e-TU online is a e-newsletter for members and supporters who have registered their e-mail address with the union. It aims keep you informed of the latest developments within your Union. The newsletter is also available on the ETU home page @ www.etu.asn.au

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Newsletter Archives

In This Issue

1. Australian Industry Group's action to stop union meetings
2. Kraft Foods closes town
3. Food Industry Shop Stewards meeting
4. Federal Court case
5. "SET MY UNION FREE RALLY "
6. Members access to private health insurance at reduced rates
7. NHP workers win agreement
8. Tasmania - the final frontier
9. Legionnella
10. Retirement Information Night
11. Power companies attempt to sacrifice workers for profits
12. Anna Stewart memorial project
13. Power line tree clearers agreement

1. Re: Australian Industry Group's action to stop union meetings Statement
by Dean Mighell

This is not a criticism of the Federal Court of Australia or the Australian Industrial Relations Commission. Justice Merkel has in my view, heard and decided the contempt case brought against my fellow officials, Unions and myself with integrity, fairness and in accordance with the law. I accept fully the decision of the Court in finding me guilty of contempt.

In light of the Courts decision I believe that it is important to understand the reasons for the actions that led to the case before the Court.

The Workplace Relations Act was implemented by the Federal Government with the assistance of the Democrats and has proven to be an instrument to attack the most basic of workers rights; the democratic right to meet together. More importantly, it prevents workers from having a democratic say on how their working lives should be shaped.

The Australian Industry Group (AIG) used Section 127 of the Workplace Relations Act in an attempt to prevent a round of mass meetings of workers in the Victorian metals manufacturing industry occurring in November 1999.

These meetings were called by Shop Stewards from the Metal Trades Federation of Unions (MTFU) to seek the views and subsequent endorsement of key claims for the forthcoming round of enterprise bargaining due to commence in June 2000.

It is a cornerstone of democracy for workers to participate in meetings and trade unions must rely on the input and endorsement of the membership on matters relating to wages and working conditions. Courageously, some 40,000 workers in the metals manufacturing industry proceeded with their meeting to discuss and debate their future and learn from others experiences as they have done in this industry for over sixty years. It should be noted that they did not go on strike or take any industrial action as a result of these meetings.

In an act of absolute hypocrisy, the AIG saw fit to prevent manufacturing workers meeting to discuss their future, while the AIG at both State and National level had been conducting organised meetings of their member companies for some time. As part of their scheme they were to (and have) lobbied the Victorian State Government and Federal Government to support their cause. There is no penalty for this conduct as the Act only limits employee rights on matters such as these.

In addition, the AIG had amassed large fighting funds and implemented an expensive legal strategy, which included the contempt proceedings against several Unions and three individuals. There is no doubt in my mind that the contempt proceedings were initiated by the A.I.G. to coerce the Victorian Unions and Officials to withdraw from their campaign for improved wages and conditions for workers in the metals manufacturing industry. The action by the AIG against the unions has completely failed and will cost the AIG many hundreds of thousands of dollars in costs for their own legal fees in addition to the costs of the Unions who were not guilty of contempt.

AIG member companies must seriously question the direction of Bob Herbert who has wasted his members time and money on a failed attempt to prevent a legitimate meeting occurring and at the same time giving MTFU Unions a powerful motivation to ensure Campaign 2000 is a success and that workers rights are defended at any cost. The actions and statements of AIG Victorian boss Paul Fennelly, indicate he has only recently graduated from the Brian Welch School of Enterprise Bargaining. Hardly a confidence inspiring start.

Campaign 2000 will go ahead with great support from workers. It must be remembered that the MTFU Unions have a long-term view of the campaign to restore Award rights and improve conditions for manufacturing workers, particularly the thousands of workers on very low pay.

While several officials have been found guilty of contempt, it will not deter the membership or officials of Unions from making the campaign for wages in the Victorian metals manufacturing industry a success. Members should not be distracted by the contempt findings but concentrate their efforts on an effective campaign in the industry and at their enterprise that delivers decent wages and conditions for workers. Importantly, workers should seriously consider every opportunity to reduce working hours and increase leisure time in addition to the other key elements to their claim.

