There are a number of upcoming meetings planned by Unions NSW to discuss the campaign ahead and how to respond to the NSW Liberal Government's historic attack on the NSW public sector. Try and attend these meetings if you can - and while you're at it, propose our model resolution. Help show our unions that strong action is needed to ensure O'Farrell's attack does not become the start of a new, sneakier, Work Choices - and that we're behind them all the way.
Click here for our model resolution.
Further details on the upcoming delegates meetings can be found in the tab at the top of the page.
Monday, 27 June 2011
Need a conversation starter? Use our petition!
Starting a conversation with someone about a workplace (or a union!) issue can be daunting - especially if its your first time. But don't worry - if you're angry about the NSW government taking away your pay and conditions, it's a fair bet your workmates are as well. So we've designed a petition that you can use to start a conversation about O'Farrell's attack on the public sector in your workplace.
We reckon that unless we get active in our workplaces and communities and talk to people about why these laws need to go, we're going to find it increasingly difficult to commit this Government, or any other future NSW government, to stop their attack on the public service of our state.
In order to keep the pressure on the Government (as well as our own union leadership) we need to ensure that the next rally - scheduled for early August - is massive.
To make this happen, the NSW Union Activists' are calling for our unions (and Unions NSW, the peak union body in NSW) to support the call for a state-wide 24 hour stoppage of all public sector workers.
A 24 hour stoppage provides the cover for public sector workers such as teachers and bus drivers - who have a care of duty responsibility for school students - to stop work and participate in union demonstrations around the state.
You can start the conversation in your workplace by downloading a copy of the petition (.pdf) here.
And don't forget to share your experiences by commenting on this post - we'd especially like to hear from those who've spoken to a colleague for the first time, and have their signature to show for it!
We reckon that unless we get active in our workplaces and communities and talk to people about why these laws need to go, we're going to find it increasingly difficult to commit this Government, or any other future NSW government, to stop their attack on the public service of our state.
In order to keep the pressure on the Government (as well as our own union leadership) we need to ensure that the next rally - scheduled for early August - is massive.
To make this happen, the NSW Union Activists' are calling for our unions (and Unions NSW, the peak union body in NSW) to support the call for a state-wide 24 hour stoppage of all public sector workers.
A 24 hour stoppage provides the cover for public sector workers such as teachers and bus drivers - who have a care of duty responsibility for school students - to stop work and participate in union demonstrations around the state.
You can start the conversation in your workplace by downloading a copy of the petition (.pdf) here.
And don't forget to share your experiences by commenting on this post - we'd especially like to hear from those who've spoken to a colleague for the first time, and have their signature to show for it!
SMH: O'Farrell's new wage law tested
Sean Nicholls
June 27, 2011
THE Public Service Association has launched the first challenge to the O'Farrell government's new industrial relations laws which overhaul how the wages of public servants including nurses, teachers and firefighters are set.
The PSA, which represents about 100,000 NSW public servants, has told the Industrial Relations Commission it will challenge the validity of the legislation and also the regulation that outlines the government's new wages policy.
The policy says that pay rises above 2.5 per cent will only be paid after they are offset by savings such as changes to penalty rates, overtime and carer's leave.
The president of the commission, Justice Roger Boland, said the challenge would go before the full bench in August.
On Thursday, counsel for the PSA, Adam Hatcher, SC, told the commission the union was not prepared to trade off conditions of employment to achieve a pay rise above 2.5 per cent.
He said the PSA intended to argue that both the legislation and the regulation containing the policy were invalid.
The general secretary of the PSA, John Cahill, said the union would argue that the new laws undermined the independence of the Industrial Relations Commission because it required it to strictly abide by government wages policy. He said the policy forced the PSA into a situation where it was ''effectively trading off employment conditions or the loss of jobs''.
Legal advice commissioned by the NSW Police Association from the barristers Arthur Moses, SC, and Yaseen Shariff found that it was arguable that the change forced upon the commission would be unconstitutional.
The Greens MP David Shoebridge said the party would move to have the regulation disallowed when parliament resumes.
The PSA, which represents about 100,000 NSW public servants, has told the Industrial Relations Commission it will challenge the validity of the legislation and also the regulation that outlines the government's new wages policy.
The policy says that pay rises above 2.5 per cent will only be paid after they are offset by savings such as changes to penalty rates, overtime and carer's leave.
Advertisement: Story continues below
The legislation requires the Industrial Relations Commission to abide by the wages policy in setting new awards.The president of the commission, Justice Roger Boland, said the challenge would go before the full bench in August.
On Thursday, counsel for the PSA, Adam Hatcher, SC, told the commission the union was not prepared to trade off conditions of employment to achieve a pay rise above 2.5 per cent.
He said the PSA intended to argue that both the legislation and the regulation containing the policy were invalid.
The general secretary of the PSA, John Cahill, said the union would argue that the new laws undermined the independence of the Industrial Relations Commission because it required it to strictly abide by government wages policy. He said the policy forced the PSA into a situation where it was ''effectively trading off employment conditions or the loss of jobs''.
Legal advice commissioned by the NSW Police Association from the barristers Arthur Moses, SC, and Yaseen Shariff found that it was arguable that the change forced upon the commission would be unconstitutional.
The Greens MP David Shoebridge said the party would move to have the regulation disallowed when parliament resumes.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/ofarrells-new-wage-law-tested-20110626-1glsw.html#ixzz1QRkYsxJ9
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)