2016/17 ANNUAL REPORT
BE PART OF A REAL CHANGE
www.theservicesunion.com.au THE SERVICES UNION ANNUAL REPORT 2016 -2017 2
WELCOME
"The Queensland Local Government Industry Award has just been partitioned into three separate awards including an Award to cover our membership area.
This means that nearly four years after the Newman Government froze the Award to enable modernisation of it, the Award is now ‘modernised’.
We do not think anyone could say we were any the better for it having happened, but because of members’ commitment in Taking the Steps, a lot of trips to the Queensland Industrial Commission (QIRC) and the commitment of the Palaszczuk Government, Curtis Pitt MP and Grace Grace MP in particular, we got through the process with our entitlements largely intact. The only matter which continues to remain outstanding is the payment of locality allowances to all former Aboriginal Community Councils where another visit to a Full Bench of the QIRC is required.
Now we are well and truly into enterprise bargaining in Local Government where our members are finding that Councils want to have another go at taking away conditions; only this time through bargaining.
It takes a lot of commitment to keep facing up to what seems to be a never ending attack on basic entitlements in the Local Government Industry, but members of The Services Union continue to have that commitment.
Our members (especially those in the Energy Industry and the Ports and Rail Industries) will be donning the green yet again as we gear up the ‘Not4Sale Campaign’ for the coming State Election. We do not trust those that say they are no longer interested in selling or leasing our assets.
Over the past year, when we have been visiting Power Stations, Energy Queensland and Queensland Rail, it is all too easy to see how differently things might have turned out! Queenslanders would have been facing price gouging electricity prices and all of the other consequences of privatisation! Our assets will only ever be safe from sale or lease while we continue to campaign to keep them.
We’ve also been making waves in the Social and Community Services Industry with our Union heavily involved in the fight to Save Community Legal Services as well as campaigns around Domestic and Family Violence initiatives and ensuring the National Disability Insurance Scheme is the best it can be!
This year, we had the largest turnouts ever for our Labour Day celebrations across the State.
These things do not just happen. They happen when people like you decide to take a stand and join The Services Union. These are the things we can do when we work together."
Neil Henderson - Secretary and Jennifer Thomas - Executive President
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SACS VICE PRESIDENT PENNY CARR WITH
ORGANISER JEREMY YOUNG.
All members have the right to the dignity of safe and secure work. Our vision is for a strong, courageous and collective voice to continually improve our conditions and the culture of our workplaces and communities We will achieve this together by
being part of a real change.
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FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: ROCKHAMPTON WORKPLACE DELEGATES GUY TRATHEN (ERGON), LUCAS GARRETTY, MELANIE DANSIE (ROCKHAMPTON REGIONAL COUNCIL) AND SAM TAYLOR (ERGON).
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VISIBILITY, REPRESENTATION, YOUTH AND DELEGATES
INTRODUCTION: THE SERVICES UNION IS COMMITTED the wider union movement as we all look towards TO OUR VISION OF CREATING REAL CHANGE TO MAKE developing a new union agenda for the future. AUSTRALIA A MORE JUST PLACE TO LIVE AND WORK. • The ongoing promotion of our 27 Ways and THE FOLLOWING IS THE ANNUAL OPERATING REPORT Growing Campaign – in particular our 28th way OF OUR UNION FOR 2016 - 2017. IT SETS OUT THE Natural Disaster Leave and 29th way Domestic and ACTIVITIES OF OUR UNION OVER THIS PERIOD. Family Violence Leave as a bargaining outcome in many of our workplaces. In 2016, members of our Union elected to • Ongoing promotion of sector/industry campaigns our Executive and Council, met to discuss the to protect our employment rights and gain priorities of our Union. shared support across the union. • Communicate and educating about our successes Those Representatives set down four key areas at work and aligning these outcomes to what for union action: members are concerned about and their broader values and identities.
1. VISIBILITY 2. REPRESENTATION As a leading union, our brand reflects our values. We want to seize growth and partnering opportunities Excellence in representation is at the heart of to enhance our impact, brand and reputation. We our commitment to our members. We support the will continue to build upon our positive brand in following initiatives that add to our other efforts the next 12 months by: towards delivering this excellence in representation in the next 12 months by: • Living and promoting our values and vision by delivering the objectives of The Services Union to • Using our Union’s national research capacity to our members, potential members and the community. support our industry campaigns and our industry • Upgrading our Union website to be more user- strategies for the next 5 years; friendly. Use other social marketing to increase our • Building our capacity through our workplace union’s reach to our members and potential committees and working with our partner unions members. and within the movement to withstand government • Establish our 5-year plan for each of our industries initiatives within our industries that undermine our and our connection with our national union and member’s workplace rights and vision;
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• Offering more specialised training as part of our delegate education program for representing members; • Using campaign techniques and actions as part of securing individual member’s and collective workplace rights; • Mapping our member representation experiences and industrial outcomes to assess and measure our performance using the findings of those assessments to make appropriate changes to our work, in order to continue to work towards achieving our vision.
3. YOUTH
We remain committed to recruiting and developing the next generation of our members. We will continue our efforts to ensure that the union is real and relevant to younger workers and support the roll-out of the next phase of the Youth strategy over the next 12 months including by:
• Having youth objectives within our campaign and 5-year industry plans that promote the development of young members to become delegates and a part of our union structures; and • Continuing to work with local Tafes and Universities to encourage membership and the commencement of their studies through to final year students who are considering work in the community sector. We will focus on how we will follow these students to establish a commitment to ongoing membership as their career develops to assist the retention of these students as full members; and • Increasing, extending and reviewing our use of social media; and • Increasing and extending opportunities for young members to connect and participate.
4. ACTIVISTS & DELEGATES - PARTICIPATION AND LEADERSHIP OF OUR DELEGATES.
To be a strong, democratic union where member participation and workplace leadership is our focus to achieve Real Change. To do this we need to continue to increase our opportunities for participation and leadership within our union and broader community campaigns. We support the following action in the next 12 months to build the momentum here by:
• Establishing and renewing delegate, workplace and formal union structures through a workplace delegate audit in targeted workplaces (also using thematic or geographical locations) to build on the legacy of our senior delegates who are retiring and leaving the industry via mentoring and creating succession plans. In doing so, continue to promote our delegates stories and successes and include retired members in our strategies; and • Having an industry based focus on the delivery of training and opportunities to match the current issues members are facing and in developing proactive industry strategies for the next 5 years; and • We will continue to adopt a multitude of innovative ways of connecting members to each other, to the union office and reaching out to the community in order to facilitate engagement and participation on broader community issues; and • Building workplace organising committees that ensure we have a breadth of workplace union leaders and that plan for generational change and provide opportunities for delegate peer support.
We would value your feedback on this Report and any feedback you may have about our Union and its activities. Feedback can be provided by email to [email protected].
