The foundation of the Club Managers’ Association arose out of a decision at a collective forum of Club Managers to form an Industrial Organisation within NSW. This meeting of future members resulted in our first registration as a Trade Union in 1959 under the State Act and later in the Federal Jurisdiction during 1964. The CMAA remains a registered industrial organisation of employees in the terms of the Federal Workplace Relations Act of 1996 and as a registered Trade Union in the terms of the New South Wales Industrial Relations Act 1996.
The reasons for the Association's existence have not altered over the years - nor have our objectives. The Association’s elected honorary Executive have, over more than 50 years, embraced these goals and continually strive to provide increased levels of professional industrial services for members.
The following is a summary of Rule 4 - Objects of our Constitution and Rules.
OBJECTIVES
To foster, promote and protect the professional and industrial interests of its members.
To better the working conditions and to assist all members to obtain fair remuneration for services rendered by them.
To use all the powers and authorities expressed in the Australian Industrial Relations Act (as amended from time to time) or in any relevant State Industrial Legislation (as amended from time to time).
To assist Members to obtain legal services, including assistance in the protection of members' legal rights in matters arising out of, or in connection with, their employment, including the provision of financial assistance in relation to such services.
To promote industrial peace by amicable means and to make arrangements to settle industrial disputes.
To promote vocational education and training and skills development for managers and students through Club Management Development Australia. The devising and implementing of vocational, education and training programs for the development and enhancement of the level of knowledge, skills and competence of members of the Association in their employment together with programs for the training of workplace trainers of members and programs for the training of assessors of workplace trainers.
In practice, the Association's Industrial Department is responsible for the maintenance, protection and improvements to our members' employment conditions. This is achieved by making applications for Industrial Awards before the appropriate Industrial Tribunals. These industry-wide Awards create properly fixed minimum conditions of employment. In addition, the Association can offer more personalised individual employment agreements for members.
Unfortunately, there is a down side for managers engaged in the Club Industry. Primarily, this is the disputation that arises from time to time between professionally paid managers charged with the responsibility of operating a business on a day-to-day basis, and their Club’s honorary Board of Directors.
In dealing with Club disputes, the Association's first approach is to provide representation for members before their respective Board of Directors to negotiate amicable resolutions to matters in dispute. Should matters remain unresolved, the Association, on behalf of the member, notifies the appropriate Industrial Relations Commission of an industrial dispute between the parties, seeking a remedy for unfair dismissal.
Apart from these ‘bread-and-butter’ issues, the Association’s Industrial staff can provide a range of industrial services that may assist Managers with their day-to-day responsibilities on behalf of their Board of Directors. Should there be areas beyond our field of experience, that Association, generally, can refer members to appropriate sources.
The Association is affiliated to the ACTU (Australian Council of Trade Unions) and the NSW Labour Council.
The CMAA Executive always is willing to listen to members on ways that our Industrial services to members can improved or expanded. |