CFMEU FOREST AND FOREST PRODUCTS DIVISION

NATIONAL POLICY ON EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION

ENDORSED BY NATIONAL DIVISIONAL CONFERENCE
24TH November 1993

REVISED 25TH April 1994


EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICY


This document sets out the Policy of the CFMEU FOREST AND FOREST PRODUCTS DIVISION on Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action for the information of Members, Representatives and Officials.

Included with the Policy is an introduction, aims, commitment and definition which provides a background for the application of the Policy.

This Policy is binding on all CFMEU FOREST AND FOREST PRODUCTS DIVISION Members and Officials.

Any queries about the Policy should be directed to either the Branch or Divisional Offices.


1. INTRODUCTION

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) is about removing discrimination at the workplace, and ensuring all people have the same opportunities to enter and progress in the workforce. This does not simply mean treating people the same, but providing for individuals to have the same rights and opportunities to job access, job security, working conditions and advancement. The Forest and Furnishing Products Division recognises this responsibility to its members in workplace within the Timber Industry and within the internal structure of the CFMEU FOREST AND FOREST PRODUCTS DIVISION.

2. AIMS

The aims of this Policy are to:

  • Ensure EEO and AA issues are identified in the workplace;
  • Ensure that EEO and AA issues are resolved within a full consultative process;
  • Ensure that legislation and Enterprise Agreement clauses are adhered to in the workplace;
  • Provide a process for dealing with EEO/AA issues that are identified in the workplace;
  • Raise awareness of the importance of equity in the workplace;
  • Develop a training program to address EEO/AA;
  • Provide a National process for resolving EEO/AA issues;
  • Assist in the ultimate elimination of discriminatory practices.

3. COMMITMENT

The Forest and Furnishing Products Division is committed to ensuring EEO and AA programs are developed and adhered to in the Forest and Furnishing Products Industry in order to promote equity for all our members. The Forest and Forest Products Division will support and promote the employment of women members throughout the grade structure in the Timber Industry. The Union seeks to ensure that employers in the industry comply with all relevant Affirmative Action legislation both State and Commonwealth, TI Award provisions, Enterprise Agreements on Affirmative Action and EEO/AA clauses in Enterprise Agreements

4. DEFINITION

Equal Employment Opportunity ensures that all workers are treated fairly and have the same opportunities to participate in all activities in the workplace.
Affirmative Action is the planned process by which EEO is achieved.

5. EEO AND AA IN THE TIMBER INDUSTRY

5.1 Process

The Forest and Furnishing Products Division believes AA programs should be developed, implemented and monitored at the workplace through full consultative processes. The development of the 8 steps as outlined in the EEO/AA Act provide the process and basis for an AA program. (Employers with more than 100 workers are required by law to report annually to the Affirmative Action Agency on implementation and progress of the 8 steps).
Specifically this process for each workplace would include:

1. Company to issue a policy statement on EEO and AA, in line with Union policy and model agreement on Affirmative Action.
2. Responsibility for EEO and AA to be assigned to a specific position/person by management. Ie: personnel officer.
3. Consultation to occur with the Union on all EEO and AA activities.
4. Consultation to occur with all workers in minority groups.
5. Collection of statistics and other relevant data on the level of participation of women and other disadvantaged groups in all aspects of work. (eg: types of jobs, overtime, training, promotion, higher duties).
6. Review existing employment practises to identify any discriminatory features, ie; anything that may indicate inequities in the workplace, and immediately include Affirmative Action processes in hiring to ensure gender balance at the enterprise.
7. Set objectives and plan goals to achieve goals to activate processes to eliminate any discrimination that May exist.
8. Develop a process to monitor and evaluate the program.

5.2 IMPLEMENTATION

Implementation of the AA process will occur through Enterprise Consultative Committees (ECC's). It will be the ECC's responsibility to ensure workers are not discriminated against in any way including the following:

  • Gender
  • Marital status
  • Sexuality
  • Race
  • Physical/intellectual impairment
  • Age
  • Political beliefs
  • Religious beliefs
  • Affiliations

The ECC will implement the 8 step process to address EEO and AA issues. The ECC may choose to develop, where appropriate, an EEO/AA sub committee which would be responsible for all EEO and AA matters referred by the ECC. Tasks assigned to the sub committee by the ECC may include matters like, collection of statistics or reviewing of existing practices and forward the data onto the ECC.

The ECC will develop and implement strategies addressing all EEO and AA issues.

The ECC and an EEO/AA sub committee should comprise of both management and employee representatives including women and representatives from other groups likely to be discriminated against.

Where an ECC structure does not exist in a workplace one will be established.

Step 1 The ECC will develop an EEO/AA policy statement in line with relevant Legislation, Enterprise Agreement clauses, Model Agreements on AA and Union policy and distribute it within the workplace.

Step 2 The ECC will nominate a person to be fully trained in EEO and AA issues, relevant legislation, agreements and clauses. This person will be the EEO/AA officer and will be responsible to and report to the ECC.

Step 3 All EEO/AA issues will be dealt with by a consultative process ie: ECC and where established an EEO/AA sub committee.

Step 4 The ECC will ensure information regarding all EEO/AA matters is widely distributed throughout the workplace, including:

  • The role and responsibility of the ECC and ECC/AA sub committee;
  • Workplace policy;
  • The EEO/AA Officer;
  • Processes for dealing with EEO/AA matter;
  • Training.

Information is to be printed in plain English and other relevant languages and targeted at all groups likely to be discriminated against, including, women, the disabled, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and Non English Speaking Background (NESB) workers.