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SACS WORKPLACE DELEGATE SIAN TOOKER
LOBBYING IN CANBERRA FOR INVESTMENT
IN QUALITY COMMUNITY SERVICES AND
DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE LEAVE.
www.theservicesunion.com.au THE SERVICES UNION ANNUAL REPORT 2016 -2017 8 ADVANCING OUR OBJECTIVES IN OUR INDUSTRIES LOCAL AUTHORITIES
MEMBERS NEGOTIATE FOR FAIR WAGES AND CONDITIONS
OUR MEMBERS IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT PRIDE THEMSELVES ON by the work of our members. This is the basis for the strong campaigns being DELIVERING QUALITY SERVICES TO THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITIES run by our members across the State, with industrial action voted up at several ACROSS QUEENSLAND. FROM LIBRARIES, PARKS AND Councils already. RECREATIONAL FACILITIES THROUGH TO ROADS, DRAINAGE AND WATER, THE WORK OF OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENT MEMBERS DO BENEFIT ALL STAKEHOLDERS IN EVERY COMMUNITY.
Our members have been ensuring, their employers recognise this work in the current round of bargaining. Bargaining for new Certified Agreements (CAs) has been happening simultaneously across multiple Councils (due to the freeze on bargaining in the aftermath of the previous Newman’s State Government’s legislative changes) with two alarming trends emerging.
The first is the number of Councils that want to offer pay increases no higher than the current Consumer Price Index (CPI). This is even though members at those Councils have, in many cases, already taken part in efficiencies such as; reduced staff numbers, forced relocations and less access to Council vehicles.
What has made this trend all the more alarming is that it is often those Councils with the most highly paid mayors, councillors and executive management who are the most intransigent in terms of pay rises offered.
The second has been, not content with offering bare-minimum wage increases, some Councils are of the view that any pay rise should only be delivered if members trade away existing conditions.
It was as though those Councils who were not able to saddle their staff with condition-cutting Campbell Newman-era Agreements (thankfully there are only seven in this category) wanted another shot at their workforce in order to deliver a better-looking balance sheet at the end of the financial year.
Some Councils even went so far as to table proposals for Newman-style two- tier wage structures for administrative employees at levels one to three, with the proviso that the lower schedule would only apply to new staff.
Fortunately, members of our Union are attuned to the fact that even though, MEMBERS AT CITY OF GOLD COAST COUNCIL existing staff at those pay levels would maintain their salaries, there is the very VOTE TO CAMPAIGN FOR A FAIR AND real risk that those existing staff suddenly becoming a whole lot less attractive JUST AGREEMENT AND FOR FUTURE SECURE when working alongside people doing the same job for less pay. JOBS FOR THEIR COMMUNITY.
This attitude of Councils’ to their employees and our members misses a very important basic point. Councils exist to deliver services to ratepayers and the broader community, and not simply to amass capital – as is the case in the private sector - through increased expropriation of the surplus value created
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BCC - EBA9 IT’S TIME!
THIS PAST YEAR WAS ALWAYS GOING TO BE ABOUT PREPARING permanent employment. FOR A SOLID CAMPAIGN TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE OUTCOMES FOR BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL (BCC) MEMBERS THROUGH Settling core claims such as removing the need to divulge private information THE ENTERPRISE BARGAINING AGREEMENT NINE (EBA9) on medical certificates does not let BCC off the hook for work-area specific NEGOTIATION PROCESS. issues such as safety and career paths for libraries staff, travel time for outdoor supervisors and surveyors, or better annual leave access for bus network control At the front and centre of the Campaign has been the claim for a reduction in the officers. Our members voted by overwhelming majority to take industrial action percentage of non-permanent staff through a review of temporary employment in support of a better total package. arrangements. Lord Mayor Graham Quirk’s commitment to this measure in September 2016, six months after his re-election, came as welcome news to The actions include; e-mail bans and work-to-rule. The Campaign has seen a BCC members and Workplace Delegates. Our Union’s bargaining team did respectable upsurge of membership at BCC. There has also been a welcome manage to get the BCC management to increase their pay offer and withdraw influx of new Workplace Delegates across Council. Many existing Workplace their employer-driven flexible rostering proposal. However, there is still more Delegates have also increased their reach and activity since the outset of do and our members are continuing to campaign for an increase in stable, the Campaign.
MEMBERS AT BRISBANE CITY COUNCIL’S WORKS DEPOT IN ZILLMERE,
CAMPAIGN FOR THEIR EBA9.
WATER - MEMBERS RISE TO CHALLENGES IN THEIR SECTOR
MEMBERS IN THE SOUTH-EAST’S RETAIL WATER DISTRIBUTORS CONTINUE TO RISE TO THE TWIN CHALLENGES OF CORPORATISATION (AND ITS ATTENDANT COST-CUTTING FOCUS) AND THE MOVE INTO THE FEDERAL INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS SYSTEM.
QUEENSLAND URBAN UTILITIES (QUU) - Against this backdrop, UNITYWATER - Unitywater’s bargaining was similarly split into three there’s been steady drip-feed of enterprise bargaining happening across all streams. The Services Union’s membership is concentrated in the Indoor/ sections of QUU, which has been split into three distinct streams. Staff at the Salaried area, where an Enterprise Agreement (EA) was finalised in December SAS Labs recently voted to accept a two-year deal which features enhanced 2016. Members in this area have also had to deal with ongoing restructures salary-sacrifice provisions, uncapped carer’s leave and a $1200 sign-on and redundancies (particularly in the construction supervision area), as well bonus. With the move to the Federal system meaning that all employees and as increased hostility to union activity. These circumstances have given rise contractors working at QUU can join The Services Union, there has been to questions about who – other than senior executives – really benefits from an influx of members from workplaces such as sewage treatment plants. this experiment in the corporatisation of public entities? There has been little This should lead to a decent outcome in negotiations for the Operations to suggest that the employees or customers stand to gain or have gained and Field Enterprise Agreement which are, still very much on foot at the time anything of substance. of publication.
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SACS INVESTING IN QUALITY COMMUNITY SERVICES
OVER THE LAST YEAR, MEMBERS WORKING IN THE SOCIAL AND COMMUNITY SECTOR (SACS) CONTINUED THEIR CAMPAIGN TO INVEST IN QUALITY COMMUNITY SERVICES.
Our Union kicked off the Portable Entitlements Campaign to tackle the issue of a Portable Long Entitlements Scheme for Queensland Social and Community workers. The Campaign started with a survey of workers in SACS and will continue with direct member and employer engagement and political lobbying to the State Government.
In March 2017, we supported Community Legal Centres (CLCs) in Queensland and across the nation to Fund Equal Justice. A delegation of Workplace Delegates travelled to Canberra to lobby Federal politicians about the proposed axing of funding to the CLCs whilst members from other industries lent their support via social media campaigning.
The campaigning pressure paid off with Federal Attorney-General Senator George Brandis announcing the reinstatement of funding to CLCs. Our Union has and will continue to partner with CLCs to address issues around the distribution of the funds.
We continue to make sure we are connecting with those in the different sectors by attending and sponsoring industry events like the CLCs Annual Conference and the State Conference For Housing and Shelter Services.
