:
- seeking the support of Council for a four point plan endorsed by the
Federation's members:
The
Federation advised that the plan was:
1. On
the salaries issue: a revised total percentage offer for all teachers and
the direct involvement of the Minister to establish proper negotiations.
2. On
the restructure of public education: withdrawal of restructuring proposals
from the salaries negotiations in order to have an extensive debate about the
future of public education.
3. On
the rebuilding of relations with the teaching profession: agreement on a
process for managing and supporting educationally sound change separate from
salaries negotiations as well as discussion of strategies to address the
teacher shortage and reverse casulisation of the TAFE teaching service.
4. On
industrial relations: commitment to regular consultation and discussion
between the Federation and the Minister and DET officials consistent with the
Government's industrial relations policy.
Further,
the Federation conveyed its appreciation for the support of Council throughout
the dispute and the support of many of the affiliated unions. The Federation
said the formal intervention by Council before the full bench of the Industrial
Relations Commission was also appreciated. The Federation said during the
Christmas/New Year recess its campaign would continue and that appropriate
action at the commencement of the school/college year in 2000 would be
determined. The Federation requested appropriate assistance from Council during
the recess should it be required.
Com.
M. Costa moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and
Labor Council continue to support the Teacher's Federation campaign."
Com.
B. Sexton seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From the Australian Manufacturing
Worker's Union, NSW State Office, Vehicle Division: - regarding the reforms
being introduced to the Australian Taxation System, specifically the Goods and
Services Tax and the impact the introduction of the tax was having on the
Vehicle Industry within Australia. The Union said it had led a delegation to
Canberra, consisting of various employees and employers from all sectors of
vehicle manufacturing. The Union said the delegation addressed the Shadow
Minister for Industry, Bob Mc Mullan, the ALP Caucus Committee, individual
Members of Parliament and the Industry Minister, Senator Nick Minchin, which
the Union described as a frank and honest exchange between the delegation. The
Union said the delegation outlined the special circumstances and hardships
being faced by the Industry advising the Government they had a social
responsibility to ensure its policies did not have a detrimental impact upon
workers. The Union said where this occurred, the Government should be obliged
to act to cushion the hardship. The Union said that as a direct result of the
downturn in the purchasing of new vehicles, the Ford Motor Company had
scheduled 19 down days in the first half of 2000. The Union requested Council
bring as much pressure to bear as possible on the Howard Government to
implement transitional arrangements with the introduction of the Goods and
Services Tax. The Union said this would then minimise the impact of the
introduction of the GST on both workers within the major manufacturers and the
component suppliers.
Com.
M. Costa moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and
Labor Council write to the Prime Minister and Senator Nick Minchin calling on
the Federal Government to implement transitional arrangements to minimise the
impact of the GST on workers within the major vehicle manufacturers and
component suppliers."
Com.
S. Johnson seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
4. From the Textile Clothing & Footwear
Union of Australia (NSW Branch): - calling upon Council to proceed with
factory inspections of overseas production for Olympic apparel. The Union
advised it now knew of a commercial disagreement to have
40, 000 caps made overseas. The Union said that Olympic management had kept
this deal from them, although Olympics management said the caps were considered
accessories, not part of uniform. The Union said it believed that the Olympics
management was now obliged to ensure that the 40,000 newly disclosed caps be
manufactured in Australia.
Com.
M. Costa moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be
received and Labor Council raise the matter with SOCOG as a matter of urgency".
Com.
B. Tubner seconded and spoke to the resolution.
CARRIED
5. From the Australian Services Union,
NSW Clerical and Administrative Branch: - requesting Council to support
calls by the Australian Council of Social Services to increase the payments of
unemployed Australians by 10%. The Union also called on the Prime Minister or
his representative to support, before to the Australian Industrial Relations
Commission, the ACTU Living Wage Claim for the 4.5% ($24 per week) increase for
Australian workers. The Union raised this in light of the decision that politicians
receive an increase in their income by 10-15% per annum
Com.
