2017
ANNUAL REPORT
CONTENTS A Word from the Secretary
3
Fighting for Our Future
5
Wins 6 Highlights 19
Celebrating Our Past
28
1917 Strike 29
2007 Your Rights at Work Campaign
32
What’s Next?
Change the Rules
34
Financials 37
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A Word from the SecretaryPage 3: A Word from the Secretary In 2017 the NSW trade union movement secured significant gains for working people, increased political influence and a larger movement. A coalition of the health unions including the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association, the Health Services Union and the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation, successfully defeated the privatisation of five hospitals, saving thousands of public health jobs and securing the interests of patients. 2017 also saw Unions NSW blow the whistle on serious labour market scams. Our report on migrant exploitation and our work in the gig economy have put fairness and the defence of the minimum wage at the centre of political debate. We convinced NSW Labor to make wage theft a criminal offence. The “We Won’t Wait” campaign intensified in 2017. A delegation of members and front line workers visited Canberra to lobby politicians to support 10 days paid domestic violence leave. We hosted a national conference on paid domestic violence leave, organised demonstrations and coordinated 16 days of activism from November 25 to December 10 where 12,658 members held 130 actions across NSW. As a result, we won the support from Federal Labor to implement 10 days paid domestic violence leave in the National Employment Standards when elected. We promoted and supported many of our affiliates campaigns and actions, the marriage equality campaign and fought for the rights and services for injured workers and disabled people in NSW. In 2017 we celebrated two important anniversaries. First, we remembered and honoured the workers of the Great Strike of 1917 who staged a mass strike involving 100,000 workers, mostly in Sydney and Melbourne. Their bravery and resolve solidified the union movement and laid the foundation for a strong union presence throughout the 20th century. We also marked the 10th anniversary of the “Your Rights at Work” campaign in which we defeated the Howard government’s “WorkChoices” by ousting John Howard and effectively campaigning for rights and protections for workers. We are on the cusp of a new era for unions. As the workforce changes and evolves, so do we. I’m looking forward to the challenges and opportunities in 2018 to fight for the workers of NSW and grow the union movement so that we can protect the rights of all Australians for generations to come. Mark Morey Secretary | Unions NSW
Unions NSW Secretary, Mark Morey speaks at the May Day Rally
Unions grow 2014-2016 525,400
30,000
union members in NSW
new members
Members at-a-glance
51%
31%
20%
of Education, Training, Public Administration & Safety workers are in a union
of Professionals are union members
4
49%
$1,211 Average union member weekly salary
$1,000 Average non-member weekly salary
All data supplied by the Australian Bureau of Statistics
Fighting for Our Future
UNIONS NSW WINS
Keep NSW in a Healthy State Campaign The Hospitals in Shellharbour, Maitland, Bowral, Wyong and Goulburn will remain entirely in public hands due to the tireless efforts of the NSWNMA, HSU, ASMOF, Unions NSW and immense public pressure.
Clockwise from top left: Maitland Hospital Rally; Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey speaking at the Shellharbour Petition Debate; Damien Lee at Bowral victory celebration party; Bowral Hospital Demonstration; Goulburn Hospital Campaign Launch .
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In late 2016, the NSW Government announced plans to replace or build 5 new private hospitals in place of the existing public hospitals. We were quick to act! Unions NSW established a peak campaign and encouraged all of the health unions to work collaboratively and strategically on the campaign to stop the privatisation agenda and keep the hospitals public. The main goals and objectives were to: Engage the staff and members who were under threat at these hospitals to campaign in their communities; Find new community leaders and develop their skills in community campaigning; Convince and educate the community that the public system delivers better outcomes and the best quality care; Put pressure on the Liberal and National MPs.
Left to right: Shellharbour Hospital victory celebration; Wyong Hospital Forum
Unions NSW established organising campaign teams on the ground in each of the effected areas. The community campaign included: doorknocking, markets and street stalls at all major shopping centres, attending sporting and major events, candlelight vigils outside the hospitals, radio ads, community awareness rallies and car chalking. The next phase of the campaign included Politics in the Pub and community forums where local MPs were invited to discuss the issue with local residents. The MPs were overwhelmed by the strong community turnout to these events and the immense opposition to the proposed hospital privatisation scheme. As public pressure grew, the local Liberal MPs withdrew their support and reversed their decision to privatise any of the five threatened hospitals. This was a huge victory for the union movement and demonstrated that unions working collectively and strategically with the community can win better services and conditions for all Australians.