Step 5 To enable identification of current employment practices the ECC will be responsible for organising collection of statistics on women and other disadvantaged groups in all aspects of work. Management will make available all EEO/AA related information to the ECC. The statistics should identify the level of participation of the minority groups in the workplace with respect to, but not restricted to information on the following factors:

  • Recruitment what methods are used?
  • Grade structure is there an uneven distribution of certain disadvantaged groups throughout the grade structure?
  • Overtime is there equal access, are other factors considered ie: family responsibilities?
  • Rates of pay is there equity?
  • Promotion what methods of selection exist, are they fair?
  • Training what methods of selection exist, do all training programs have equal access?
  • Higher duties what methods of selection exist and is there equal access?
  • Sick leave is there flexible arrangements for worker with family responsibilities?
  • Other conditions do all workers receive the same kinds of benefits and access to conditions of employment?

The information will be gathered so as to ensure confidentiality.

Step 6 The information will be used to review existing employment practices by identifying discriminatory features. Any inequalities raised in the workplace will be rectified through the ECC.

Step 7 Based on the information gathered and any other information relating to inequities in the workplace the ECC will set objectives and plan goals within an agreed time frame. The outcome of the objectives will be to implement practices to address and rectify EEO/AA issues in the workplace. The outcome of the goals will be to eliminate discriminatory practices in the workplace.

Step 8 The ECC will develop a process to monitor and evaluate the program. A method for evaluating the success of the objectives and goals will be developed and implemented by the ECC. The ECC will also develop a monitoring process to ensure that the strategies to implement the 8 steps are effective and actively progressing. Based on findings further strategies will be developed to continue to achieve the objectives and goals.

The ECC will be involved in the development of the reporting to the Affirmative Action Agency each year. The report will incorporate all activities and outcomes of the implementation of the 8 steps and outline future strategies to be implemented in an on going effort to address EEO/AA effectively. The ECC will continue to be responsible for monitoring any discriminatory employment practices that may result in creating inequities for workers.

Ongoing implementation of the 8 step process shall occur until discriminatory practices are eliminated from the workplace.

6. TRAINING

The ECC will develop a training program addressing EEO/AA issues including:

  • What is EEO and AA
  • Roles and responsibility of the ECC
  • Roles and responsibility of the EEO/AA sub committee
  • Implications for workers when discriminatory management practices prevail
  • Strategies for addressing EEO/AA issues
  • Strategies for developing processes to implement the 8 steps as set out in EEO/AA policy
  • Other contacts for dealing with EEO/AA issues including:
Working Women's Centre
Affirmative Action Agency
TUTA
ACTU
(see resource list attached)

This training will be mandatory for the ECC and EEO/AA sub committee members but also available to all workers.

The ECC, in conjunction with a Training Committee where established, will also be responsible for developing relevant training programmes for particular groups.

In order to identify training needs of particular groups it may be necessary to carry out a skills analysis (contact your Union before you commence this).

7. RESPONSIBILITY OF THE FOREST AND FOREST PRODUCTS DIVISION

7.1 National Divisional Office

The National Divisional Office is responsible for:

  • Ensuring clauses relating to EEO and AA are included in the FTI Award, and any other Awards for which the Union is responsible for;
  • Developing EEO/AA clauses for inclusion into Model Enterprise Agreements;
  • Developing Model Agreements on Affirmative Action;
  • Developing National Forest and Furnishing Products Division internal Affirmative Action Policy;
  • Assistance to Branches in developing effective Enterprise Consultative Committees and sub committees for dealing with EEO and AA issues.

7.2 BRANCHES

The Branches are responsible for:

  • Ensuring ECC's are set up in the workplace;
  • Where appropriate, ensuring sub committees are established;
  • The Forest and Furnishing Products Division EEO/AA Policy is adhered to;
  • Ensuring relevant legislation, Award clauses and Enterprise Agreement clauses are enforced;
  • Ensuring Enterprise Agreements promote equity;
  • Negotiating and enforcing EEO/AA agreements based on National model;
  • Actively campaigning on site against discriminatory material, actions and language.

7.3 REPRESENTATIVES AND MEMBERS

Representatives and members are responsible for:

  • Informing Branch Office of EEO/AA issues when action is required
  • Participating in consultative processes and other activities to address and eliminate discriminatory practices;
  • Actively opposing all forms of discrimination in the workplaces on a day to day basis; for example, banning pornographic, sexist, racist and other discriminatory material on their site. In addition informing and opposing others in the use of sexist, racist or other discriminatory comments or remarks.

8. CONFIDENTIALITY

All information collected to identify and address EEO and AA issues is to remain confidential.

Individuals are to have access to all information relating to themselves.

LIST OF RESOURCES AND CONTACTS

ACTU
393 – 397 Swanston Street
MELBOURNE 3000
Ph: 039 663 5655

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION AGENCY
65 Berry Street, 1st Floor
PO Box 974
Nth SYDNEY 2059
Ph: 029 957 4333

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING SERVICE:

ADELAIDE: 55 Currie St, 5000, Ph:088 237 6955

HOBART: 162 Macquarie St, 7000, Ph 002 237 151

MELBOURNE: 347 Swanston St, 3000, Ph: 039 663 3010

SYDNEY: 120 Clarence St, 2000, Ph: 02 291 940

BRISBANE: 294 Adelaide St, 4000, Ph: 07 229 6822

PERTH: 200 St George Tce, Ph: 09 322 4737

ACTU ORGANISING CENTRE 2nd Floor,393-397 Swanston St
MELBOURNE, VIC, 3000
Ph: 03 6621844
FAX: 03 663 4283

VIC TRADES HALL
2nd Floor, Trades Hall
54 Victoria St
CARLTON SOUTH 3053

HUMAN RIGHTS & EEO COMMISSION
American Express Tower
388 George St
Level 24
SYDNEY, NSW, 2000
Ph: 02 229 7600
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