CHARTER OF RIGHTS
ANGEE [now IEU(SA)] BRANCH REPRESENTATIVE
as accepted at the ANGEE [now IEU(SA)] Council Meeting
on 23/5/01
The Rights of ANGEE [now IEU(SA)] Branch Representatives
Strong, effective and representative unions are essential to building a fair and just society. Unions provide the democratic organisation for working people to have a say in their workplace.
Workplace union representatives hold a vital position in the union. The union representative has the key role of representing the collective and individual hopes, aspirations and needs of their work colleagues. They are critical to the improvement of pay, employment conditions and health and safety.
The union representative can bring together the individual creativity, skills, and knowledge of a group of people at a workplace to improve how a job is done. Australian working people have always been prepared to make a positive contribution to make sure the enterprises in which they work prosper. This has been central to building a strong and confident nation.
At a time of rapid workplace change and increased competitive pressure from the global market place, the role of the workplace union representative is even more critical, and more necessary.
It is time that workplace union representatives receive recognition, through a Charter of ANGEE [now IEU(SA)] Branch Representatives Rights, for the key role they play. These rights should not have to be bargained. They should be accepted rights in a decent society.
In many workplaces employers with vision and commitment already recognise and accept the rights of workplace union representatives. For those employers the Charter will formalise in part or full, what already exists.
With rights comes responsibility. Workplace union representatives need to act in good faith, and to do the best they can for their work colleagues together or on their individual needs.
The Charter of ANGEE [now IEU(SA)] Branch Representatives Rights is a guide for fair standards for all branch representatives and will be pursued by ANGEE for inclusion in collective bargaining agreements, award entitlements, and in Australian law as rights for endorsed workplace union delegates.
ANGEE [now IEU(SA)] Branch Representatives shall have:
| i. | the right to be treated fairly and to perform their role as union representative without any discrimination in their employment. |
| ii. | the right to formal recognition by the employer that endorsed union representatives speak on behalf of union members in the workplace; |
| iii. | the right to bargain collectively on behalf of those they represent; |
| iv. | the right to consultation, and access to reasonable information about the workplace and the business; |
| v. | the right to paid time to represent the interests of members to the employer; |
| vi. | the right to reasonable paid time during normal working hours to consult with union members; |
| vii | the right to reasonable paid time off to participate in the operation of the union; |
| viii | the right to reasonable paid time off to attend accredited union education; |
| ix. | the right to address new employees about the benefits of union membership at the time that they enter employment; |
| x. | the right to reasonable access to telephone, facsimile, post, photocopying, internet and e-mail facilities for the purpose of carrying out work as a delegate and consulting with workplace colleagues and the union; |
| xi. | the right to place union information on a notice board in a prominent location in the workplace; |
| xii. | the right to take reasonable leave to work with the union. |
These rights are basic and fair. Union representatives are entitled to know their role is recognised and respected. ANGEE [now IEU(SA)] will campaign to build these rights over time into workplaces across the state.