The MTFU Unions have called on the State Government and the AIG to discuss the future of enterprise bargaining in the Victorian metals manufacturing industry in order that wide scale industrial action may be avoided and a decent approach adopted. Despite the provocation by the AIG the MTFU offer is still in place.

I call on the Democrats to examine the use of the Workplace Relations Act that they have allowed to be imposed on Australian workers and remind them that the current Act is inconsistent with ILO convention in respect to workers rights to meet, collectively bargain and take legitimate industrial action. As the Democrats examine Reith's proposed changes to the Act as suggested by the AIG, I ask them and the ALP to uphold our international obligations and reject further undemocratic changes to an inherently bad piece of legislation.

Our case highlights that our lawmakers have failed working people and robbed them of their democratic rights and freedoms. The Courts are not to blame our politicians are.

2. Kraft Foods closes town

Kraft Foods, notorious with our members after a dispute several years ago when they contracted out maintenance workers at the Port Melbourne plant, have this time virtually closed an entire town.

The company made a decision to stop production of Kraft single cheese at Leitchville and move the production to another plant at Strathmerton.

This decision was made in a distant American city with no thought to the community of the tiny northern Victorian town of Leitchville. The plant is the only source of employment in the district. The value of workers' houses will drop to nothing overnight and they will be forced to pack up and move. The company has not even offered the redundancy package that was available at Port Melbourne.

Companies that behave like this are heartless and seem to have no concern for the workers who have given years of service to them. It may be a coincidence but the manager of the Leitchville site resigned the week before the closure announcement was made. He took up a job at Bonlac, the first bit driftwood he could grab.

The union will campaign vigorously to have this callous decision reversed.

Contact Alex McCallum on 0418 323 541 for further information.

3. Food Industry Shop Stewards meeting

Shop stewards from a range of companies including Kraft, CUB, Simplot, Tip Top, Unilever Foods, Nestle and Bonlac met at Trades Hall on June 1 to discuss strategy in relation to Campaign 2000.

They resolved to meet again before the campaign commences in the manufacturing industry and to organise meetings in Melbourne and regional areas.

Members in companies in that industry should contact their organiser for further news.

4. Reith's new anti-worker legislation

Hundreds of shop stewards and other union activists rallied to support State Secretary Dean Mighell outside the Federal Court in Melbourne twice in the past month.

Members protested about the Liberal government's plan to introduce further changes to the Workplace Relations Act. These changes include intentions to outlaw industry-wide agreements. Current legislation has even banned unions calling meetings of members.

A rally will take place on Thursday, June 15 2000 to convince the Democrats to abandon their support of Reith's third wave.

The Democrats need to know that Australians oppose Peter Reith's harsh new laws.

Members can register their disapproval of the Democrats' support on the "cyber-petition" at the ACTU web page on http://www.actu.asn.au/campaigns/thirdwave/letter.htm

5. "SET MY UNION FREE RALLY"
Thursday, June 15 @ 10:30 am Trades Hall Lygon Street Carlton

Victorian Trades Hall Council affiliates today decided unanimously to support a stop work and rally on Thursday, 15 June 2000, in response to a new wave of industrial relations laws now before the federal parliament.

VTHC Secretary, Leigh Hubbard, said he expected tens of thousands of workers to stop work on 15 June in response to Peter Reith's attempts to prohibit multi-employer or industry bargaining and to make it easier for employers to stop industrial action. "Already, the Workplace Relations Act has been criticised by the International Labour Organisation as being in breach of international conventions. Restrictions on multi-employer or industry bargaining already put us in the same league as Swaziland and Turkey. No developed country, including some of the most competitive and productive in the world, have any prohibition on multi-employer or industry bargaining. Accepted social and industrial rights such as occupational superannuation, maternity leave, sick leave and annual leave, have only been achieved by unions serving common claims across employers and across industries and then taking industrial action in support of those claims. Peter Reith's new law would make it impossible for us to achieve advances in industrial standards in the future."

