St Vincent de Paul EBA Campaign
ASU Welcomes Suspension of Vinnies NSW Board
- Details
- Published on Tuesday, 13 July, 2010
The Australian Services Union (ASU) welcomes today’s announcement by the National Council of the St Vincent De Paul Society to suspend its NSW Board.
The suspension comes amid suggestions that the current management of the NSW Board had embraced a corporate model of management, which resulted in a combative and bullying culture within the senior ranks of the Society.
Sally McManus, ASU NSW Branch Secretary said the for the past five years the Union has been concerned about the direction of the Society and hopes that this move will lead to improved conditions within the organization.
“The situation has had a serious affect on the Society’s workers and its great volunteers. ASU members saw the Boards approach to be at odds with the core beliefs of the Society. This has caused on-going and un-necessary conflict with its workers and their Union.”
Ms McManus says that the Board is ultimately responsible for the rip off’s and mismanagement that have characterized Vinnies in NSW over the past five years.
“Reviews found the NSW Society underpaid its workers by a quarter of a million dollars and that Vinnies unfairly dismissed two ASU members. In NSW, Vinnies has also attempted to push through a WorkChoices agreement that was voted down by the staff and has failed to publically support an Equal Pay Case that is broadly supported by community service employers.
“We can only assume this behavior was sanctioned by the Board, and could be the tip of the iceberg.”
“The NSW St Vincent de Paul has behaved like the worst of private sector employers, focusing more on controlling workers and bashing the union than what they should be focused on, supporting the disadvantaged.
“I have personally made numerous attempts to try and establish a mutually respectful relationship with the top management of the NSW Society but constantly hit a brick wall.
“Nationally and in other States, ASU has very positive relationship with the Society. We welcome this intervention and look forward to working together with the new Board in the interest of the workers of the Society, the grass roots membership, and the thousands of people they support.”
