Meeting held : 27 November 2008
Chair of Meeting: The President, Comrade. Sandra Moait
Location of the meeting : Trades Hall Auditorium, 4 Goulburn St Sydney
UNIONS NSW MEETING MINUTES
MEETING HELD THURSDAY 27th NOVEMBER 2008
IN THE TRADES HALL AUDITORIUM
AT 4 GOULBURN STREET, SYDNEY, AT 6:00PM
The President, Com. S. Moait occupied the Chair.
PRESENT: - M. Lennon [Secretary], C. Christodoulou, [Assistant Secretary], A. Kerslake, [Deputy Assistant Secretary].
MINUTES: -
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be received".
Com. J. Lemaire seconded.
CARRIED
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the minutes as circulated be adopted".
Com. M. Thomson seconded.
CARRIED
CREDENTIALS
From The Police Association of New South Wales appointing:- K. Graham in place of B. Pritchard and J. Carroll in place of B. Morgan.
From The Public Service Association of New South Wales appointing:- P. Davis as a delegate for tonight's meeting.
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the credentials be received and the delegates welcomed".
Com. B. Parker seconded.
CARRIED
APOLOGIES
Apologies were received and accepted for: - A. Tattersall, G. Dwyer, G. Kelly, L. Palmer, B. Kruse, A. Ferguson, B. Smith, C. Haigh, N. Lewocki, P. Kessey, C. O'Sheades.
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon moved: -
"That the apologies be received and accepted".
Com. P. Kelly seconded.
CARRIED
QUESTION WITHOUT NOTICE
Com. F. Barnes asked the Secretary if he was aware that World Aids Day was on next Monday, 1st December, 2008.
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon said he was aware. He said it was important that Unions acknowledged World Aids Day by purchasing red ribbons and badges from the fundraising organisers in order to support the fight against the spread of Aids.
GUEST SPEAKERS
The President, Com. S. Moait introduced Karen, Dean and Bruce Banton and invited them to address delegates on the 1st anniversary of the passing of Com. Bernie Banton.
Karen thanked Secretary, Mark Lennon and all at Unions NSW and said it was hard to believe that it was already one year since Bernie's passing. She said that a special walk had been organised for tomorrow Friday, 28th November 2008 to commemorate Asbestos Awareness Week and she encouraged all delegates to participate.
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon responded by thanking Karen for her kind words. Com. Lennon said that it was good fortune during the campaign against James Hardie to come across such an inspirational leader and speaker like Bernie Banton.. Of course Bernie and his family not only spoke out about James Hardie but also against John Howard's WorkChoices legislation. Com. Lennon thanked Karen, Dean and Bruce for their own work with the campaign and their ongoing support for asbestos victims.
In closing, Com. Lennon announced that Unions NSW would make a donation of $1,000.00 to the Absestos Diseases Foundation of Australia marking the 1st anniversary of Bernie's passing.
A special video tribute to Bernie was shown to delegates.
THE PRESIDENT ASKED DELEGATES TO OBSERVE A MINUTE'S
SILENCE IN MEMORY OF BERNIE BANTON
EXECUTIVE BUSINESS
CORRESPONDENCE
1. From the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union, Construction & General Division, NSW Branch:- advising Unions NSW that the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions had dropped charges against CFMEU Official, Noel Washington who faced 6 months in gaol for refusing to be interrogated by the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) in respect of a union meeting outside a building site during a lunch break. The union said that unfortunately the laws that provide for ABCC interrogations have not been repealed and that the ABCC were continuing to use these laws to harass and intimidate building workers. They said that the building unions were demanding repeal of these anti-union laws and the abolition of the ABCC. The CFMEU advised that they were proceeding with their protest against the ABCC on Tuesday, 2nd December 2008 in Sydney, Wollongong, Newcastle and every capital city across Australia. They advised that rallies would also be held in over 25 countries overseas, outside Australian Embassies as these laws have also been condemned by the International Labour Organisation.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and noted and Unions NSW welcome the decision by the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions to drop charges against CFMEU Official, Noel Washington.
Notwithstanding, Unions NSW calls upon the Federal Government to abolish the ABCC and request affiliates to maximise their participation at the December 2nd. "
Com. P. McClelland seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
2. From the South Coast Labour Council:- reflecting on the occasion of the first anniversary of the election of the Federal Labour on the 24th November 2007 and the significance of this event for working people in Australia and the nation more broadly. Firstly, the Council would like to note John Howard's quote that "when you change the Government you change the country" and to say that is certainly what the people of Australia had in mind when they voted him out of office last year. We can now say, that with the tabling by the Federal Government of a Bill this week containing the framework of a new system of industrial relations, the working lives of the Australian people are well on the way to a significant and long awaited change through the restoration of significant protections and other rights at work. Council notes, however, that there are significant elements of the Howard Government's anti-worker regime that remain, such as the ABCC, a star chamber seeking to enforce industrial apartheid in Australia in the 21st century. We call on the Rudd Government to now finish the job he was elected to do by the people of this country and dismantle Workchoices lock, stock and barrel.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and noted and Unions NSW congratulate the Rudd Federal Government on many of their initiatives in their first year of office.
Further, we call upon the Prime Minister to ensure that all of the elements of John Howard's Industrial Relations System are removed as part of Labor's commitment to working people in this country."
Com. P. Kelly seconded the resolution.
CARRIED
3. From the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union, Construction & General Division, NSW Branch:- advising Unions NSW that the CFMEU had recently hosted an international conference of progressive women active in building unions. The union said that the conference was attended by many women from South America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. They said that all of the unions who attended were affiliated to the Trades Union International of Workers in the Building, Wood, Building Materials and Allied Industries (UITBB). The CFMEU requested that Marina Stavrinou from the Cyprus Building, Wood, Mine and General Workers Union be invited to address delegates at the Unions NSW meeting on Thursday, 27th November with a message of solidarity from their conference.
Com. M. Lennon moved the Executive Recommendation:-
"That the correspondence be received and noted and that Marina Stavrinou of the Cyprus Building, Wood, Mines & General Workers' Union be invited to address Council."
Com. R. Mallia seconded the resolution.
Com. Marina Stavrinou thanked Unions NSW for the opportunity to address delegates. She said that the International Conference had discussed many issues women faced in the workplace and in particular the Construction Industry.
CARRIED
REPORTS:
1. Launch of the Your Rights at Work Report "Fight of our Lives".
Com. Alison Rudman reported on the launch of the Your Rights At Work Report "Fight of Our Lives".
Com. M. Lennon moved:-
"The the report be received and noted."
Com. K. Lee seconded.
CARRIED
2. Fair Work Bill 2008
The Secretary, Com. M. Lennon reported on the introduction in to Federal Parliament this week of the Fair Work Bill. He said that whilst there were further improvements to the Bill to strive for the passage of the Bill would be a positive step forward in getting rid of WorkChoices.
Com. M. Lennon moved:-
"The the report be received and noted."
Com. N. Allen seconded.
CARRIED
COUNCIL ADJOURNED AT 6: 45PM
President:____________________________________
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