Union Actions & Issues

 

Union Actions & Issues

 

• Unemployed into Uncertainty - 5/3/07
  Some 600 Holdens workers face an uncertain future as a result of the federal government's utter incompetence in relation to manufacturing and industrial relations.

  South Australia is suffering because of 10 years of disastrous policy by the federal government.  Its headlong rush to reduce trade tariffs, with no proper consideration of the effect in small states like ours means we are being hardest hit.

   

• Fears of pre-schools stripped of their Autonomy - 22/2/07
  Fears that pre-schools will be stripped of their autonomy have prompted a protest rally, to be mounted outside the Education Department building, Thursday 22nd February at 4.30pm.

   

  Australian Education Union, President Andrew Gohl says "teachers and parents are concerned that the state government is preparing to usurp the authority of Directors of those preschools located with other schools or “superschools”.

   

  The government is already trying to give the principal of a western suburbs school authority over its co-located preschool, a move the AEU fears sets a precedent for diminishing Directors’ authority and the preschool’s autonomy.

   

• Health Professionals Rally for Fair Pay - 17/11/06
  South Australia’s health professionals will rally at Parliament House on Friday November 17. They’re seeking a fair wage structure, competitive with those in other states.

   

  Health Services Union secretary Jorge Navas says skilled professionals such as pharmacists, medical scientists, physiotherapists, radiographers, psychologists, speech pathologists, dieticians and counsellors are crucial for the health and wellbeing of South Australians.

   

  “We need to value our dedicated professionals, otherwise the skills shortage will get worse as they seek more lucrative positions elsewhere. Without decent pay we can’t expect to attract and retain the very people who are the backbone of the health system – and ordinary South Australians will pay the price.”

   

  “The state government has agreed to fair pay for doctors. It’s agreed to fair pay for nurses. We’re now seeking fair pay for the professionals on whom the health system depends.”

   

  The HSU has lodged notification of a dispute with the Industrial Relations Commission and is hoping for a swift resolution.

• AEU - succeeds in saving 16 crucial country teachers from the axe - 10/11/06
  Just days ago, the AEU discovered DECS plans to cut 16 Permanent Relief Teachers (PRT's) in country areas - despite a chronic staff shortage in regional areas!  AEU State President Andrew Gohl says DECS has now done a 180 degree about face.  "After much member pressure on the Department, including a massive letter writing and email campaign, we have just received a letter stating that there will be 'no reduction in numbers of Permanent Relief Teachers in country locations'.  We regard this as a black and white guarantee that these valuable staff will not be cut, or in any way manipulated to worsen the existing shortage of relief staff", Mr Gohl says.

• More Money Slashed from Schools - Teachers to consider action 3/11/06
  The State Government has announced plans to slash some $20 million from public education, including in crucial early years learning.

   

  Australian Education Union State President Andrew Gohl says he is furious about the cuts and the government’s sneaky attempt to camouflage them amidst the distractions of the Christmas pageant and the Melbourne Cup.

   

  “This is a cynical political exercise which attempts to hide the impact of these cuts from pubic scrutiny” Mr Gohl angrily claims.

   

  “They even have the gall to try to dress it up as “reinvestment strategies”, when it’s really a budget cut, which will shift costs to local schools if they want to continue to do the best for their students. And shifting costs the schools if they want to continue to do the best for their students. And shifting costs the schools ultimately means shifting costs to parents” Mr Gohl says.

• Radio Rentals - Back to Work with a Collective Agreement - 11/10/06
  After the most torrid dispute seen in Adelaide for many years, Radio Rentals workers went back to work after negotiating a collective agreement. The massive public support throughout the dispute showed there is little public support for the federal government's work laws [read on].

• Andamooka Families Ignored by Education Minister - 7/9/06

  The Education Minister Dr Jane Lomax-Smith has ignored the wishes of the Andamooka community by cutting back primary school services in the far northern mining town.

   

  AEU President Andrew Gohl says the entire community is opposed to the Minister’s plan, but she’s ridden roughshod over their views. The Minister’s announcement that Andamooka will get a Reception to Year 3 school is short sighted in the extreme” Mr Gohl says.

