Page 39 - ETU Journal Autumn 2017

We swear they are better at arguing the law than they are at writing articles for the ETU news. They can be contacted at (03) 8329 0000 or at geof@etu.asn.au, lucy@etu.asn.au and emma@etu.asn.au. n
www.etuvic.com.au
> GeoFF Borenstein
> lUCy Weber
BREakING
precedents; 1 to dictate a letter; 1 to stipulate; 1 to write interrogatories; 2 to settle; and 36 to bill for professional services. Unless you’re an ETU lawyer, in which case it’s just 1, to direct an organiser to do it.
Emma: [too busy drafting formal notiication of lightbulb dispute, pursuant to dispute resolution procedure in enterprise agreement, to answer question]. n
ETU NEWS: What is your favourite thing about working for the ETU?
Geof: kicking a*** for the working class
Lucy: that time I left my phone charger in the oice overnight, and when I got to work the next day it had been tested and tagged. True story.
Emma: ighting the good ight against HR. *growls*
ETU NEWS: And what have you three done for us lately?
Geof: Collectively recovered over $1 million in unpaid wages, unfair and unlawful dismissals, and through other industrial disputes since we started counting last year.
[interview is briely interrupted while the lawyers high ive each other]
Lucy: And so you see, lawyers
are people too! I mean, they’re not necessarily good people as a general rule, but I feel like ETU lawyers are the exception to that particular rule.
Emma: And we’re available to assist ETU members for all types of workplace issues, free of charge!
Lawyers are
PeOPLe tOO
The ETU has three in-house lawyers who are here to help. Geof is from a ine pedigree of lawyers. His parents are lawyers, his sister is a lawyer and, as you can imagine, their family dinner conversations are pretty dry. Geof has been lawyering for the ETU since 2002.
Lucy is not from a family of lawyers. Her grandmother, a former union delegate, did not hide her disapproval upon learning that Lucy had decided to go to law school. Lucy would
like to think that she has now been forgiven for her apparent error in judgement. She is celebrating her 1 year anniversary with the ETU in April, having previously lawyered for the AMWU and ACTU.
Emma’s irst lesson at her father’s knee was not to be a scab. Emma was a quick learner. Emma has been with the ETU for a year and a half, and is about to be admitted to legal practice at a fancy ceremony in the Supreme Court.
Geof, Lucy and Emma took some time out of their busy schedules to try to answer the tough questions:
ETU NEWS: How many lawyers does it take to change a lightbulb?
Geof: I feel like this is a demarcation issue. The organisers should change the light bulbs.
Lucy: 54. 8 to argue; 1 to get a continuance; 1 to object; 1
to demur; 2 to research
> emmA Barnes
Keep them busy members; it’s better that way.
ETU compLETES TrANSITIoN To INNoVATIVE ENgAgEmENT mANAgEmENT SySTEm
At the end of April the ETU completed the transition to a brand new member database and communications platform.
The new database gives us a modern platform for the union’s growth. It will create eficiencies, allow us to enhance member services and to continually improve.
a small project team, led by Rod dalglish (General Manager of Business Services), Jason Gibson (Communications Manager) and anju Sharma (IT administrator), has been working away feverishly behind the scenes since mid-2015 on the transition.
Following an exhaustive evaluation and selection process, the union chose iMIS by advanced Solutions International as our preferred platform for the future. iMIS is the world’s number 1 Engagement Management System and has helped thousands of associations and not-for-proit organisations to grow, reduce expenses and improve performance.
The cloud-based, uniied system will enable the union’s staff to remain in contact with all of the ofice’s resources, even when out on the road.
set up to thrive in the digital age
In addition to database management, iMIS incorporates a web-publishing platform and integrated email marketing suite. In the coming months you will see
a new face for the ETU online as we launch new member and public web sites. The new email marketing technology will allow us to keep you better informed and to modernise our membership renewal processes.
The transition to iMIS is an exciting innovation that will transform the way our union operates. We are only the second australian union to adopt the system and we’re
conident that many others will follow our lead. The ETU is committed to maintaining our position as one
of australia’s most innovative and forward-looking unions. With the adoption of iMIS, we believe we
have set up the union to thrive in the digital age. n
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NEWS: