United magazine • Summer 2021

United is the official journal of the United Services Union
Editor USU General Secretary Graeme Kelly OAM.
Print Post: 100007536
To contribute to United please contact USU
Manager Administration and Finance Erik Jansen on
(02) 9265 8211.
EXECUTIVE
President: Glen McAtear
Vice President: Sharon Sewell
General Secretary: Graeme Kelly OAM
Treasurer: Ross Crawford
Alby Bordignon, Raffaele Catanzariti, Carl Cleaver, Larry
Freeman, Katie Gillen, Arthur Jenkins, James Koval,
Michael Maggioros, Stephen Mulholland, Natalie
Piggott-Herridge, Jim O’Malley, Anna Maria Saglimbeni,
Thao Tran, Glen Wallace, David Walsh, Jeff Wearing
HEAD OFFICE
Level 7, 321 Pitt St, Sydney, 2000
Phone: 1300 136 604 • Fax: (02) 9261 2265
Support Team: 1300 136 604
Email: united@usu.org.au • Website: www.usu.org.au
OFFICIALS
Manager Administration and Finance: Erik Jansen
Manager Metropolitan: Steve Donley
Manager Energy, Utilities & Private Sector: Peter Campise
Manager Industrial, Rules, Governance & Compliance:
Daniel Papps
Legal Special Projects Officer (Metro): Sean Szabo
Industrial Officer: Bill O’Kell
Training Officer: Narelle Rich
Metro Organisers: Joel Conomos, Brad Donnelly, Sue Kealy,
Sandie Morthen, Irene Nair, Shane Pinter, Zoe O’Rourke
Energy, Utilities, Private Sector & Airlines: Troy Dunne,
Thomas Gao, Michael Jones, Melissa Pond, Clare Raffan,
Thomas Russell, Paul Sansom
Digital Engagement Officer: Arden Sloane
Social Media Officer: Riley Campbell
Support Team: Emma Chandler, Jenny Chen, Jeny Skutnik
REGIONAL OFFICES
Northern Branch
Newcastle Office:
125 Racecourse Road, Rutherford, NSW 2320
Ph: (02) 4962 1444 • Fax: (02) 4962 1758
Manager North: Stephen Hughes
Organisers: Luke Hutchinson, Donald Edwards
Industrial Officer: Noel Martin
Port Macquarie Office:
233 Hastings River Drive
Port Macquarie 2444
Ph: (02) 6584 7787
Fax: (02) 6584 6924
Organiser: Damien Welsh
New England Office:
1/226 Goonoo Goonoo Road North Western Office:
South Tamworth 2340 PO Box 1811
Tel/Fax: (02) 6771 4911 2/46 Church Street
Ph: (02) 6771 4911
Dubbo 2830
Fax: (02) 6771 4911 Ph: (02) 6881 6766
Organiser: Mark Hughes Fax: (02) 6881 6816
Organiser: Jamie McKinnon
Southern Branch
Wollongong Office:
Suites 1-3 100 Market Street Wollongong 2500
Ph: (02) 4226 4784 • Fax: (02) 4227 6951
Manager South: Gary Vann
Organisers: Rudi Oppitz, Aarron Vann, Michael Jones (C&A)
Industrial Officer: Stuart Geddes
Central West Office:
Shop 11-12
142 William Street
Bathurst 2795
Ph: (02) 6334 4825
Fax: (02) 6331 2834
Organiser: Shane Reece
Murray Office:
Unit 7, 54-56 Fitzmaurice St
Wagga Wagga 2650
Ph: (02) 69317990
Fax: (02) 6931 7271
Organiser: Darren Wait,
Jed Lawton
NATIONAL
National Secretary:
Robert Potter
Northern Office:
Shop 2, Mid City Arcade
57 Prince Street
Grafton 2460
Ph: (02) 6643 5299
Fax: (02) 6643 2799
Organiser: Peter Kelly
Riverina Office:
Suite 8
165 Lachlan Street
Hay 2711
Ph: (02) 6993 1419
Fax: (02) 6993 1419
Organiser: Brian Harrington
ACT Office:
3/289 Canberra Avenue
FYSHWICK, ACT 2609
Organiser: Poni Ravula
A FEELING OF DÉJÀ VU?
“
Our workplaces and
our union are better
when we respect
each other and
work TOGETHER.
“
Glen McAtear
USU President
Sounds familiar? .... and yes the pun
was intended! Here we are back
where we began! Or are we? In many
ways we are stronger than ever - in others
we have become fractured and hostile.
One thing is certain - we are always
stronger when we work TOGETHER.
Covid-19 and our response to it as a
nation, a state and as individuals has
changed us. It has also fundamentally
changed the way we work.
While some people have been stood
down due to lack of work many others
have been expected to work unreasonable
hours due to poor recruitment opportunities,
travel restrictions and other
factors related to Covid-19 and the
lockdowns.
On page 7 Manager North Stephen
Hughes discusses this issue in some detail
and emphasises the importance of
addressing it.
The 2020 Local Government (State)
Award specifically addresses the issue
of workloads. In addition to the unfairness
of members working unpaid overtime
due to low staffing it also becomes
an issue of worker safety if numbers
are down and longer hours are being
worked. It was these types of concerns
expressed by our members that led the
union to force Award negotiations to
Déjà vu: (“already seen”) is the feeling that one
has lived through the present situation before.
address the issue of unreasonable hours
- it is a breach of the Award to force a
worker into unreasonable hours.
These same concerns stretch to our private
sector members who continue to
promote the “How healthy is your workplace”
campaign.
The campaign focusses on key aspects of
workplace health - bullying in the workplace,
stress in the workplace and working
from home.
Check out some of the valuable resources
developed to assist with these issues -
they are powerful tools that can help our
members across all sectors. They are also
an interesting talking point when discussing
union membership with potential
members. The campaign can be found at
www.usu.org.au/healthy (p 8).
As I close off for 2021 it would be remiss
of me not to mention the hard working
staff of the USU. Through these tough
times they have remained stoic and
strong, under fire at times they have
maintained a stiff upper lip. Every single
staff member should be congratulated on
their efforts over the past year. I would
also like to remind members of the importance
of respect during these difficult
times. Our workplaces and our union are
better when we respect each other and
work TOGETHER.
2 • United Summer 2021