Our Union continued the push for the inclusion of Domestic and Family Violence Leave (DFVL) through the Federal Review of Industry Awards. However, Fair Work Australia (FWA) rejected our submissions despite seeing the value of DFVL in assisting those experiencing trauma.
Despite this set back, our Union is working with the ACTU and other peak bodies to redirect our We Won’t Wait Campaign so we can Change The Rules.
We continued to campaign to make the National Disability Insurance Scheme the best it can be for people with disability and the workers who support them. The Campaign has been based on the following key pillars:
• Wage and Conditions; • Secure Jobs; • Workforce Engagement; and • Professional Standards.
Workplace Delegates and members engaged in the Campaign by discussing the pillars with their colleagues, making their views heard on social media and meeting regularly with politicians to discuss their concerns. In Queensland, the roll out of the NDIS commenced. Our Union sought to be included in a number of workability forums established in regions to assist organisations in the roll out process. Members experience has been varied. As to how each organisation readies itself is different depending on its size and the services it provides.
We have largely been responding to industrial issues on an employer by employer basis. The biggest struggle for the Industry in implementing the NDIS is the funding model. This is largely due to the price setting.
The University of New South Wales prepared a report for our Union (and United Voice and the Health Services Union) entitled Reasonable, Necessary and Valued: Pricing Disability Services For Quality Support And Decent Jobs. The Report, found that the current NDIS pricing arrangements, set by the National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA), failed to ‘…recognise the time required to deliver quality services to NDIS participants ...resulting in lower quality support and increased risks for participants’.
The other major issue is the establishment of the NDIS Quality Safeguarding Framework. While such a Framework was needed, it has the potential to leave employees exposed with the ability of claims to be made individually against the employer and worker.
It is for this reason our Union sought to provide Professional Indemnity Insurance for SACs members as part of their membership at no additional charge.
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MINISTER FOR HOUSING AND PUBLIC WORKS SACS MEMBER HOLLY STOKES SUPPORTING
AND MINISTER FOR SPORT THE HON MICK DE COLLEAGUES WORKING AT COMMUNITY LEGAL
BRENNI WITH EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT JENNIFER CENTRES DURING THE #FUNDEQUALJUSTICE
THOMAS AT THE QSHELTER CONFERENCE. CAMPAIGN.
FROM LEFT: ORGANISERS
JEANINE ORZANI AND
CHIARA MILLARD WITH
EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT
SECRETARY NEIL HENDERSON WITH SACS MEMBER ANN MATSON DURING THE JENNIFER THOMAS IN
#FUNDEQUALJUSTICE CAMPAIGN. TOWNSVILLE TO PROMOTE
OUR UNION’S NDIS.
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OUR ENERGY FOOTPRINT - ENERGY PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE
OVER TWELVE MONTHS AGO, OUR UNION LAUNCHED THE consumers and our communities. ‘OUR ENERGY FOOTPRINT – PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE’ CAMPAIGN WORKING TOWARDS A SMOOTH TRANSITION FOR We have achieved significant outcomes for members industrially through WORKERS DURING THE ENERGY ENTITIES MERGER TO ENERGY the Mergers Transition Principles designed to protect employee’s job security QUEENSLAND LIMITED (EQL). and conditions in forming EQL. The challenge industrially is to ensure that the negotiations of the merged Enterprise Agreements’, leaves no members Our Union’s other ambitions for this Campaign include: worst off.
• A permanent workforce to be at the centre of service delivery; The Queensland Government has announced the Powering North Queensland • Dedicated training and resources for employees to help identify clear Plan with significant investment in Renewable Energy technologies of some career paths and progression opportunities; $386 million to add diversity to North Queensland’s energy supply supporting • A fair go for employees who face redeployment; 5000 jobs. These projects will deliver $1.6 billion of infrastructure spending, • Good wages and conditions including annual EA wage increases. while creating over 1400 jobs. • Investment in future technologies and growing our industry with ongoing government ownership; and Unions and significant numbers of Labor Party Branches have supported direct • A partnership approach between the government, the industry and its government investment as owner operators. This will mean the State manages workforce representatives to address the changing needs and interests of these assets to ensure reliable, clean and affordable electricity into the future.
NRG MEMBERS CAMPAIGN TO CHANGE THE RULES
MEMBERS AT NRG STAYED UNITED AND STRONG IN THEIR NRG rallied against these steps taken by the company on numerous occasions NEGOTIATION FOR A NEW ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT (EA) AT with our Union industrially opposing the termination application. GLADSTONE POWER STATION. The FWC recommended a four week period in which all applications were In early 2017, NRG presented members with an inferior EA which was postponed. The parties returned to the negotiating table with FWC Deputy not agreed to by the Industry Unions. This inferior EA sought to strip away President Ingrid Asbury facilitating negotiations in Gladstone and members conditions, but NRG insisted on putting it out for a ballot. were hopeful of a positive outcome.
On Friday 21 April 2017, the vote closed and members voted an overwhelming NO! NRG sought to undermine members’ job security, water down the dispute resolution process and strip Award protections, as well as make it easier to bring in contractors, reduce redundancy provisions for future employees, replace competencies with a whole new pay structure without agreement and strip many more provisions that members currently enjoy.
Not happy with the rejection from the workplace, the company lodged an application in the Fair Work Commission (FWC) seeking to terminate the current EA. This was the company taking the nuclear option to try and intimidate employees into accepting inferior conditions or strip away them entirely and put employees back on Award minimums. It was clear the company never WORKPLACE DELEGATES AT NRG JOSH intended to be reasonable in negotiations. YOUNG AND MICHAEL BANKS, RALLY FOR
THEIR WORKING RIGHTS AND FOR FUTURE
After already reducing employee numbers drastically, members still working at JOBS IN GLADSTONE.
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RAIL MEMBERS MEET THE POSITIVE OUR ENERGY FOOTPRINT - AND NEGATIVE CHALLENGES OF PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE RAIL THEIR INDUSTRY
QUEENSLAND RAIL AURIZON
QUEENSLAND RAIL IS CURRENTLY IMPLEMENTING ALL 36 This year has also bought Aurizon’s disgraceful announcement (with no RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE STRACHAN REPORT DRIVEN BY prior consultation with Unions and the community) to close the Rollingstock THE PALASZCZUK’S GOVERNMENTS COMMISSION OF INQUIRY maintenance workshop in Rockhampton with significant reductions in Train ORDER INTO THE TRAIN CREW SHORTFALL THAT RESULTED IN Crew positions across Central and North Queensland. The closure meant 181 THE DISRUPTIONS OF THE CITYTRAIN NETWORK IN LATE 2016. employees would be affected.
To implement the recommendations Deputy Premier and Minister for Transport While Unions work through this decision seeking the best outcomes for affected the Hon Jackie Trad initiated the Fixing The Trains March 2017 Plan focusing members of our Union, we have also started to prepare for bargaining with on improving Citytrain services for customers while the whole organisation is Workplace Delegates. under review.
