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Hume Tennis and Community Centre manager Tim Connelly (front) and his team Daniel Massa, and Kale Nairn. (Damjan Janevski) 370180_03
Hume Tennis and Community Centre has been named Tennis Victoria’s Club of the Year. The prestigious accolade celebrates the Centre’s excellence in tennis service, community engagement, and contribution to tennis in Victoria. Hume Tennis manager Tim Connelly said its exceptional facilities, passionate coaching team and welcoming community have made the centre Victoria’s premiere tennis club. “It’s truly amazing to receive such recognition,“ he said. “For the club to achieve this in only its ninth year of operation is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and passion that every member, staff, and volunteer has poured into making Hume not just a place to play tennis, but a wonderful community hub where everyone feels at home.” Mr Connelly urges everyone to give tennis a go, and says the Hume centre is the perfect place to get started. “Whether you’re a seasoned player or someone who’s never held a racquet, our doors are open to everyone. We invite the whole family to come and see why Hume Tennis and Community Centre is now Victoria’s Club of the Year,“ he added.
Tools down amid dispute By Gerald Lynch Some Whittlesea Council staff are refusing to sweep streets, empty bins, clean, issue invoices, answer telephones or process customer requests as the fight over a new Enterprise Agreement ramps up. Sixty council workers, most of them Australian Services Union members, took protected industrial action on Wednesday, October 25, stopping work for half a day. There was also a full day stoppage in late September. ASU secretary for Victoria and Tasmania Lisa Darmanin said the spiralling cost of living was the main reason workers were
unhappy with the Enterprise Agreement put on the table by council management. Despite the offer of a minimum eight percent pay rise over the next three years, the workers fear the new agreement would leave them worse off. In their most recent claim, ASU members have asked for an 8 per cent rise in the first year and 5 per cent in subsequent years. “The cost of living crisis doesn’t discriminate – all staff at Whittlesea Council are hurting, and they all need a fairer pay deal,” Ms Darmanin said. Among other claims, the workers want a 35-hour week for band three employees, as well as the right of ‘secondary’ parents to
have equal parental leave. They put these and another 50 claims for improved working conditions to council. According to the ASU, the council claimed a 35 hour week would cost ratepayers hundreds of thousands of dollars. “Our ASU members work in diverse teams across the council. Whilst we have strong membership in the works depot (council drainage, infrastructure and urban assets) and among home care workers, we also have members taking industrial action from teams as diverse as Arts and Cultural Events, Asset Protection, Planning and Building, Youth Services and Community Engagement,“ Ms Darmanin said. “Whittlesea Council projects an increased
and accumulated surplus of over $3 million every year for the next four years, with $75 million of this money dedicated to capital works. Council spends money on buildings, rather than giving their workers a fair wage increase.” The union also claims the council is using more casual workers. Whittlesea Council chief executive Craig Lloyd remains hopeful an agreement can soon be reached. “We have been negotiating in good with faith with the unions over the past seven months to create a new Enterprise Agreement for our 1315 team members,” he said. Continued page 3
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