READY FOR ACTION: About 15 union groups were represented by workers and members.
THE newly formed North West Community Unions Alliance has settled on the first actions it will take on behalf of its members.
Job security, better work conditions and improving workplace safety will be the first items to tackle on the agenda for workers in the North West.
Hundreds of the region’s workers are part of the new group, which is run by local union
representatives.
Representatives from the Tamworth branches of the NSW Nurses’ Association and NSW Police Association chaired the launch event last Wednesday.
Martin Burke from the Police Association said the alliance was all about bringing a collective approach to dealing with workers’ issues.
About 15 different unions attended the launch and Mr Burke said there was a very positive environment.
Attendees took part in an exercise to list the particular issues they had with their industries as well as listing issues important to the whole group.
“People walked away knowing what their fellow colleagues and workers are going through,” Mr Burke said.
Workers ranged from nurses and firefighters, to prison officers and
teachers.
They found job security, working conditions and workplace safety needed immediate
attention.
Mr Burke explained how one workers’ group could affect another if there were job losses, such as the closure of the Grafton Gaol earlier this year.
He said the correction officers that lost their jobs had a ripple effect to other businesses, including those in the retail sector.
Mr Burke also gave a run through of the Last Drinks Campaign – a joint campaign between police, nurses, doctors and paramedics to curb alcohol-fuelled violence and assaults.
He said the alliance would continue providing a voice for members and keeping them informed.
Union executives visited Tamworth last Wednesday to launch the group.
They told their members the alliance would represent them when campaigning against the state government’s proposed job cuts to 15,000 public service sector positions.
Despite an invitation to local state and federal MPs to attend the launch, it is understood they could not due to other commitments.