Our Union supported this plan with the premise of delivering a world class rail service for Queenslanders with revitalised stations with the appropriate staffing levels required to deliver:
• A reliable and on-time rail service; • Excellent customer service; and • Cleaner, safer trains and stations. UNION MEMBERS RALLY AT AURIZON IN ROCKHAMPTON.
FROM LEFT: WORKPLACE DELEGATES ANDREW SOMERVILLE, VIVEK D’SOUZA AND VICKI SAUNDERS, GOC LEAD ORGANISER DANNY REEVES, SECRETARY NEIL HENDERSON, WORKPLACE DELEGATES
TERRY SMITH AND ORGANISER JACQUI PEDERSEN, WORKSHOP A NUMBER OF SAFETY ISSUES RELATING TO QR STATION CUSTOMER SERVICE NETWORK.
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MEMBERS BARGAIN FOR THEIR PORTS WORKPLACE RIGHTS AND CONDITIONS
GLADSTONE PORTS
FOR THE PAST 12 MONTHS, BARGAINING AT GLADSTONE PORTS CORPORATION HAS BEEN A DRAWN OUT AND FRUSTRATING PROCESS.
Management wanted a 12-month roll-over with no wage increase.
Due to the collective action taken, our Workplace Delegates and members we are now waiting on government approval to go to the vote on the following outcomes;
1. 12 per cent over four years (4x3 per cent) with Increases to apply from 1 Nov 2016; 2. Job Security – No Forced Redundancies; 3. Change to rosters and introduction of new rosters only by agreement with majority of affected employees; 4. Introduction of 10 days Domestic and Family Violence Leave; 5. Inclusion of Leave Accruals while on QSuper provisions; and 6. No loss of condition/entitlements.
NORTH QUEENSLAND BULK PORTS
Preliminary bargaining planning continue to occur with Workplace Delegates at North Queensland Bulk Ports with the current Agreement expiring on 28 February 2018 with negotiations to begin no later than six months of its expiry.
WORKPLACE DELEGATES AT THE GLADSTONE PORT CORPORATION HAVE STUCK TOGETHER DURING A LONG EBA PROCESS.
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WORKPLACE DELEGATES REPRESENT NQC&A MEMBERS IN ADMIN AND AIRLINES
WORKPLACE DELEGATES AT THE QANTAS AND SUBSIDIARIES NATIONAL DELEGATES MEETING
IN MELBOURNE.
LINFOX/ARMAGUARD
BARGAINING COMMENCED AT LINFOX/ARMAGUARD WITH WORKPLACE DELEGATES LORRAINE WALTER (TOWNSVILLE) AND CHRISTINE SCOTT (CAIRNS) INVOLVED. The nominal expiry date of the current Agreement was 21 June 2017. Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how management behave, after the campaign in the last EBA initially resulted in a NO vote. Following from this, management improved their offer and that Agreement was approved.
JETSTAR
PREPARATIONS FOR EBA NEGOTIATIONS COMMENCED AND WORKPLACE DELEGATE ADAM THOMPSON ENSURED THAT MEMBERS HAVE HAD THEIR VOICES HEARD. Ongoing payroll issues have been an issue over the past year, with our Union providing industrial support to members.
QANTAS
THE QANTAS EBA 11 WAS APPROVED ON 23 NOVEMBER 2016 AND REMAINS IN FORCE UNTIL 30 JUNE 2020. PAY INCREASES OF 1.5 PER CENT, 3 PER CENT AND 3 PER CENT WERE ACHIEVED IN THIS ROUND OF BARGAINING. Payroll, Occupational Health and Safety and Roster Committees were all established during the bargaining process. Workplace Delegates from all airports attended a national meeting in Sydney on 17 July 2017 to start these committees functioning.
QANTAS Link has tendered the customer service and ground operations at Townsville Port and this may mean that tenders seeking to undercut current rates will be considered. This will have implications for job losses into the future. A Qantas and Subsidiaries National Delegates Meeting was held in Melbourne on 20 and 21 June 2017. Workplace Delegates from our Union from Qantas and from Jetstar attended.
QUEENSLAND COUNTRY CREDIT UNION
BARGAINING COMMENCED FOR A NEW ENTERPRISE AGREEMENT AT QUEENSLAND COUNTRY CREDIT UNION. This organisation will be merging with ECU Australia in the near future.
www.theservicesunion.com.au THE SERVICES UNION ANNUAL REPORT 2016 -2017 16 LEADERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION
DELEGATES TRAINING
DURING THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR, THE SERVICES UNION’S WORKPLACE DELEGATE EDUCATION COURSES HAVE BEEN WELL ATTENDED, WITH A TOTAL OF 110 WORKPLACE DELEGATES PARTICIPATING IN A RANGE OF COURSES.
The Basic Introduction to Trade Unions course was attended by 87 Workplace Delegates – seven more than last year, and the Representing a Member course attracted 23 Workplace Delegates – 13 less than last year. The total number of participants included; 55 from regional areas, 10 more than last year Courses were run in Gladstone, Rockhampton and Townsville and Brisbane.
Fifty per cent of trainees were from regional areas. This is an increase from 37 per cent last year. Feedback from Workplace Delegates remains very positive, with a high degree of satisfaction expressed in their evaluations of the courses. Ninety-seven per cent of Workplace Delegates trained in this financial year rated their overall course satisfaction as Excellent or Very Good.
INTRODUCTION TO TRADE UNIONS
OVERALL NEW WORKPLACE DELEGATES REPORT THAT THEY FEEL MORE CONFIDENT IN THEIR ROLES AND ABILITY TO APPROACH MEMBERS AFTER COMPLETING TRAINING COURSES. SOME OF THE COMMENTS ABOUT THE COURSE INCLUDE:
“It was an informative and engaging training. The facilitator allowed us to engage with each other which assisted us to expand knowledge and build relationships. I feel I have made friends as well as learned.” Kathryn Evans Mackay Regional Council
“I felt included and at ease, even when I didn’t fully understand some sections of what we were working on.” Yvonne Dowling Cairns Regional Council
“I found the course very informative and motivating for me to stop sitting on the fence and get active.” Audra Hoey Endeavour Brisbane
www.theservicesunion.com.au THE SERVICES UNION ANNUAL REPORT 2016 -2017 17 LEADERSHIP AND PARTICIPATION
REPRESENTING A MEMBER
THIS COURSE AIMS TO TEACH WORKPLACE DELEGATES HOW THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYERS ARE CONTROLLED BY LEGISLATION AND REGULATION, AND HOW EMPLOYERS’ AND EMPLOYEES’ INTERESTS DETERMINE STRATEGIES AND TACTICS TO ACHIEVE THEIR OFTEN WIDELY DIVERGENT GOALS.
More importantly, participants acquire considerable insight and practice into how to make use of the legislation to ensure that members are treated fairly at work and are able to raise issues and grievances, both individual and collective, effectively.