   

• Novita- previously the Crippled Children’s Association - 7/9/06

  The Public Service Association is trying to negotiate a collective agreement with Novita. On Monday 4 September 2006, Novita determined that the PSA could no longer meet with its members on site to discuss the current offer.

   

  Additionally, Novita sent a very intimidating letter to the PSA highlighting various provisions of the new legislation (ie industrial action, right of entry, patterning bargaining etc).  Despite the fact the letter contains inaccuracies and factually incorrect statements, it was clearly aimed at intimidating staff.

   

  Novita staff are mostly women and extremely conscious of the work they do with crippled children.  Traditionally, Novita staff have been reluctant to confront management regarding previous EB offers for fear of persecution. Please show them your support.

   

• Radio Rentals Tuned into Howard - 21/8/06
  AMWU members are resisting an Adelaide company's bid to rip $86,000 off a long-serving colleague, sack union activists, and strip everyone of core award protections. Using Howard's IR laws, Radio Rentals sacked three activists last week then dumped sub-standard individual contracts (AWA's) on survivors - (AMWU Website)

  Radio Rentals in Adelaide AMWU service technicians are in dispute with Radio Rentals over the employer seek to introduce Australian Workplace Agreements (AWA's).  Could you please take steps to sign the petition at the link http://www.amwu.asn.au/default.asp?action=petition&ID=10

• Win for Student Safety - 16/8/06
  The Australian Education Union has welcomed the state government's pledge for seatbelts to be fitted to new school buses as a leap forward for student safety.
  
  AEU President Andrew Gohl says it's a significant breakthrough after 5 years of campaigning.
  
  "The state government has a duty of care to do its best to protect students.  That applies for the entire time that students are within Education's jurisdiction - from the bus to the classroom." 

• Andrews Undertakes to Examine Visa Rorts - 11/8/06
  The Meat Workers Union has held a constructive meeting with Federal Workplace Relations Minister Kevin Andrews over concerns about job security and exploitation in the meat industry.

   

  Australasian Meat Industry Employees Union South Australian secretary Graham Smith said he was heartened by the Minister’s attitude during the meeting in Canberra yesterday.  Mr Smith says the Minister listened carefully to his union’s concerns.

   

  “We told the Minister in very clear terms our concerns in relation to the 457 foreign worker visas. We explained that the visas were being taken advantage of by some unscrupulous employers to bring in cheap labour from overseas, denying careers to locals.”
   

  “The Meat Workers Union is committed to protecting Australian jobs and conditions, and opposes the exploitation of foreign workers. We hope the Workplace Relations Minister takes a similar view and acts to ensure local jobs are not undercut by cheap foreign labour” Mr Smith says.

   

• AEU - Student Lives Should not be Left to Luck - 7/8/06

  Australian Education Union President Andrew Gohl says it’s lucky no-one was killed in this morning’s school bus crash on the Eyre Peninsula.

   

  However he says student lives should not be left to luck – and that seatbelts should be installed in school buses as a matter of priority.

   

  “We have argued there should be an audit of school bus services to ensure they’re as safe as possible. We want to ensure driver training is at the highest standard, that there are proper protocols for alighting students, and that the bus fleet itself is safe. Buses must be appropriately maintained, and we believe they should feature seatbelts for maximum safety.”

   

  “At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we have been badgering the Education Department and the Minister to act. School buses are involved in crashes with alarming regularity. Prevention is preferable to regret. If an investment on seatbelts in buses saves just one life, then it will be worth it” Mr Gohl says.

   

• AMIEU - You can't have it both ways Minister - 1/8/06

  The Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone must give binding guarantees that regulations surrounding 457 foreign worker visas will be toughened and enforced to protect Australian jobs, the meat workers union says.  AMIEU, Secretary (SA) Graham Smith says the Minister has on one hand decried the union's expose of rorts, and on the other admitted on the ABC's 7.30 Report last night that abuses are occurring. "She can't have it both ways".

   

• AEU Seeks Guarantee Public Education will be Quarantined from Budget Cuts - 27/6/06

  The Australian Education Union says it is prepared to strongly defend public education against budget cuts by the state government – and wouldn’t rule out industrial action..

