Last week ASU electricity
industry delegates and union Branch officials from all over Australia met in
Sydney to discuss a broad range of issues facing the industry.
The meeting brought together
delegates from generation, transmission and distribution with a range of ASU
classifications from operators to technical officers, administrative staff and
more. Delegates and ASU full time officials who work in the industry each day
also participated including from Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria,
Tasmania, New South Wales and Queensland.
Day one covered industrial
relations, the Fair Work Act, enterprise bargaining outcomes and significant
decisions from current issues at ASU energy corporation/company level.
Day two included a keynote
address and presentation from Professor Stephen Thomas of the Greenwich School
of Business PSIRU at Greenwich University London (via Skype). His address
covered privatisation, energy poverty and the failures of privatisation in the
UK, plus future energy sources and challenges in the UK and Europe. Professor
Thomas' attendance was provided by the ASU affiliate the Public Services
International (PSI).
E-OZ, the peak national skills
and training body for the electricity industry, presented on current issues for
the industry including future skills needs, sources and challenges.
ASU Branches provided up to date
presentations on the state of their local electricity industry, campaigns
currently in progress and the failures of privatisation.
The increased participation by
rank and file industry workers along with union officials was part of the ASU
strategy to involve a wider range of people in these meetings, to exchange
information, share campaign resources and build the best opportunities for
electricity and energy.
The meeting was convened by ASU
public services and energy/electricity industry leader Greg McLean who said,
"It was one of the most exciting and impressive meetings the ASU
energy/electricity industry division has held."
"The inclusion of additional
workplace delegates and officials was an important feature and I hope this will
continue in the future."
"This meeting allowed us to
go beyond a range of traditional workplace issues and bring a wider range of
subjects to the table. The types of subjects that create the circumstances for
us to respond as well as looking at the policy directions, and industry issues
that create these circumstances in the first place."
"It is with the cooperation
of ASU state secretaries that this enhanced meeting was possible."