Update on AirTasker A landmark agreement between online job-posting platform Airtasker and Unions NSW was struck in May 2017. The agreement provides that all recommended pay rates on the site are above the Award minimum, the development of personal injury insurance, a collaborative approach to promoting safety standards and the development of a dispute resolution procedure for workers.
May 1, 2017
Airtasker and unions make landmark agreement to improve pay rates and conditions Busting the AirtaskerMyth
May 2, 2017
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Airtasker agrees to minimum working conditions for ‘gig economy’ contractors
Page 17: Marriage Equality Photos with captions
Clockwise from top left: Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey speaking at the Equality Campaign Rally, Union Pride Campaign volunteers, Union Pride phone banking, Equality campaign Rally
THE CAMPAIGN FOR10 DAYS PAID DOMESTIC VIOLENCE LEAVE
We Won’t Wait domestic violence delegation in Canberra
in the National Employment Standards intensified in 2017.
JUNE: The Fair Work Commission rejected the ACTU claim for paid domestic violence leave
10
JULY: The campaign was adopted nationally by the ACTU and all State Peak Councils. A unanimous motion was passed at NSW ALP Conference
OCTOBER: A national day of action - rallies were held in every capital city around the country.
Clockwise from top left: We Won’t Wait show of support at the NSW Labor Conference; ASU Secretary Natalie Lang speaking at the We Won’t Wait National Day of Action; ASU We Won’t Wait rally; National Day of Action demonstration
OCTOBER: A delegation visited Canberra to lobby support for 10 days paid domestic violence leave. Unions NSW hosted a national conference on paid domestic violence leave.
November 25-10 December: 16 days of activism. Unions across NSW held 130 actions with 12,658 members.
November: Federal Labor makes a commitment to introduce 10 days paid domestic violence leave in the NES when elected.
Unions NSW and volunteers campaigning in Gosford during the by-election
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Murray and Cootamundra by-election advertisement, Unions NSW and volunteers campaigning in the Bennelong by-election
AFFILIATES WINS
Clockwise from top left: IEU 88% success rate for their ballot; ETU wins a huge pay increase for their lift industry workers; MUA Seafarers Campaign; ASU campaign for front-line services with ACTU Secretary Sally McManus
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Clockwise from top left: TWU, Stop the Race to the Bottom campaign; AMIEU, successfully negotiated a large number of EBAs; Professionals Australia, Chemist Warehouse penalty rates campaign; PSA, Have a Heart Premier – campaign for disability workers
Retired Unionists and Community Union Groups, the backbone of our movement
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Clockwise from top left: AMWU won a great victory for Streets Ice Cream workers; United Voice Liquor Division, fighting to save our penality rates; CPSU won permanency for 2,000 workers and stopped the privatisation of Australian Hearing; USU won great increases in local government and domestic violence leave in a number of awards
Clockwise from top: NSWTF campaigning for investment in our children’s future; AWU’s “Can the Ban” campaign on the greyhound industry; NTEU took strike action in their EBA negotiations; Police Association won increases in staff ratios; FSU won millions of dollars in superannuation for their members
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International Day of Mourning
Two services held in the Central Coast and Sydney
International Women’s Day Unions NSW helped organise the International Women’s Day march. Around 5,000 women attended the rally in Hyde park. The rally demanded safety for women. It called for the introduction of universal access to paid domestic violence leave and condemned the Federal Government’s decision to privatise 1800 RESPECT.
Women’s Mentoring program Unions NSW launched the Women’s Mentoring program in October 2017. There are 28 women (14 mentors and mentees) from 12 different unions taking part. Unions NSW matched mentors and mentees from across the movement and provided briefings and support material. Over the year, Unions NSW will continue to guide mentors and mentees. The program is designed to foster supportive relationships between women, creating space to provide personal and professional support, discuss work challenges and achievements and develop career goals.
Top and middle photos: International Women’s Day March, Bottom photo: Kate Minter, Clea Smith and Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey attend Equal Pay Dinner
Page 30: Photos with captions SDA launches campaign against customer abuse, Workers compensation, United Voice cleaners campaign,
Clockwise from top: SDA launches No one Deserves a Serve campaign with SDA Secretary Bernie Smith; United Voice Big Steps campaign; Mark Morey speaking at the NSW Labor conference; Unions unite to abolish the ABCC
Top: Stop the War on Workers Rally; middle: Change the Rules Rally; bottom: Change the Rules campaign launch
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Sydney May Day Toast and Rally
Top left and right: Strategy meeting of the Unions NSW Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Committee; Unions NSW at O-week talking about penalty rates and minimum rates of pay
Labour Day Dinner
Raised $2,300
for the Lillian Howell Project
the money was used to purchase shoes for disadvantaged girls.