Leigh Hubbard also called on the Democrats to reject the law. "This is not a law that Senator Andrew Murray can amend. This one must be rejected in its entirety. It will alter the balance between employers and employees so dramatically as to take away our ability to look after weaker and more vulnerable workers and workplaces. We think Senator Murray has been hoodwinked by Minister Reith and the Australian Industry Group, who have only introduced this law to stop the forthcoming Campaign 2000 in the metal industry in Victoria. Unfortunately, this law effects every union and every worker in the country because all unions, from those representing private school teachers through to transport workers, use pattern or multi-employer bargaining to achieve advances and parity in their industry."

Mr Hubbard said he expected all sectors of the Victorian workforce to participate in the rally on 15 June, including the public sector. "This legislation will stop nurses seeking improvements across the aged care industry or prison officers seeking common conditions across private prisons. It is far reaching legislation and fundamental to the way trade unions operate in the interests of their members."

Mr Hubbard warned the Democrats that they faced an enormous backlash from unions and workers if they supported this legislation in the Senate.

Contact: Leigh Hubbard Ph: 9662 3511

6. Members access to private health insurance at reduced rates

The ETU has secured an arrangement with a major health insurance provider - Latrobe Health Services Inc. - that allows members access to private health insurance at reduced rates.

Latrobe Health Services Inc is Victorian-based, is a registered not-for-profit organisation and has almost 50 years experience in the provision of health insurance services to workers.

ETU members can access Latrobe Health Services range of health plans and save up to 42% - a standard discount of 8%, a further 4% discount if you pay annually and another 30% discount if you use the Federal Government rebate.

For example, a person wanting to take out 100% Hospital Cover with a $250 excess could pay as much as $195.30 per month. With Latrobe Health Services an ETU member can access that Cover for $150.70 per month. That's a difference of more than $530 each year!

Providing members with access to health insurance at reduced rates is another example of the Union winning benefits for workers and their families. The ETU values the decision of a worker to be a financial member of the Union and providing health cover at outstanding rates is an example of the importance we place on members.

The choice about Private Health Insurance is just that - private, the choice is yours. What the Union has done is to secure an arrangement that provides you with a range of choices second to none.

Contact: Pat Power on 0429 365 671 for more details

7. NHP workers win agreement

After 4 months of negotiations the ETU have just completed the first union Enterprise Agreement with the Switchboard Manufacturer and component supplier NHP.

The company late last year refused right of entry to the workplace when union organiser Wes Hayes attempted to recruit the workshop staff. The company also refused to speak to the union.

After some industrial action by the construction industry, the union was able to slowly chip away at recruiting the workshop staff until they were in a position to take industrial action against the company themselves. After tense negotiations between the parties over this period, the union members were able to break the company. An agreement was signed which delivers a 15% pay increase over 2.5 years, increase in redundancy payments and protection against Peter Reith's erosion of award rights. It also maintains existing entitlements for the current staff and gets recognition for both the union and its 35 members at NHP.

Congratulations to all the members who helped out in this campaign. Your strength helped deliver another important victory for the ETU!

8. Tasmania - The final frontier

Tasmania - the final frontier. These are the voyages of Organiser Kevin Harkins. His 3 month mission: to seek out new companies and new ETU members. To boldly go where no ETU organiser has gone before. Yes, Kevin is off to Tasmania in the coming weeks to assist the ETU office down there with recruitment and enterprise agreements. After months of studying where Tasmania actually is and working out whether or not he is brave enough to tackle such a task, Kevin will at last set sail.

His help to all our ETU members will be invaluable for our branch down in Tassie and quite an experience for the bosses !!! He will be sorely missed in our Victorian office and we wish him all the best on his short expedition and hope he returns safely with some fresh scalps!!

Good Luck Slapper !!