M. Costa moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be
received and Labor Council support the call by ACOSS to increase unemployment
benefits and pensions by 10%. Further, that Labor Council calls on the Prime
Minister to ensure that the Federal Government supports the ACTU Living Wage
Claim for an increase of $24 per week or 4.5% for all Australian workers."
Com.
M. Want seconded.
CARRIED
6. From the Public Service Association
of NSW: - requesting Council give its favourable consideration and
endorsement to the Union's proposed amendments to the current workers'
compensation legislation. The Union advised it would like to achieve the
following;
· Amendments to the current
workers' compensation legislation requiring workers' compensation payments to
injured workers to include any shift penalty rate which is included in their
weekly rate of pay, or alternatively:
· Amendments to the current
workers' compensation legislation requiring employers to make up any difference
between the Award rate paid under workers' compensation, and the weekly rate of
pay inclusive of shift penalty payments.
Com.
M. Costa moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and
referred to the Labor Council's Workers Compensation and Occupational Health
& Safety Committee."
Com.
B. Jardine seconded.
CARRIED
7. From the Communications Electrical
Electronic Energy Information Postal Plumbing and Allied Services Union of
Australia, Plumbing Division: - seeking the assistance of Council in
arranging a meeting with The Honorable Kim Yeadon to discuss a Plumbing
Regulatory Authority.
Com.
M. Costa moved the Executive recommendation: -
"That the correspondence be
received and Labor Council seek a meeting with Minister Yeadon as requested".
Com.
W. Wooldridge seconded.
CARRIED
8. From the Australian Services Union
NSW & ACT (Services) Branch: - informing Council they had received
advice that the NSW Department of Industrial Relations had developed plans to
relocate the Transport Appeals Board and the Government and Related Employees
Appeals Tribunal to 1 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst. The Union said it believed
that this move would impact on the independence of the two tribunals and sought
the support of Council in objecting to the move.
Com.
M. Costa moved the Executive recommendation: -
"That the correspondence be
received and Labor Council seek discussions with the Minister for Industrial
Relations over the Union's concerns".
Com.
A. Peters seconded.
CARRIED
REPORTS
SOUTH
COAST LABOR COUNCIL
1. Com. M. Costa reported on the South
Coast Labor Council discussions, in particular, Com. M. Costa reported on the
loan of $30,000 from Labor Council of NSW to the SCLC for outstanding employee
entitlements.
Com.
M. Costa said that the parties had to report back by 2.00 pm advising
acceptance of the proposal developed by Com. Mc Donald, Bull & Whelan which
they all did.
Com.
M. Costa moved: -
"That the report be
received".
Com.
J. Hennessy seconded
CARRIED
The
Secretary Com. M. Costa moved: -
"That the report be
adopted".
Com.
C. Bosworth seconded.
CARRIED
2. LABOR COUNCIL OF NSW ANNUAL
GENERAL MEETING
Com.
M. Costa reported the Labor Council's Annual General meeting would be on
Thursday 24th February 2000 in the Trades Hall Auditorium.
Com.
M. Costa moved: -
"That the report be
received".
Com.
P. Reid seconded
CARRIED
3. RULES
Com.
M. Costa gave notice, pursuant to Rule 41 of the Labor Council of New South
Wales Rules, to alter Rules, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20, 25,
26, 29, 30, 31, 40, 42, 43, 45 and deletion 21.
Com.
M. Costa thanked delegates to Council and Unions for their support with the
Labor Council's transition to the Organising model.
Com.
M. Costa thanked all Officers of Labor Council for their efforts during 1999.
Com.
M. Costa wished everyone a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.
Com.
J. Whelan thanked Bill Mastellos for his efforts.
Com.
B. Mastellos spoke, thanking all those who have supported him.
Com.
J. Whelan thanked Com. M. Costa.
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6.57 PM.
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