Lighting up the black market In some sections of the workforce underpayment of wages has become routine with migrant workers being affected the most. A Unions NSW audit of job advertisements in languages other than English, found the majority of employers were offering below average rates of pay.
Proportion of underpaying job ads by language:
11%
39%
78%
50%
of jobs advertised in Chinese, Korean and Spanish offered below award minimum wage.
Proportion of underpaying job ads by industry:
Hospitality 97%
Construction 62%
Enforcing Minimum Wages
Transport 56%
Retail 85%
Cleaning 65%
1. Strengthen rights for union audits and right of entry 2. Harsher penalties for businesses engaged in wage theft 3. Active policing of job advertisements
Unions NSW will release an update of the findings in 2018 and continue to work with unions, students and advocacy organisations to raise the profile of wage theft and hold companies accountable. A list of businesses engaged or believed to be engaged in wage theft are listed at www.wagethieves.com.au/wp
Clockwise from top left: Don’t sell our buses campaign (two photos); middle right: Kristina Keneally and Bill Shorten show their support for TAFE funding; bottom two photos: NSWTF fighting to save TAFE; CEPU secured a new EBA at Australia Post
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Clockwise from top left: Union Pride in the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade; Union members in the Mother’s Day Classic Run for breast cancer research; Union Pride in the Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade
A large demonstration outside NSW Parliament House during the Great Strike of 1917
Celebrating Our Past 28
“
I should not be a Member of this Parliament today if some tolerance had been extended to the men who took part in the strike of 1917. All that harsh and oppressive treatment did, as far as I was concerned, was to transform me, with the assistance of my colleagues, from an ordinary engine driver into the Prime Minister of this country. Ben Chifley, AFULE member who became a Labor Prime Minister
�
19 17 S T RI K E
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The 1917 Great Strike occurred at a time of social and political upheaval in Australia. During WWI, there were deep divisions around a narrowly defeated conscription referendum, falling wages and price inflation and Australia’s participation in a war, which was becoming unpopular as casualties mounted. The war years were starting to take their toll on rail and tram workers, who were working longer hours with reduced wages and conditions.
Reaching Boiling Point On 2nd August 1917 Randwick tram workers walked off the job in protest of the ‘card system’ imposed by management. Everleigh rail workers joined them soon after. The strike spread through the workforce of NSW and nationally, with unionists and communities uniting against the government. Over 90,000 workers were involved with demonstrations of over 100,000 people marching through Sydney. The strike ended in defeat but the bonds developed lived on. A generation of activists were born from the struggle. Workers remained on strike in defiance of government threats. Many were dismissed and if re-employed had to return at inferior positions. These workers formed a Lilywhite Association in celebration of this solidarity. They were restored to their positions by the Lang ALP government in 1925.
1917 Strike Centenary Celebrations To commemorate the 1917 Great Strike, Unions NSW organised a series of events and resources to mark this centenary. These include working with community organisations on a range of activities public events, displays and educational resources.
YR@W 10th Anniversary The Liberal Government’s WorkChoices legislation passed in 2005. It reduced unfair dismissal protections, diminished the ability for workers to strike and undermined fair workplace agreements. In 2007, we helped defeat the WorkChoices legislation and ousted Prime Minister John Howard from politics.
Your Rights at Work Campaign protest
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Celebrating tentop yearleft: anniversary of ASU; Daniel Walton, AWU; Clockwiseour from Natalie Lang, theUnions Your rights Work Campaign. NSW at Secretary Mark Morey and Salim Barbar; Unions NSW staff: Katie Summers, Natasha Flores and Kate Minter; YR@W celebration
What’s Next
The rules that made Australia fair are broken.
Inequality is at a 70-year high.
Trickle down economics has meant the rich have become richer.
Our jobs have been casualised, offshored and outsourced.
Wage growth is the lowest it’s been since records have been kept, but profits went up 40% last year.
The richest 1% of Australians own more wealth than the bottom 70% of Australians.
