Clay (Chopper) Jacobson Secretary/Treasurer Collieries’ Staff Division

Get involved and help make a difference

The success of your Union depends upon the active involvement and input of members. Only by working together can we build a stronger Union and better outcomes for you, our members.

There are many ways members can get involved in your Union:

• Become a mine site Delegate/Representative.
• Support your mine site Delegate/Representative by becoming the Contact for your area and assist in distributing newsletters, bulletins and meeting notices.
• Talk to non-members about the benefits of being a member.
• Participate in Union meetings and surveys.

Getting active in your Union is the best way to work towards a fair workplace.

If you are interested in getting involved and becoming either a mine site Delegate/Representative or supporting your Delegate/Rep please take a moment to read on...

Becoming a Delegate/Representative

The strength and success of the Collieries’ Staff Division depends largely on the contribution, enthusiasm and efforts of our delegates/representatives. Delegates play a key role between members and the Collieries’ Staff Division office. Being a delegate is about building the voice of staff in your workplace and involves:

• Keeping members in touch with what is happening by distributing newsletters
• Talking to your colleagues about issues affecting staff at your mine.
• Making sure new starters at your mine have been invited to join the Collieries’ Staff Division.
• Organising Union meetings.
• Working with the staff of the Collieries’ Staff Division to improve pay and conditions.
• Assisting members with their workplace problems in the first instance.

Our Delegates/Representatives receive special training to give them the skills to perform their union duties.

To express your interest in becoming a Delegate/Representative, please complete the online form.

Supporting your Delegate/Representative – Becoming a Contact

Delegates alone cannot create a better workplace, they need the support of active members and mine site Contacts. Contacts are members who are willing to lend a hand with efforts in your worksite, such as distributing newsletters and bulletins.

It is important that we have Contacts representing the different sections of your mine.

To express your interest in becoming a mine site Contact, please complete the online form.

Talking to potential members about the benefits of being a member

If a new employee has recently commenced working with you it is a good idea to talk them about joining their colleagues and becoming a member of the Collieries’ Staff Division. To assist you in discussing the advantages of being a member, the Collieries’ Staff Division has put together a booklet “Tips for Talking to New Starters at Your Mine”, as a guide when you are talking to prospective members for the first time.

If you would like a copy of “Tips for Talking to New Starters at Your Mine”, simply email us at infocsd@apesma.asn.au.

If you advise our office of the names of the new starters at your workplace, we can send you personally addressed invitations to join, which includes information about the Collieries’ Staff Division. You can distribute these to new staff while discussing the advantages of being a member.

For every prospective member you sign up, you will receive $100 if your name appears on the application form in the ‘Member Get Member’ section.