Industrial relations Changes and Human Services

Dear Colleagues,

Yesterday (Thursday 15th December 2005) I attended a Roundtable on industrial relations changes held by the Australian Services Union and NSW Council of Social Service.  This was attended by peaks, regional reps like myself, large organisations and Union workers and reps.
1.  A Taskforce has been appointed today (15.12.05) to investigate the impact of the  new Federal Government legislation on industrial relations on the quality of community service delivery across the State.  The taskforce will be chaired by Sir Marcus Einfeld with 6 other nominees.  NCOSS reps are Evelyn Peko? from Centacare and Tim Childs from a Northern NSW Council of Social Development.  ASU reps are Narelle Clay and Michael Flynn.  Dept of Industrial Relations and DoCS will each have a place on the Taskforce.

2.  The Taskforce has 6 terms of reference and will report back by 30th April 2006 to the NSW gov't and a community sector roundtable.  The terms of reference are about the use of the corporations power in the constitution, impacts on delivery of services, employment conditions, workplace recruitment and retention, impact of competitive tendering and government funding policies.

3.  In February, the ASU and NCOSS will be letting the broader community sector know about the changes and how they can participate in the Taskforce.

4.  It looks like most of our smaller community organisations won't be considered constitutional corporations (CCs).  However, disability organisations and large charities who haven't got separate residential aged care and welfare arms may be regarded as CCs.  For profits and housing associations may also be affected.
This could lead to a 2 tiered situation with wages and conditions in the community sector.  Our small organisations are far from being safe, as larger organisations who are gradually designated CCs will negotiate AWAs with staff and potentially be able to undercut bidding processes when funding expressions of interest come up.

5.  A significant statistic to come out of yesterday's meeting was that 6% of NGO's have 75% of the funding across departments like DoCS and DADHC.
This is likely to grow in the near future, unless we get a very strong commitment from our politicians and governments to actively support the preservation and growth of small local organisations.

I will send out more information when I get it.  I can fax the joint media release from the NSW Gov't, the ASU and NCOSS about the Taskforce to you if you want it.  I can also fax a draft joint commitment from the meeting yesterday, but this was added to at the meeting.  I also took notes about CCs and what the process is to determine a CC etc.

Please ring me if you want further information and send this out to all your networks.

Cheryl Kelly, Co-ordinator
Inner South-West Community Development Organisation (actively supporting and resourcing community groups and organisations in the St George, Marrickville and Canterbury region) Phone 9599 2522