Well, we had to say something …

 

Over the years we have printed side-by-side comparisons of Government and Opposition policies so that members know what the alternatives think about important things like local government and what should happen to it, what should happen to planning, and who thinks you should have an independent umpire in industrial relations and who thinks you shouldn't.

This time we won’t. But if you're struggling to work out who to vote for, and if you're looking for a single issue to make your mind up and that single issue is whether you'll be safe and secure or at work, then you have a clear choice.

Today's Sydney Morning Herald reported that the most important New South Wales election consideration was industrial relations. Described in the Herald as "a warning to the Howard Government … a Herald/ACNeilson poll of 1878 NSW voters conducted on Tuesday and Wednesday nights disputes the long-held assumption that state elections are decided on State issues alone."

The poll had found that Federal industrial relations laws were the issue of most concern in tomorrow's State election. 18% of those surveyed listed industrial relations as the most important issue, followed by health, which was cited by 15% of voters, followed by education with 14%.

Most councils are still treading water and wondering whether they are trading corporations (and therefore picked up by WorkChoices) or whether they can remain safely in the New South Wales industrial relations system that has worked so well for councils and employees.

Some councils are asserting that they are trading corporations and are looking forward to Federal Workchoices agreements and the potential horrors that could involve for everyone working at those councils.

We keep urging councils to sign referral agreement and keep their industrial relations safely under the control of the New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission. This is the system that manages industrial disputes in a way denied to the Federal Industrial Relations Commission by the anti-employee WorkChoices legislation. It's the system that allows us to file disputes about issues that can't be dealt with in a Federal system (like leaseback cars, for example) and that can't even be incorporated in Federal agreements.

And it's the New South Wales system that believes in those proper safety nets and protections that the Howard Government specifically wanted removed from the Federal system.

While it's true that we get our opportunity to vote on Federal issues later in the year (and some of us can't wait), the two major parties have made it clear that they have quite different attitudes to the New South Wales Industrial Relations Commission.

The NSW Government will keep the New South Wales system operating and we will retain our access to it. The New South Wales Opposition will shut it down and all those New South Wales employees currently protected by it and with access to it, will end up in Workchoices whether they like it or not.

If all you care about tomorrow is protection of your rights at work, then the choice is clear. It's Tweedledum and not Tweedledumber.

Award discussions get under way (back)

The local government unions, USU, the LGEA and depa, started discussions with the Local Government Association and Shires Association on what should be in the next Local Government (State) Award on 8 March. While we don't know yet how many councils will remain covered by the Award, we know that those councils which are definitely not trading corporations will remain covered by the State Award and the New South Wales system (subject to what happens tomorrow, of course) into the future.

While the claims made on the employers relate only to salary and money amounts, most of this meeting was spent considering alternatives to WorkChoices aimed at remaining in the state system - more referral agreements, common-law deeds of agreement between unions and councils etc.

The Australian Fair Pay Commission will hand down another decision in June about an increase to follow that already provided in October 2006. Clearly it would make no sense to reach agreement on an increase to apply to the State Award until we know what is happening with the AFPC. We have already recorded our view (and it is shared with the other two unions) that if councils want to go WorkChoices, then they will have to pay the full AFPC increase of $25 to EVERYONE and then the June increase on top of that.

If councils want to go WorkChoices, that will be the price of admission.

One option which was discussed at the meeting on 8 March was the possibility of having councils, either the council or the general manager, resolving that there will be a pay increase for all staff from 1 November 2007. That's the date when employees covered by the Award would have expected the next increase.

Some councils have already agreed to do this. The General Manager at Baulkham Hills Shire Council gave an undertaking back in January that Baulkham Hills would pay everyone 3.5% from 1 November this year. Well done, Dave. Other general managers and councils can follow suit.

Bankstown Wins depa Cup (back)

Bankstown

If it's true, that it's not so much whether you win or lose that counts but how you played the game, then Liverpool was the big winner at the depa Golf Day on 9 March.

As scores were tallied in the Blackheath Golf Club after another brilliant day (check photos of the day, including the wonderful, dramatic weather on http://depa.net.au/Golf2007), the Liverpool team came to check their score. Discussing their performance hole by hole, as you would over a drink at the end of a successful round, they thought they may have written down a 3 on one hole when they should have written down a 4.

In a testimony to the honesty and honour we would all like to see in sport, they declared the proper score. Just like Adam Gilchrist does the right thing when he knows he’s out. They didn't know, of course, that their honesty would cost them the Cup and their decision to do the right thing is applauded.

The Liverpool team of Craig Squires, Owen Sargeant, Joe Vecchio and Ross Kerkham have our admiration and thanks. They will also get a special presentation of the Adam Gilchrist Award - a special trophy recognizing their admirable attitude.

Liverpool

The triumphant Bankstown team of Adam Richardson, Daniel Bushby, Peter Duncan and Gavin May earned their victory. Captained by our long-term delegate at Bankstown, Peter Duncan, theirs was a sweet victory and we will have a special presentation of the depa Cup as soon as it is engraved.

Congratulations to Bankstown (it wasn't long ago that we thought Bankstown a dreadful employer, but clearly as things have improved at Bankstown, so have their golf skills) and this means in the four years that we have run the depa Cup, it has been won by a different team each year. How good is that? That should inspire everyone for next year.

Our thanks to all those who came and filled the 25 teams and a special thanks to Futureplus Financial Services who sponsored the day. Financial planner Andrew Whelan and LGSS Fund Secretary Peter Lambert attended and played and Peter awarded the prizes.

The depa Golf Day (again sponsored by FuturePlus) will be on again next year on Friday 14 March at Blackheath.

Peter Lambert presents prizes to Jamie Loader for the Longest Drive

Going, going, gone. Woods stands down as Chair of LGSS (back)

Well, it's about time. Pursued by the unions since September to stand down as Chair consistent with the agreement he made with the USU's Brian Harris in 2001, it's been a long time coming.

But the decision of the FuturePlus Board to elect him Chair from 1 April (according to the draft minutes and thought extremely appropriate) means that he could now stand down from the Chair of LGSS.

And if you thought that he might spend his last moments as Chair gracefully leaving despite the drama of the circumstances of his departure, then you don't know Emeritus Mayor Woods like we do.

No, he spent the last 55 minutes continuing an attack on the depa Secretary as a member of the Board for what he regarded as "breaching confidentiality". It didn't matter that his anxiety was based on a clause on confidentiality in the Board Charter that had never been adopted. Nor that the information the lawyer thought might have breached confidentiality provision (that doesn't exist) and was published by us in the September Bulletin, was simply that there had been a vote which was "four all", Woods moved a motion that Robertson be removed from the Board.

And neither did it matter that while the Constitution was changed in 2003 to allow the Board to declare proceedings confidential, the Board had never done this. A bit like being an assassin, getting a gun but not actually firing it at anyone.

He later withdrew the motion and it didn't proceed but it was almost a Guantanamo Bay experience. You know, inventing a charge and pursuing someone for something that isn't actually an offence. A real George Bush moment and what a waste of his final hour chairing the meeting.

Peter Woods has made a positive contribution over a long career. What a pity he couldn't depart the Chair gracefullyand with appropriate recognition.

Have you sent your Tax File Number to the LGSS? (back)

Yes, we know this sounds really boring but changes to superannuation intended to be applied as part of the "Simpler Super" from 1 July 2007 mean that it is essential for you to have supplied your superannuation scheme with your TFN before 1 July.

It makes sense for you to do so and you can even do it over the phone. Ring FuturePlus on 8234 6000.

Kerry Hunt

President

 

Ian Robertson

Secretary