   

  AEU State President Andrew Gohl says he holds serious concerns that the government is intending to extract “efficiencies” from public education.

   

  “We know that government departments have been told to make savings in preparation for September’s budget. We have asked education bureaucrats to detail whether anything is required on their part – and they have been evasive.”

   

  “However well placed sources have told us to expect in the order of $70 million to be slashed from public education” Mr Gohl says.

   

  “Such a cut cannot be sustained without seriously affecting the learning of thousands of students.”

   

  “The government must be honest about its intentions. If it is not planning a massive cut in education, we want it to come out and say so. We want a rock solid guarantee that public education will be absolutely quarantined from cuts.”

   

• Apprentice Win Sends Warning to Rogue Employers - 14/5/06

  Further to the apprentice sackings (2/4/06) the Young Workers' Legal Service successfully represented the apprentices at the Grievance Dispute Mediation.  The GDMC found that electrical apprentices Robert Elkson and Greg Garrard were illegally sacked and must be reimbursed for their ordeal.  The GDMC also found that the terminations were "legally ineffective" and that the contract of training remained. [read on]

• Apprentice Sacking Sparks Legal Challenge

  SA Unions mounted a legal challenge to test whether the federal government's harsh new industrial laws override apprentice contracts, stating the company acted illegally in sacking these apprentices - [read on]

   

• Tey's Brothers - Meat Workers Locked Out

  On Monday (13/3/06) union members from Bordertown, Mount Gambier and Adelaide travelled to Naracoorte to provide support for 20 meat workers who have been locked out because they refuse to sign the Individual contract.

   

  These families are determined to improve their working conditions and not be locked into unfair conditions for another 5 years. In order for them to survive they need our support.

   

  Contact the AMIEU for further information at amieusa@internode.on.net

   [further details]...

   

   

   

• The Community and Public Sector Union is holding a Hands off our Reps Rally, Wednesday 24 August 2005, 191 Pulteney Street, Adelaide at 12.30 pm to support a union representative who has been victimised by his employer because he is a union delegate. Please come along and support the right of union reps and delegates to do their jobs without victimisation.

   

• Maritime Union of Australia (MUA) held a protest outside a company called  Destiny Abalone at 155 Port Road, Hindmarsh at 11.30 am Friday 11 July 2005.

   

  This event was linked with the Your Rights At Work Campaign as an example of the appalling things the Federal Government is allowing employers to already get away. If they are given a free rein they will go even further.

   

  Facts

  ·         A ship called the Destiny Queen grows abalone in its hold off Port Lincoln.

  ·      It was crewed by Port Lincoln workers who received training subsidy in aquaculture and were employed by the company.

  ·      Last year they sacked the local workers, took it to China and brought back a Chinese and Russian crew to SA waters.

  ·      This crew does not have visas to go ashore in Australia and so are trapped on the ship off the coast of Port Lincoln on the ship for up to twelve months. 

  ·      It is essentially a slave or prison ship.

  ·      The MUA and the ACTU have trying unsuccessfully to get the SA Government and the Federal Government to intervene for nearly twelve months.

  ·      The ship is up for a renewal of its license from the SA Government and we want to stop this happening.

  This is a bizarre mixture of bad Australian work practice, exploitation of foreign workers on our shores and our immigration policies being bent for a shocking company.

   

• Historic Maternity Leave Decision - 5/5/05

  SA Unions congratulates the PSA in successfully obtaining 12 weeks paid maternity/ adoption leave for its members in the public service. The Full Bench of the SA Industrial Relations Commission handed down this historic decision yesterday 5/5/05 [full details]

   

• NUW - Kemalex SA Workers deserve a fair deal too!

  SA Unions has welcomed an announcement by Federal Workplace Relations Minister, Kevin Andres for an investigation into the Kemalex Plastics company - [13/5/05]

   

  In line with the Victorian plant of Kemalex Plastics the NUW SA will be conducting a flying picket outside Kemalex Plastics, 22 Circuit Court, Hendon on Thursday 5 May 2005 from around 7.00am. [full details]

   

  In SA the company engages approx 120 persons at its factory as independent contractors. There are no union members.

   

  Contact the NUW on 08 8208 4400 to support the campaign