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Contract and office review projects Contracts Review The Contracts Control Group was established in early 2017 by Unions NSW Secretary Mark Morey to improve the way Unions NSW procures services and manages contracts. Its membership is: • • • • • •
Peter Remfrey (Chair) Catherine Bolger Thomas Costa Emma Maiden Daren McDonald (formerly) John Whelan - adviser
In 8 months and meeting monthly, the Contracts Control Group: • Reviewed and created a register of all contracts held by Unions NSW; • Commenced four and thus far completed one new procurement process with the remaining three ready to commence in partnership with Cushman Wakefield, the new Unions NSW property manager; • Reviewed the Rental Bonds and rental arrangements with all Unions NSW and Trades Hall tenants; and • Drafted a new Unions NSW Procurement Manual CCG has now sufficiently improved Unions NSW contract management and value for money such that in 2018, it will meet on a quarterly basis specifically to oversee the remaining procurement processes.
Office Review On August 8, 2017 JJ Whelan was commissioned by Unions NSW to: • Identify what, if anything, Unions NSW needs to do differently to implement our strategic plan; • Assess staffing structures and responsibilities to ensure Unions NSW can meet its objectives within the strategic plan; and • Identify the resources required to support the strategic plan including staffing resources and staff training After two months of working with staff JJ Whelan recommended that Unions NSW: 1. Recruit a new Chief Financial Officer; 2. Recruit a new Team Development Officer; 3. Clarify and strengthen the existing office structure; 4. Improve the weekly flow of meetings, internal workflows and communication; 5. Increase investment in staff development; and 6. Review and change the office layout. The Unions NSW Finance Committee was briefed on November 24, 2017. All recommendations have been approved and implementation is now underway. Together these have been significant pieces of work that are already serving to significantly improve the operations and contract management of Unions NSW.
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The Secretary expresses his thanks to all members of the CCG led so well by Peter Remfrey and Catherine Bolger.
Financials
FINANCE REPORT: Financials at a glance This report presents a summary of the financial performance of the Unions NSW group for the 2017 financial year. The consolidated financial statements for the year ended 30th June 2017 have been audited by KPMG and were adopted by the Finance and Governance Committee of Unions NSW on 24 November 2017. KPMG have issued an unqualified opinion that the consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Unions NSW as at 30 June 2017 and that its financial performance and cash flows are in accordance with accounting policies prescribed by KPMG.
Operating Income Decreased
net Operating deficit 38
0.6
%
operating costs INCREASED
-$286,596
8.7
%
Summary of Consolidated Financial Statement at 30 June 2017
2017
2016
Total Operating Income
7,081,673
7,127,445
Total Operating Costs
(7,368,269)
(6,776,444)
-286,596
351,001
investment income) Depreciation
(941,951)
(969,433)
Financial Income
250,455
518,707
Extraordinary items*
7,530,984
770,455
6,552,892
670,730
income)
Summary of Consolidated Statement of Financial Position as at 30 June 2017
2017
2016
Total Current Assets
10,627,649
12,266,334
Total Non-Current Assets
26,261,258
18,052,368
Total Assets
36,888,907
30,318,702
2,353,780
2,291,366
168,297
213,398
Total Liabilities
2,522,077
2,504,764
Net Assets
34,366,830**
27,813,938
Total Current Liabilities Total Non-Current Liabilities
*Extraordinary item gains included in the organisation’s income statement from events which are infrequent in normal operations pertaining to relevant years. In 2017 the reversal of impairment on property, plant and equipment in the Unions NSW group. In 2016 the sale of Orange and Investment shares. **This ďŹ gure includes the reversal of impairment on property, plant and equipment in the Unions NSW group shown in total comprehensive results.
2017 STAFF DIRECTORY
Secretary Mark Morey Assistant Secretaries Thomas Costa Emma Maiden Senior Campaign Officers Salim Barbar Mary Yaager Industrial Officer, Northern Region Peter McPherson Legal/Industrial Officers Sascha PeldovaMcClelland Sarah Davis
Industrial Officer WH&S and Workers Compensation Natasha Flores
Heritage Officer & Research Librarian Neale Towart Bill Pirie
Campaign Assistants Jack Boutros Katie Summers
Governance & Corporate Assurance Director Daren McDonald
Communications Director Angela Byrne Research Director Kate Minter Information & Communication Technology Manager Rod Evangelista
Finance Staff Fiona Boyd Debbie Edge Cecilia Su Administrative Staff Mary O’Donoghue Carmel Delprat Christina Dibella Rose Docwra Robyn Griffith
Telephone: (02) 9881 5999
Address:
Fax: (02) 9261 3505
Level 3, Trades Hall
Email: mail@unionsnsw.org.au
4 – 10 Goulburn Street Sydney NSW 2000