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Council Sets Benchmarks for Vizard Deal

Delegates representing more than 40 per cent of the national union membership have adopted a series of benchmarks to guide any commercial ventures involving the Internet.

	Sean Kidney Address Council on the Internet

The Labor Council this week unanimously adopted the resolution, which stresses the importance of union control of information and membership lists. It also demands that all content on the site should be consistent with trade union values.

The Council has also decided to engage Sean Kidney from Social Change Media as a consultant to assist in assessing the proposal.

The full text of the resolution reads:

Resolution on the ACTU's Internet Proposal

The Labor Council notes that the ACTU is currently negotiating an internet-related proposal with Steve Vizard's Virtual Communities.

The Council itself has a long history of innovation in this area through its LaborNet proposal, and welcomes internet initiatives that will improve the organising effectiveness of unions and will benefit members. Council looks forward to the opportunity to consider the proposed proposal.

In assessing any proposals related to the internet, Council will use the following criteria:

1. That the proposal extends the labour movement's capacity to represent the interests of existing members and organise new members;

2. That the proposal will enable union delegates and union organisers to become more effective in the critical union activities such as organising;

3. Given that the vehicle for communication with members (eg a portal) will be the most critical channel of service delivery, that any content must be consistent with labour movement values, and any union related information must be controlled by unions;

4. That any commercial proposal that depends on access to union membership recognises the full value of such access;

5. That any net profits earned are re-invested in union organising;

6. That any commercial agreements signed with outside parties allow for the labour movement to, in any event, retain control of:

- any union membership information held by the outside party

- any union-generated information and content held by the outside party.

7. It is fundamental to any internet proposal that outside parties unequivocally acknowledge that union members participating in any commercial activities remain first and foremost union members and their respective unions will determine the nature of access/content offered;

8. That outside parties will acknowledge that in the event of termination of any commercial arrangements, whether mutual or not, direct commercial contact by the outside party will cease and membership data will be returned to the member's union and no further use be made of this information.

9. That any outside parties dealt with ensure that appropriate union industrial agreements are in place including support for union membership.

That the Labor Council of New South Wales believes it needs to draw on specialist expertise in assessing the ACTU's internet-related proposals. Accordingly, the Council proposes engaging Sean Kidney of Social Change Online as a consultant to provide such advice.

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  Issue 25 contents

»	Unions Embrace Open Shop
»	Council Sets Benchmarks for Vizard Deal
»	Steggles Treats Workers Like Chooks
»	Rail Workers on Collision Course with Carr
»	Reith Shamed Into Talk On Entitlement Fund
»	Unionists Asked to Defer NRMA Vote
»	Fire Fighters Use Net
»	Crew of Convenience Behind Sydney Oil Spill?
»	Sixty Junkets Join Currawong Hit Squad
»	Workers Table Petition for Gay Reform
»	Indonesian Trade Union Leaders to Visit Australia
»	International And Community Groups Oppose Reith�s Bill

»	Guest Report
»	Sport
»	Trades Hall
»	Piers Watch

»	Country Labor Asks Question
»	The Ombudsman Replies
»	Confessions of a German Call Centre Agent
»	WorkCover Off the Track

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