Meeting held : 26 March 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 26TH MARCH 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]
MINUTES: -
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be received".
Com. K. Sullivan seconded.
CARRIED
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted".
Com. B. Tubner seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS
From: Textile Clothing & Footwear Union of Australia, NSW Branch replacing Peter Lane with Hanisha McNabb.
The Australian Workers Unions replacing Russ Collison with Terry McQuillian and Stephen Bali with Stephen Crawford.
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the credentials be received and the delegates welcomed".
Com. S.Davis seconded.
CARRIED
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for: - A. Kerslake, B. Johnson, G. Kelly, L. Palmer, S. Bali, B. Holmes, J. Kiedja, N. Nyols, B. Kruse, G. McClean, C. O'Sheades, J. Diamond.
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the apologies be received and accepted".
Com. G.Dwyer seconded.
CARRIED
MOTION OF CONDOLENCE
Vale: Laurie Short
Com. M. Lennon expressed that it was his sad duty to report the passing of Com. Laurie Short the former Secretary of the Federated Ironworkers' Association who passed away, aged 93, last Tuesday in Sydney.
He said that Com. Short was one of the great figures of the Australian labour movement and a legendary figure in the Labor Party and union movement during the tumultuous 1950s.
Historians of the period argue that the FIA was able to play the important role of keeping the party together because it was widely respected as highly competent under Com. Short's leadership.
Com. Short is credited with finding, supporting and promoting a young Englishman, John Ducker, through the labour movement leading him to become the legendary strong man of the NSW union movement and the NSW Labor Party.
Com. Shore retired in 1982, after 30 years leading the FIA.
Com. Short is survived by a daughter, the journalist, Susanna Short and two grand-children.
A minutes silence was observed.
GUEST SPEAKERS:
The President, Com M. Issanshon introduced Valerie Martin from the Yuendumu Indigenous Community and Irene Fisher from the Katherine Community who spoke about the Northern Territory Intervention.
Both speakers expressed their dismay at the continued loss of rights associated with the former Prime Minister's decision to intervene in the affairs of the aboriginal people in the Northern Territory. The Rudd Government had continued the policy.
Unfortunately, the racial discrimination act was amended to allow the government to take away a range of rights including access to finance which in turn had affected things like health and food provision.
Com M. Lennon responded by reiterating Unions NSW opposition to the Northern Territory intervention and the way it had been implemented.
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From the Public Service Association of New South Wales:- advising Unions NSW of a rally to protest against the NSW Government's plan to privatise prison privatisation.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW calls on all affiliates to support the prison privatisation Rally on Thursday
2 April, 2009".
Com. S. Turner seconded the resolution.
Correctional Officers, Liz Clune & Natalie Howes who are employed in the correctional system spoke in support of the resolution.
CARRIED
2. From the Australian Manufacturing Workers' Union:- regarding the police action against union leaders from the KCTU and the KMWU in South Korea. Workers should not be punished simply because they are members of a trade union or because they take industrial action.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW request a meeting with Korean consul General to protest against imprisonment of trade union leaders".
Com. F. Barnes seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From the United Services Union:- regarding Fairfield Council's proposal to explore outsourcing a range of their core Council Services which included: Children services, leisure centres, vehicle fleet, waste services CCTV, city farm.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW expresses its support to Fairfield Council workers in opposing their employers attempt to outsource a range of core council services."
Com. P. Reid seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
4. From the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union: - concerned about the spate of deaths and critical injuries on or related to John Holland's sites. The CFMEU had an ongoing concern about safety on projects in NSW regulated by the federal OH&S Act and the capacity to protect their members safety on these jobs, some of which the NSW Government also has a direct interest in.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW condemns John Holland for its poor OH&S record with respect to the number of fatalities it has had on its projects.
Further, Unions NSW calls upon the NSW Government to meet with construction unions with respect to John Holland's poor safety record".
Com. M. Tulloch seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
5. From the Shop Distributive and Allied Employees Association:- regarding Easter Sunday trading and that over 20 of the ninety applications by retailers to trade on Easter Sunday 2009 have been rejected.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and Unions NSW council services congratulates the SDA for their campaign against the extension of Easter Sunday trading.
Further, we also welcome the position taken by the NSW Government on this issue to support all workers having the right to be with their families or friends on Easter Sunday.
Com. G. Dwyer seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
REPORTS
1. Relationship with the State Government
Com M. Lennon reported to delegates on a number of issues associated with the relationship with the government. These included; prison privatisation, procurement policy, public holidays etc. He emphasised that he would prefer that the relationship and points of difference were not played out in the front pages of the daily newspapers, but rather that the government properly consult the trade union movement before it makes decisions which are likely to affect our members. He indicated that he had recently written to the Treasurer seeking an urgent meeting in this regard.
Com. M. Lennon moved:-
"That the report be received and adopted."
Com. B. Smith seconded.
CARRIED
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MEETING ADJOURNED AT 6: 45M
President:____________________________________
About Unions NSW
