STEPHEN PRICE
Mobile No: 0417 006 101
Ph: 9221 1686
Fax: 9221 1706

I am AWU Organiser, Stephen Price and CBH membership is one of my areas of responsibility. I have been the Organiser for CBH since I started working for the WA Branch of the AWU on the 2nd January this year. Prior to that, I was the AWU Convenor at ALCOA's Wagerup Refinery, where I had worked for the previous 12 years.

Since I was given the responsibility for organising CBH, I have been concentrating on developing my understanding of your business and your agreements. I have been travelling to Esperance, Geraldton and Albany Ports on a regular basis, stopping at as many Receival Points as possible along the way. As you would no doubt appreciate, it can be a bit, hit and miss in regards to catching people at the Receival Points.

However, the fact that you guys are spread out all over Western Australia, doesn't mean you should not receive the same level of service as another member who is based closer to the City. If you have a meeting you would like me to attend, or there is something you want to discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.

This season is looking to be a mixed bag again. The Southern sections are looking like they will have a pretty good year, and the Northern sections are looking like this might be another bad season. This will make for an interesting season with regard to the management of the workforce, so we have to make sure that the lines of communication between us are left wide open. We all need to know where we stand and what the issues are.

The Albany Port EA is up for renewal this year and expires on the 19th December 2007. They have started preliminary discussions for their new EA. I will continue to work with the Albany Negotiating Committee to assist them in achieving the best possible outcome for their EA.

The other agreement expiry dates are:

• The Geraldton Port Agreement expires on the 2nd June 2008.

• Kwinana (MUA), 21st July 2008

• The Country Operator's Agreement expires 28th July 2008

• The Esperance Port Agreement expires 12th October 2008

• The Metro Grain Agreement expires 1st December 2008

All of your Agreements contain a provision for starting your new EA negotiations, 6 months prior to the expiry date of your current agreement. This season will be on us before you know it, and then you will be 6 months out of your agreement expiry, and it will be time to start negotiating your new agreements. It is NOW that you need to start thinking about your agreement renewals.

In Unity,

Stephen Price.