My Union Reflecting on her time with the NTEU, Jan says that the greatest satisfaction has come from working with Branch and Division staff and members to build an effective and successful organisation with good delegate and membership structures. Jan will be a huge loss to the Curtin Branch, but through her strong union commitment, dedication and determination to maintain, or better, staff conditions she has left the branch in a strong position to face the union challenges on the Curtin campus into the future.
Beatrice Johnson ACU The Australian Catholic University (ACU) Branch has pleasure in nominating Beatrice (BJ) Johnson for LIfe Membership in acknowledgement of her service to the members of the Victorian Sub-Branch during her time with the University. She has been an outstanding champion for rights and expectations of members of the regional universities, at a time when being a union representative made more difficult by a questionable environment of questioning campus viability, WorkChoices and the issues that surround a small regional Ballarat Campus of this very decentralised university. As a result of BJ’s advocacy, ACU recognised travel time when academic staff were required to lecture at more than one campus. The Brisbane-based Examinations and Timetable staff were made aware of the issues involved in travelling and thus organised timetables accordingly. BJ’s work in making this a relevant and important part of the Victorian campuses working environment, along with keeping the rest of the University aware of the existence and necessity to see the Ballarat campus as a relevant part of the ACU, is one of the many reasons why we nominated her for life membership. She was the first line of support for members who ran into difficulties with the University management, and as she was at a small regional campus – generally fighting battles with support ‘coming down the Calder Highway’ and not at close hand. A committed supporter of the role of the regional university in Victoria, she was involved many activities that made these entities more part of the Union than would otherwise been possible. Carefully explaining how the Ballarat Campus functioned with respect to the Melbourne Campus and the University as a whole produced understandings that allowed the staff to feel more than added extras. Her role in the negotiation of the 2010-
2013 Enterprise Agreement, where her sound and reasoned counsel ensured that the University management was not left unaware of the requirements of our staff to maintain their quality in pedagogy and research in these difficult times. Her advocacy on the Workload Advisory Committee provided an effective counter-balance to the forays of others. She worked hard at making what could have been described as good idea damaged by administrative mendacity, accountable. The ACU Branch is poorer for her going, and asks that this award is seen as an acknowledgement of a commitment to improving the lot of the academic staff member in the regional environment. A commitment that was approached with sincerity and integrity – for many members in the Victorian Division have heard of BJ – and know that these qualities were on show at a time of great challenge to the union movement.
Melanie Lazarow Melbourne Melanie is a political activist and Union activist. Melanie saw possibilities for organisational strength in our new national union in 1993. She was instrumental in helping Library staff at Melbourne University move to the NTEU. Her strong leadership and her commitment to workers’ rights and conditions fostered the formation of a very active Library member sub-committee. Union membership in the Library grew to be – and continues to be – the highest of any group in the University’s workforce. Melanie was rightly proud of that, as she is a fervent believer in the power of solidarity. Melanie was a confident and tenacious representative, advocate and delegate (some would say amazingly stubborn) on behalf of members. Melanie regularly took on management over Library and University-wide issues and, with the backing of members, her upfront and unwavering style meant she gained many successful outcomes. She led local campaigns and brought broader social and political issues to the attention of all members. She served over a long period in various roles on the University of Melbourne Branch Committee (most recently Branch Secretary, and Vice President Professional Staff ) and has regularly served as a delegate on many NTEU National Council and Division meetings. A life membership will properly recognise Melanie’s Union leadership, knowledge and expertise.
page 52 • NTEU ADVOCATE • vol. 20 no. 3 • November 2013 • www.nteu.org.au/advocate
Ian Hunt Flinders Associate Professor Ian Hunt is a foundation member of the NTEU. Prior to that, he joined the Flinders University Staff Association automatically on employment at Flinders in mid-1970. In 1986, he was elected to the local Branch Committee. He later became Branch Vice-President and finally President in 1991-93, during negotiations of the Dawkins changes and the amalgamation of Flinders with Sturt CAE. In the new NTEU, Ian supported a strong degree of decentralisation and grass roots based organisation and became a committee member of the Flinders Branch of NTEU, 1994-5. Ian was NTEU representative on the Flinders University Enterprise Bargaining Group, 1994-1996, which negotiated the first agreement for Flinders under the new enterprise bargaining system introduced by Prime Minister Paul Keating. Ian served on the Flinders Branch Committee, NTEU, for a term from 1999-2000. In 2002, he was elected President and continued to serve as President until mid2007, when he was forced to resign due to ill health. During this period, Ian showed strong leadership of the NTEU to advocate for the interests of academic and professional staff. He was lead negotiator in bargaining with University management in 2003-4 and 2006. From 2007 until 2012, Ian served as Vice-President Academic for the Flinders Branch of NTEU. Ian’s exemplary leadership extended beyond the Flinders Branch and, in 2006, he was elected as SA Division Secretary for a two-year term, and elected from the Council of NTEU to serve a two-year term on the National Executive of NTEU. Ian is the only official of the Flinders Branch ever to serve on the National Executive, NTEU. In 2008, he was elected for a further two year term on the National Executive NTEU. Unfortunately, he was forced to resign from the National Executive due to ill health at the end of his second term but he has continued to serve on the Flinders Branch Committee, always providing sage advice and stiffening our resolve whenever we threaten to lower our industrial gaze. Even as he approaches retirement, he is a valued member, yet again, of the Negotiating Team in the current Enterprise Bargaining round. At every level and in every role, Ian has epitomised the highest standards of union representation. Never seeking personal