Social Justice Policy

Purpose
To provide guidance and a procedure to enable The Association of Professional Engineers, Scientists and Managers Australia (The Association) to comment on or support any social justice issues in a timely manner.

Definitions

Association – means Professionals Australia and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

Social justice – means the concept of fair and just relations between the individual and society, as measured by the distribution of wealth, opportunities for personal activity, and social privileges.

Scope
This policy relates to all official statements by the Association on social justice issues. This policy applies to all Staff, Executive Staff and Honorary Officers and Officials.

Objectives
The purpose of this policy is to provide a process whereby:
  • staff or members can request official comment on or support for social justice issues by the Association.
  • the Association can consider and approve official comment on or support for social justice issues.
Exclusions
Nil.

Principles
The basic principles of social justice are:
  • Access
    • greater equality of access to goods and service
  • Equity
    • overcoming unfairness caused by unequal access to economic resources and power
  • Rights
    • equal effective legal, industrial and political rights
  • Participation
    • expanded opportunities for real participation in the decisions which affect their lives.
In making a statement:
  • Professionals Australia is speaking as an entity as opposed to speaking “for” or“on behalf of” the broader membership, however it is expected that in most cases these would align.
  • Professionals Australia may comment on issues which affect not just industrial and professional rights of our members but also the legal, political, and human rights which prevail in a democratic and civil society.
  • Professionals Australia should take into account the scientific/evidentiary consensus.
  • Professionals Australia should consult with a broad range of experts available(i.e. members), where applicable
  • Professionals Australia should look to leaders in public policy and particularly the union movement for examples.
The Association's Diversity & Inclusion policy commits to:
  • ensuring our members are valued, accepted, and respected in the workplace for their unique contributions as people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and perspectives
  • ensuring that our own organisation embraces diversity among staff and membership •represents and defends under-represented and diverse groups in the workplace
  • promotes organisational culture that values diversity and tolerate differences
  • encourages participation in membership roles and in employment of those from diverse backgrounds. Commenting on or supporting social justice issues should be undertaken in a timely manner, relative to the issue being commented upon.

Policy Provisions
A simple majority of the National Assembly will decide whether the Association comments on or supports a particular social justice issue.

In order that the decision be made as expeditiously as possible, the vote of National Assembly will normally be conducted out of session by a simple electronic polling process. The polling period will not normally exceed 1 week.

Prior to the vote, the National Board will provide National Assembly members a summary paper outlining the issues and a recommendation. The National Board will prepare the issues paper and recommendation within ten working days of receiving a request from either the CEO or a Division/Group committee/subcommittee.

The National Board will normally hold an out of session meeting via teleconference to discuss the issue and recommendation.

The paper will include a proposal as to the staff or honorary officers authorised to comment on the particular social justice issue.

A request to comment on or support a social justice issue must come from either the CEO (on behalf of staff) or a Division/Group committee/subcommittee (on behalf of members).

Members are encouraged to raise issues of social justice that the Association may wish to support with their Division/Group committee/subcommittee.

Employees of the association are encouraged to raise issues of social justice that the association may wish to support with the CEO, their manager or the Union Representative Committee.

Process:

  1. Member or employee raises issue of social justice with representative/s
  2. Representative/s discuss whether the issue should be supported or commentedon by the Association.
  3. The representative/s request the National Board to prepare an issues paper andrecommendation for National Assembly.
  4. The National Board considers the issues in an out of session videoconference.
  5. The National Board provides an issues paper and recommendation to NationalAssembly.
  6. The National Board arranges an electronic vote of National Assembly members.
  7. National Assembly members consider the issues and vote on whether tocomment on or support the issue.
  8. If the issue is to be supported or commented on, the Association communicatesthis to members prior to making a public statement.
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