Kevin contact Wes Hayes for further details

9. Legionnella

In recent months there has been a large media exposure to the issue of legionnella exposure at the Melbourne Aquarium. The issue relates to the mist (water droplets) drift from legionnella bacteria infected cooling towers. The legionella bacteria is an problem when it becomes airborne and is inhaled.

Legionnaires Disease is a bacterial disease which can cause pneumonia. It is not spread from person to person but is a bacteria, which is inhaled. The disease can cause a mild respiratory complaint but can also cause death.

The incubation period is between 2 and 10 days, but usually 5-6. Early symptoms can include flu-like pains and headache followed by high fever and occasionally diarrhoea and kidney failure.

The disease is usually spread from drift from the water towers, the bacteria is often concentrated in the heat exchanger, or in the slime or sludge in another part of the system.

(Extract from CMFEU HAZARD Alert)

For further information contact Allan Mulvana on 0419 132 833

10. Retirement Information Night

Making The Most of Your Retirement

If you are intending to retire in the next few years or have already retired, you could benefit from attending this free retirement seminar.

Learn how you can:

• Maximise your pension entitlement;
• Build an income stream;
• Maintain growth to beat inflation.

Date:
19th June - 7pm
Location:
ETU Geelong Office
67 Gheringhap Street,
Geelong

Date:
5th June - 7pm
Location:
ETU Melbourne Office
Cnr Swanston & Queensberry Streets
Melbourne

Bookings:
Joan Harwood
(03) 9879 5066

Bookings are essential

11. Power companies attempt to sacrifice workers for profits

On Thursday June 1 the Age reported threats by power company United Energy to cut its workforce in the face of the Regulator-General's recommended reductions to power charges. State Secretary, Dean Mighell, responded that this will not be tolerated.

"Workers are not going to pay the price for United Energy or any other company to prop up their profit levels and if United want war they'll get it," Dean said.

"The Regulator-General correctly requires an improvement in service standards which have been allowed to decline to a disgraceful standard because the companies have cut their maintenance workforce to the bone. CitiPower have cut its maintenance force from more than 400 to just 32."

"Consumers don't forget the disasters caused here and in other cities when companies run their systems into the ground and have totally inadequate maintenance with contractors who don't have the same commitment to the industry as full time workers."

"The simple facts are that companies like CitiPower, United Energy and Texas Utilities have failed to put enough money into maintaining the system to protect the public. They must be held accountable for their disgusting service to Victorians largely brought about by slashing jobs of maintenance workers who kept the system safe and reliable"

Dean said United Energy's parent company and major shareholder Utilicorp recorded record profits in 1999 and workers would not stand by and allow the company to threaten their livelihood and lower service standards.

"If these foreign owned power companies attempt to make our members (their workers) pay for the proper pricing and service standards required by the independent regulator and the people of Victoria they will do so at their own peril."

For further details: Dean Mighell 8341 5555, Mobile 0418 354 362

12. The Anna Stewart Memorial Project

Jo Devenish, ETU member reports on her recent involvement in the Anna Stewart Memorial Project.

"I recently was a participant in the Anna Stewart memorial project, a two week project for female union members to better their understanding of the union movement.

This year's project was made up of 26 women, who chose a union to go and do various field trips with, thus learning aspects of how unions operate.

As an electrician, I opted for the ETU to see the working of this union. I went to many workplaces with union organisers.

I found the course to be very beneficial to my education in EBA's, politics and unions ranging from construction to manufacturing.

A very worthwhile experience from which I've gained a lot of knowledge to take with me wherever my future goes.

Thank you ETU"

Jo Devenish

13. Power line tree clearers agreement

A mass meeting of Power line tree clearers has been called for those in the Ballarat region. It is for members employed under the VEMCO/POWERCOR contract. A further meeting will be set down for other members in the industry later.

Venue:
Ballarat Trades Hall

Date:
14/06/2000

Time:
10:00 am

1. Event dates are subject to change. Check with your organiser or local office.

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