Comment about the course include:“Fantastic and as always got the benefit of WORKPLACE DELEGATES CAMPAIGN FOR APHEDA DURING THEIR TRAINING IN ROCKHAMPTON. networking. Best course ever!” Lucas Garretty Ergon Rockhampton
APHEDA GLOBAL JUSTICE PARTNERS APHEDA is the only Australian overseas aid agency that places workers’ rights APHEDA-UNION AID ABROAD, WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1984 and union building at the centre of its work, promoting international solidarity, AS THE OVERSEAS HUMANITARIAN AID AGENCY OF THE organising, collective bargaining, free media, training and education. AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL OF TRADE UNIONS. July – December 2016: 24 Services Union members signed up as new A total of 47 Services Union members have signed up as new APHEDA APHEDA Global Justice Partners Global Justice Partners during the last financial year, helping to promote our movement, our values and our solidarity. Members also took action for January – June 2017: 23 Services Union members signed up as new APHEDA APHEDA’s campaign to eradicate asbestos. Global Justice Partners.
DELEGATE OF THE YEAR - DES JACKSON
THE DELEGATE OF THE YEAR AWARD WAS PRESENTED TO DES These papers are being considered within the merger groups and may result JACKSON. DES HAS BEEN A MEMBER OF THE SERVICES UNION in changes that will affect the Distribution business for years to come! Despite FOR FIVE YEARS, AND BECAME A WORKPLACE DELEGATE IN his comparative short time as a Workplace Delegate, Des has achieved a lot SEPTEMBER 2015. for our members within his workplace, as well as our members industry wide. He has increased membership within his workplace and works closely with our Since taking on the role as Workplace Delegate, he has been very active other Workplace Delegates in Cairns. within his workplace. He has developed a strong relationship with other local Workplace Delegates from our Union, as well as the other unions who are part of the Single Bargaining Unit. Des was also instrumental in getting a consultative forum implemented within his business unit, which has been used to drive some important change in his workplace.
Des has a wealth of knowledge around renewable energy, and has been a very important part of the team which has developed our Union’s position around renewable energy. He has represented our Union at a National Energy Summit, and is also our Delegate in the ASU’s National Energy Industrial Division Committee.
SECRETARY NEIL HENDERSON, .ENERGY SUPER NATIONAL MANAGER STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS
He has written position papers concerning renewable energy and operating ROBERTA ALBRECHT, DELEGATE OF THE YEAR DES JACKSON AND models for the new Energy Queensland entity. EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT JENNIFER THOMAS.
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SECRETARY NEIL HENDERSON WITH INDUSTRIAL OFFICERS CHRIS MURRAY AND MICHELLE COWAN.
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RIGHTS AND REPRESENTATION
SERVICES CONNECT
Services Connect is our Union’s centralised member service, handling member enquiries.
Services Connect provides our members with telephone industrial advice, as well as ongoing industrial advocacy and representation.
The types of issues that are dealt with by Services Connect are vast and varied and include advice regarding worker entitlements, as well as more complex matters such as workplace harassment, unfair dismissal and workers’ compensation.
In the period 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 Services Connect opened 2759 cases and closed 2222. During this period, our work has recovered over $1,032, 430 for our members.
Monies “recovered” include all money which the Union has been able to recoup which involved our Union making a claim, (but does not include guaranteed entitlements such as annual and long service leave) unless these were in dispute.
The Services Union Referrals 1 July 2016 to 30 June 2017 No. of Files UNION LAW Area of Law Referrals Opened Commercial 2 0 Our Union has also continued to provide our Conveyancing 4 0 Criminal 2 1 Union Law service. Employment 18 0 Family 13 0 Personal Through this service, our members are entitled to a referral to Hall Payne Injury/Workers Lawyers for a free consultation on any non workplace legal issue. Workplace Compensation 32 0 issues are primarily handled in Services Connect before any referral to Hall Wills 106 0 Payne. Total 177
The types of issues that members have sought advice on include, personal injury and common law workers’ compensation claims, family law, property and insurance, as well as some very interesting questions in other areas of law. Further engagement of the Union Law service beyond the initial consultation is at the member’s own cost.
Members are also able to obtain a simple will, free of charge. This feature of the Union Law service is frequently accessed by our members. In the last financial year, 177 referrals were made through our Union law service.
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EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT
JENNIFER THOMAS (MIDDLE)
LEADS A DELEGATION OF SOCIAL AND
COMMUNITY WORKPLACE DELEGATES
LOBBYING FOR INVESTMENT IN
FRONTLINE SERVICES.
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TARGETED ACTIONS WOMEN
WE WON’T WAIT CAMPAIGN
THE SERVICES UNION HAS BEEN AT THE HELM LOBBYING THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS TO PROVIDE UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO PAID DOMESTIC AND FAMILY VIOLENCE LEAVE (DFVL), THROUGH THE ‘WE WON’T WAIT’ CAMPAIGN.
Our Union participated in a Day of Action on 14 November 2016, to campaign for DFVL Leave to become a National Employment Standard. This action coincided with the Fair Work Commission (FWC) proceedings to consider the proposal made by the union movement to insert a DFVL clause into all modern awards.
As part of this day, our Union held an event at Energy Queensland, an organisation which has taken a lead in this space – already providing a minimum 10 days paid DFVL.
During November and December 2016, our Union also participated in the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, - an International Campaign. The 16 Days of Activism for our Union started on 25 November 2016 with a White Ribbon Day joint event with Energy Queensland in Rockhampton and Townsville. Throughout this period, members of The Services Union across all industries participated in various visibility actions across Queensland.
On 8 December 2016, Workplace Delegates from a range of frontline services met with the Queensland Minister for Communities, Women and Youth, Minister for Child Safety and Minister for the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Hon. Shannon Fentiman MP and Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations Minister for Racing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs, the Hon. Grace Grace MP, pushing for DFVL to be raised at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG ) meeting on Tuesday 9 December 2016. A promise Ministers’ Fentiman and Grace kept!
The Queensland Government showed its commitment to addressing Domestic and Family Violence by accepting all 140 recommendations of the ‘Queensland Special Taskforce Report, Not Now, Not Ever: Putting an End to Domestic and Family Violence in Queensland’ Report. This included the establishment of 10 days paid DFVL and a range of innovative best practice supports, which was passed in the new Industrial Relations Bill 2016. Queensland is the first state with legislated DFVL arrangements.
On 13 December 2016 Workplace Delegates from Refuges, Tenants Queensland, Working Women Queensland and Children By Choice continued to advocate for a universal entitlement for DFVL at a Federal level! Workplace Delegates had the opportunity to meet with the Hon. Brendan O’Connor MP, Federal Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Terri Butler MP, Shadow Assistant Minister for Family Violence and Child Safety to ask them to support our Campaign. Shadow Minister O’Connor welcomed the opportunity to meet with our members and to get a better understanding about what workplace support is needed in a comprehensive legislative framework to deal with domestic violence.
This was followed up with further lobbying by Social and Community Sector Workplace Delegates in March 2017.
Our Union along with the Queensland Council of Unions and The Queensland Nurses and Midwives Union hosted free information and training sessions to help raise awareness about domestic and family violence as a workplace issue. Workplace Delegates also met again with State Ministers and representatives at a Round Table follow up Conference in May 2017.
Our Union sustained the push for the inclusion of DFVL through the Federal Review of Industry Awards. However, Fair Work Australia (FWA) rejected our submissions despite seeing the value of DFVL in assisting those experiencing trauma. Our Union is continuing our We Won’t Wait Campaign and working with the ACTU to Change The Rules to achieve universal DFVL for every worker in Australia.
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WOMEN
emma miller award - THE SERVICES UNION’S VICE PRESIDENT FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT, KATE COTTER (PICTURED), WAS THE MUCH DESERVED RECIPIENT OF OUR UNION’S EMMA MILLER AWARD FOR 2016.
Emma Miller was a strong advocate for workers and women’s rights in Queensland. She contributed to the political and social changes which took place during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, notably the first vote for women in a Federal Election in 1903.
Kate has carried on Emma Miller’s legacy in her role as Workplace Delegate and member of our Union’s Branch Executive. For years, Kate has been a relentless advocate for ensuring the voices of our members working in Local Government are heard. One her most recent acts was representing all Local Government workers at the Finance and Administration Committee during the debates regarding the Industrial Relations (Restoring Fairness) Bill 2015.
Kate said she was truly honoured to be the 2016 recipient. “Whilst it is great having my contributions to the Union Movement and fight to improve workers’ rights recognised, it is even greater to know that this Award helps to SECRETARY NEIL HENDERSON AND EMMA MILLER AWARDEE KATE COTTER. raise awareness of women in the workforce and advocate against the inequalities they experience, “ Kate said.
anna stewart memorial project 2016 - THE SERVICES UNION HOSTED THREE PASSIONATE UNION WOMEN THIS YEAR AS PART OF THE ANNA STEWART MEMORIAL PROJECT.
Members of The Services Union, Kelly Fiedler and Dianne Hannant and CFMEU member Hayley Guinnane spent a week with our Union experiencing time on the road with organisers, sitting in negotiations with Industrial Officers and taking part in the daily running of our Union office.
Dianne said she met a wonderful group of women, all passionate about making a difference in their workplaces and for their work colleagues. “I experienced walking beside union Organisers and Industrial Officers as they dealt with the everyday issues their members faced, and the ones our Union faces everyday through social and legislative changes, as they source the correct responses, actions and outcomes for each case,” Dianne said.
In 2017, we were able to offer Kelly Fiedler employment as an Industrial Officer which she accepted. KELLY FIEDLER (LEFT) AND DIANNE HANNANT.
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WOMEN
Community Sector Delegate Placement- IN EARLY 2017, WORKPLACE DELEGATE ROSEMARY LARKIN COMPLETED A PLACEMENT IN OUR UNION’S BRISBANE OFFICE, WHERE SHE WORKED AS AN ORGANISER VISITING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SERVICES IN SOUTH EAST QUEENSLAND.
As a frontline worker, Rosemary mainly visited refuge sites for women and children, which are very difficult for our Union to gain access to, for obvious reasons.
In three weeks, she visited 123 workers, got 80 to fill out our Portable Entitlements Survey and signed up 11 new members to our Union. This is a wonderful outcome! The results Rosemary achieved will now hopefully help to further grow our Union in this important part of the Social and Community Services Industry.
ROSEMARY LARKIN (FAR LEFT) CONNECT WITH WORKERS IN FRONTLINE
Rosemary explained she was made to feel very welcome in the workplaces COMMUNITY SERVICES. she visited.
“I had interesting discussions about the various benefits of being part of our Union,” Rosemary explained. “As a predominately female work environment, (except for men’s behavioural programmes) we discussed the gender difference between investing in our sector compared to male dominated work sites and union membership.”
Rosemary was also able to explain to workers the specific industry benefit of becoming a member, which is how our Union invests time and effort in political lobbying and campaigning to ensure the sustainability of frontline services for local communities and long term jobs for members.
MEMBERS HOLD A READ ROSE RALLY IN MACKAY IN NOVEMBER 2016.
Red Rose Rallies - MEMBERS OF THE SERVICES UNION CONTINUED TO BE ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN ATTENDING RED ROSE RALLIES ACROSS THE STATE AS A MARK OF RESPECT FOR WOMEN WHO HAVE DIED AS A RESULT OF VIOLENCE BY MEN.
Our Union proudly supports members working in front line domestic and family violence services and is a leader in pursuing Domestic and Family Violence Leave as National Employment Standard in all Australian workplaces.
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YOUTH
THE SERVICES UNION MOVES FORWARD WITH ITS YOUTH OBJECTIVES
OUR VICE PRESIDENT (VP) FOR YOUTH, RITA FITTON TOOK UP AN HESTA SUPERANNUATION NIGHT - Our Union hosted our first EXCITING JOB OPPORTUNITY INTERSTATE AND STEPPED DOWN networking night for student members with our partner industry super fund, AS VP FOR OUR UNION ON 19 APRIL 2017. HESTA on 23 May 2017. The purpose of the event was to provide students with some practical advice and strategies they can implement now to maximise Rita is a brilliant campaigner and social justice advocate, who has been part their quality of life when they retire. of The Services Union for the last four years. Rita was instrumental in the success of our student strategy and organised information events and BBQ lunches for students studying Social Work at various Universities and Queensland TAFEs. Our Union would like to acknowledge Rita for her work with our Union.
Dominic Hale was elected as the new Youth VP on 26 May 2017.
UNIVERSITY/TAFE STRATEGY - Our Union has recruited 30 new student members over the past financial year bringing our total student membership to 231 members. This is a growth of 24 student members from the previous financial year.
In November 2016, our Executive expanded services available to our student members by including the following: • Access to Union Law e.g.. conveyancing, family law and criminal law; • Industrial services: review of individual members’ contracts, particularly HESTA MEMBER EDUCATION MANAGER LINDA FAIRWEATHER when being asked to renew; and AND YOUTH YP DOMINIC HALE. • Networking Nights (free entry to paid events).
STUDENT BURSARIES - EACH YEAR OUR UNION AWARDS STUDENT BURSARIES (TO CHILDREN OF OUR MEMBERS) AS PART OF OUR COMMITMENT TO THE BROADER COMMUNITY.
This year the bursaries were awarded to two students: Sabrina Hossain (daughter of member, Iqbal Hossain) and Matthew Gaskell (son of Greg Gaskell).
Sabrina is currently studying a Bachelor of Medical Science at Griffith University and will proceed to a Doctor of Medicine. Matthew is studying a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery at James Cook University.
Sabrina said; “The Bursary has helped me and my parents financially. Considering the supplementary charges associated with university, the Bursary has helped relieved this burden.”
Matthew said; “Finances were short at the time and winning the Bursary gave much needed financial support for me and my family.” SECRETARY NEIL HENDERSON WITH MEMBER GREG GASKELL.
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PARTICIPATING IN OUR COMMUNITIES
THE SERVICES UNION CONTINUES TO BE ACTIVE AND VISIBLE IN QUEENSLAND COMMUNITIES
labour day
Widespread anger over cuts to penalty rates and increasing risks to workplace safety, as well as renewed attacks on wages and conditions through federal laws, ensured that the Labour Day Celebrations across Queensland attracted thousands of union members and the biggest contingent of members from The Services Union, ever.
LEAD ORGANISER FOR THE QUEENSLAND COMMUNITY ALLIANCE, DAVE COPEMAN AND
ASSEMBLY OFFICER AND WORKPLACE DELEGATE, MARK TAYLOR.. LABOUR DAY IN GLADSTONE.
queensland community alliance - WE CONTINUED at the Forum which looked at the impact on the wellbeing and life outcomes OUR SUPPORT OF THE QUEENSLAND COMMUNITY ALLIANCE for workers. THIS YEAR. The Alliance has continued to focus on initiatives in Logan and Ipswich. In Our Union participated in a one day policy forum on 30 November 2016 February 2017, Minister for Health and Ambulance Services the Hon. entitled Consumer Directed Care – Now and Into The Future. Cameron Dick MP, announced $270,000 in funding over two years for better mental health services for the Ipswich community. The Forum has been established out of the Alliance’s partnerships and was led by representatives from organisations such as Centacare, Queensland Council In March, the Alliance held a Discernment Assembly at Coorparoo Secondary of Social Services, UnitingCare Queensland and The Services Union. College in Brisbane where 342 Alliance members from 26 organisations came together to discuss the issues of care for the elderly, people with disabilities The Forum examined the impacts and implications for consumers and those and with mental illness, as well as what is needed regarding employment and working in human services now and into the future. It also focused on the way training for South East Queensland. people get the support they need. This is important for our members working in the Social and Community Sector, especially with the roll out of the National In May 2017, the Alliance held its Logan Assembly at the St. Maximilian Disability Scheme (NDIS), which our Union has been heavily involved with. Kolbe Church where over 200 people attended. Deputy Premier, Minister for Transport and Minister for Infrastructure and Planning, Jackie Trad MP attended, Executive President of The Services Union, Jennifer Thomas gave a presentation committing to launching a Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) trial in Logan.
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Unions for Refugees - THE SERVICES UNION IS AN AFFILIATE OF THE QUEENSLAND COUNCIL OF UNIONS AND SUPPORTS THEIR CAMPAIGNS.
The Queensland Council of Unions – Unions For Refugees was officially launched at the start of 2017.
Becoming a part of the community network that is advocating for the rights of people seeking asylum, has been the focused work of the Unions For Refugees Committee.
WORKPLACE DELEGATE AND UNIONS FOR REFUGEES COMMITTEE MEMBER TONY
The Services Union is currently on the Committee, run by the Queensland ROBERTSON, BOARD DIRECTOR OF WORLD WELLNESS GROUP RITA PRASAD-ILDES AND Council of Unions (QCU). Members Barb Crossing, Sian Tooker, Michelle WORKPLACE DELEGATE AND UNIONS FOR REFUGEES COMMITTEE MEMBER McDonald and Tony Robertson, along with Kelly Fiedler and Belinda Hogan- SIAN TOOKER. Collis from our Union’s office, are members of the Committee.
work and welcome program - THE SERVICES UNION IS A PROUD COLLABORATOR AND SUPPORTER OF MULTICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA’S (MDA) WORK AND WELCOME PROGRAM, WHICH PROVIDES JOB PLACEMENTS FOR REFUGEES.
Our Union office in Brisbane has provided a workplace placement to Frozan Sadat starting on 20 March 2017.
Frozan said, “I proudly took the opportunity to work in the Union Office. The Services Union has values that align with what I believe in, which is to stand up and support others. I have learned new skills in administration and I have enjoyed working with the staff.” SECRETARY NEIL HENDERSON, FROZAN SADAT AND
EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT JENNIFER THOMAS. Members of The Services Union also participated in the 2017 Lantern Parade supporting our members at MDA.
Labor Enabled - Our Union is proud to be the patron union for Labor Enabled. Labor Enabled gives a voice for those members with a disability, who care for people with disabilities or work with them in the Social and Community Sector. Our Union participated in the very first Labor Enabled Conference on 25 June 2017. We support people with a disability having self-determination and a political voice.
Australian Unions - Our Union continued to support campaigns run by the Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) over the past 12 months. Campaigns include: Save Our Weekend, National Anti-Corruption Commission Campaign, Stop Turnbull’s PaTH to Poverty, Dump Corporate Tax Cuts Campaign, Paid Parental Leave and more recently Change The Rules. Members have participated in social media actions and national rallies for all campaigns.
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GLAM - GLAM IS THE OFFICIAL CAUCUS OF THE AUSTRALIAN WORKPLACE DELEGATES SHOW SUPPORT ON THE IDAHOT. SERVICES UNION FOR LGBTIQ+ MEMBERS, ESTABLISHED IN 1998. TRACEY COOREY, DARCI WANAMAKER AND THOMAS PARER ARE THE NEW GLAM COORDINATORS FOR OUR BRANCH.
Unions have a strong history of fighting for equal justice, and our Union believes in equal rights for all Australians. This includes marriage equality and the removal of discrimination and harassment in the workplace, relating to sexual orientation or gender identity. Members of our Union participated in a solidarity action on the 2017 International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT).
MEMBERS FROM MULTICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT AUSTRALIA SHOW THEIR SOLIDARITY ON THE INTERNATIONAL DAY
AGAINST HOMOPHOBIA, TRANSPHOBIA AND BIPHOBIA.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship
Jayde Hagger (pictured below) who started her Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Traineeship in October 2016, continued to work in our Union’s Brisbane Office. Jayde Hagger started work as a Trainee Administration Assistant. She has completed a Certificate Three Business and has almost completed a Certificate Four Business. Jayde has worked in with the finance, membership, administration teams of our Union’s office. She has also recently started working with the Metro Organising Team.
FROM BACK LEFT: ORGANISER JEANINE ORZANI, VP FOR NQ C&A LORRAINE
WALTER, DULCIE THAIDAY AND BRANCH PRESIDENT LINDY HENSON.
1957 palm island strike
Branch President Lindy Henson, Vice President for the North Queensland Clerical and Administrative Industry and Organiser and Secretary of the Townsville Branch of the Queensland Council of Unions, Jeanine Orzani visited Palm Island to honour and recognise seven men (Willie Thaiday, Albert Geia, Eric Lymburner, Sonny Sibley, Bill Congoo, George Watson and Gordon Tapau), who led a strike for human rights sixty years ago, in June 1957. Lindy said, “I was proud to be part of the celebrations for those seven courageous men who stood up and said this is enough. These men stood up for the rights of indigenous people and since many workers have followed in their footsteps.”
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ELECTED EMPLOYEES OF REPRESENTATIVE OUR UNION STRUCTURES
EXECUTIVE ELECTED OFFICIALS Neil Henderson - Secretary Penelope (Penny) CARR - Vice President Social and Community Services Sector Jennifer Thomas - Executive President Tehanne DENHAM-JARVIS - Vice-President Rail Peter DUFFY - Treasurer LEAD ORGANISERS Margaret (Marg) EVANS - Vice President Brisbane City Council Justine Moran - Development Coordinator Daniel (Danny) Reeves - GOC Lead Organiser Ken FELTHAM - Vice President Energy Benjamin (Ben) Jones - Local Government Lead Organiser Rita FITTON - Vice President Youth (02/03/2015 to 19/04/2017) Rebecca Girard - Lead Industrial Officer Dominic HALE - Vice President Youth (elected 26/05/2017) Zachary (Zach) Walsh - Growth and Retention Lead Neil HENDERSON - Secretary Lynette (Lindy) HENSON - President SENIOR INDUSTRIAL OFFICERS Kathleen (Kate) MACDONALD - Vice President Local Authorities Tammy Gaze, Michelle Robertson, Tneka Springett Debbie MCDONALD - Vice-President Ports and Private Sector Veronica (Ronnee) MEACHEN - Deputy President, Vice-President Women INDUSTRIAL OFFICERS Marianne RYAN - Vice-President Local Authorities Michelle Cowan, Kelly Fiedler, Christopher (Chris) Murray, Jennifer THOMAS - Assistant Secretary Thomas Parer Lorraine WALTER - Vice-President North Queensland Clerical and Administrative ORGANISERS BOARDS AND COMMITTEES Trent Abberfield, Anthony (Tony) Austin, Tracey Coorey, Anna Herzog Chiara Millard, Madeline (Maddie) McGinnity, Stuart Maggs, Christopher (Chris McJannett), Sian O’Callaghan, James (Jim) Oliver Neil Henderson - Jeanine Orzani, Jaqueline (Jacqui) Pedersen, Darci Wanamaker Australian Services Union National Executive Jeremy Young Australian Labor Party/Qld Administration Committee Australian Labor Party Electoral College (Queensland Branch) RETENTION AND GROWTH ORGANISERS Queensland Council of Unions Executive Toni Green, Amy Johnson Union Shopper Management Committee EXECUTIVE SUPPORT Jennifer Thomas - Jane Grey - Office Admin Manager Belinda Hogan-Collis - Media and Communications Officer Australian Services Union National Executive Holly Patterson - Trainer Australian Labor Party Electoral College (Queensland Branch) Queensland Council of Unions Vice President FINANCE TEAM Jobs Queesland Cary Pollock - Finance and General Administration Coordinator Jocelyn Joyce - Finance and Administration Officer
TRUSTEE OF SUPERANNUATION ENTITY GENERAL ADMINISTRATION TEAM Debbie Draper, Jayde Hagger (Trainee), Mary Maddocks Officers who are a trustee of a superannuation scheme/directors of company who is trustee of superannuation entity: OPERATIONAL ADMINISTRATION TEAM Karen Davies, Vicki Kennard David Smith, Director of ESI Superannuation. CLEANER Peter Duffy, Director of ESI Superannuation. (31/07/2017) Ilma Wilson
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RESIGNATION
OUR It is a requirement of our reporting that we include a statement regarding how members may resign from the union. This matter is covered by the union’s rules. Rule 32 states FINANCES 32 - Resignation a. A member may resign membership of the Union by written notice addressed and delivered to the Secretary. AND b. A notice of resignation takes effect: i. where the member ceases to be eligible for membership of the Union: 1. on the day on which the notice is received; or 2. the day specified in the notice, which is a day not earlier than the day when the member ceases to be eligible to become a member; whichever is the later; or GOVERNANCE ii. in any other case: 1. at the end of 2 weeks after the notice is received; or Sound governance remains the highest priority of Our Union. 2. on the day specified in the notice; whichever is the later. At a time when the financial performance and behaviour of Unions is under the c. Notice of resignation shall be addressed to microscope, Our Union is determined to ensure members have the utmost confidence, the Secretary and delivered to that officer. The Services Union is run according to proper management and accounting principles d. Any member resigning shall be liable for the payment of all subscriptions, fines and levies whilst complying with all legal requirements. owing to the Union under these Rules at the date of leaving, and such monies may be sued for These requirements are set out in the Industrial Relations Act (Queensland) and Regulations and recovered in the name of the Union. for the Queensland Services Industrial Union of Employees and the Fair Work (Registered e. Any subscription paid by a member in respect Organisations ) Act and Regulations for the Australian Municipal, Administrative and of a period beyond the end of the quarter in Clerical Services Union Queensland Services and Northern Administrative Branch. which the member's notice of resignation expires shall be remitted to the member if so The Services Union operates in both the Queensland and the Australian industrial requested and a member who pays annual systems to ensure all our members’ rights are protected. This means however, the Union subscription by instalments shall not be liable must comply with two systems of regulation which are similar, but not the same. to pay any instalment for any period after the end of the quarter in which the member's notice of resignation expires and a member All officers of The Services Union who hold positions in either the State Union or the who resigns where the member ceased to be Federal Union have participated in training required under legislation. eligible to become a member of the Union as hereinbefore mentioned shall be entitled to the The financial accounts of both entities are audited annually in accordance with the same remission. requirements of the legislation and general audit principles. f. A notice delivered to the Secretary shall be taken to have been received by the Union when The audited financial reports for both entities can be found on the Services Union it was delivered. website (www.theservicesunion.com.au) under Governance. The website also publishes g. A notice of resignation that has been received the returns which must be published as a requirement of legislation. by the Union is not invalid because it was not addressed and delivered to the Secretary. These returns contain details of the highest paid officers of the Union and any interests h. A resignation from membership of the Union is valid, even if not affected in accordance with (of these officers) which are required to be published. sub-clauses a. to g. of this Rule, if the member is informed in writing by or on behalf of the Details of the financial operations of the national union - the Australian Municipal, Union, that the resignation has been accepted. Administrative and Clerical Services Union can be found on the national website i. A member on leaving the Union after (www.asu.asn.au). compliance with this Rule shall be entitled, on written application to the Secretary of the Rules of the national union and the Queensland Services Industrial Union of Employees member's, to a clearance certificate in the can be found on the national website. prescribed form.
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LIFE MEMBERS
BEING AWARDED LIFE MEMBERSHIP OF OUR UNION IS A HIGH HONOUR. IT ACKNOWLEDGES BOTH LENGTH OF SERVICE AND OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION MADE BY INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS IN 2016. THE COUNCIL AWARDED LIFE MEMBERSHIP TO SIX DESERVING MEMBERS; TOM GLOWKA, DEBORAH HOOGERDYK, PAT KEIM, DAVID MILLIKEN, RICHARD TARNAWSKI AND GARY WAIN.
CONGRATULATIONS.
OUR PARTNERS
This year, our Union has continued to work with our key partners Hall Payne Lawyers, Energy Super, HESTA Super Fund, Teachers Union
Health (TUH), and Union Shopper.
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www.theservicesunion.com.au ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13
www.theservicesunion.com.au