It is with a heavy heart that I am writing to inform you that after 27 years of service to postal and telecommunications workers, I am retiring to spend more time with my family.
My decision to retire was not easy, but after careful consideration and consultation with family and friends, I believe it is important for the Union to move forward and build on our many achievements in the best interests of our very loyal membership.
With a number of grandchildren now in the family, it is the right time for me to leave the workforce and concentrate on my family and role as a grandparent.
Having voluntarily stepped aside from my role as NSW State Secretary at the end of last year to enable the Union’s Committee of Management to establish the factual basis of false accusations and imputations reported by one media outlet, the time out of the job has given me an opportunity to reflect.
A personal family incident occurred around 10 years ago and, at the time, I took responsibility for my role in that and voluntarily underwent a lengthy period of mental health treatment over more than a year. Since the incident, and by obtaining professional counselling and treatment during that time, I have rebuilt relationships with my family.
Time away from work has enabled me to focus on those relationships which are too important to compromise by having private personal issues dredged up and canvassed in the media for nothing other than political ends.
Myself, my wife Margaret, daughter Kylie and son Nathan all made the Australian Financial Review (AFR) aware that their reports surrounding the incident were grossly inaccurate. This reporting continued to be repeated without any regard for their health and wellbeing.
I note that the Branch Committee of Management has received a report completed by Barrister Claire Howell examining the factual basis of allegations reported about me in the media.
In her report, Ms Howell cites and annexes correspondence from the Acting Registrar of Blacktown Local Court confirming that I did not plead guilty to any charges laid by Blacktown Police in 2007, nor was I convicted or found guilty of any offence.
The report notes that the AFR nonetheless reported as ‘fact’ on a number of occasions, incorrectly, that I had pleaded guilty to “six counts of assault”.
I made a firm commitment to my family that I would not speak publicly about the incident other than to say I deeply regret those events, 10 years ago. I have done everything I can to rebuild relationships with my family and, with the help of medical professionals, I was able to achieve this.
My family is of utmost importance to me, and I would encourage anybody who has been involved in a domestic violence incident, regardless of the scale, to do the same and seek out assistance and treatment like I did during that time.
As someone who started out as a postie at Randwick Post Office back in 1980, I am proud of my role and record in advancing the interests of, and achieving a better deal for, postal and telecommunications workers throughout my career.
I have given my all to the Union and its members and I, along with my family, have made many sacrifices in this regard given the enormous responsibility and obligations that come with the office and role of being the NSW Branch Secretary.
These sacrifices have contributed towards many important legacy achievements. Some of my proudest are; preventing the erosion of our members’ superannuation retirement benefits, securing full-time permanent jobs for many thousands of our past and present members and making sure that sick and injured workers are respected and protected in their employment and receive all their entitlements.
There may be a few people within management and the big business end of town with their political followers who didn’t like it, but we achieved real outcomes for workers by standing up and winning hard fought campaigns, which is the job of any Union official, worth their salt.
I am very confident that the Union is in great shape to build on this success long into the future with the amazing officials and staff to continue the job.
With that, I note that the Branch Committee of Management has appointed Shane Murphy to the vacancy caused by my retirement.
I have worked closely with Shane for 18 years. He has played a key role in driving the Branch’s organising and advocacy initiatives and has achieved real outcomes for members primarily working in the telecommunications industry.
Prior to joining the Branch in a full-time capacity, Shane worked for both Australia Post and Telstra.
I have watched Shane grow in his abilities under my leadership and am proud to have played a key role in his professional development where he ultimately became my Assistant Secretary.
I commend Shane to members as their new Branch Secretary and have every confidence in his ability to lead the Branch through the many challenges our members will face as change and disruption shall continue to develop in our industries.
I wish to sincerely thank our members and local Union representatives for their loyal support for me as their Branch Secretary. I am continually humbled by the faith and trust they have placed in me to advance their interests and uphold their rights at work for so long.
It has been an incredible privilege and an honour to serve you – I have strived to never at any time let you or our Union down.
I am also extremely thankful to our past and present officials, staff and members of the Branch Committee of Management who have served your Union under my leadership. Each of them have contributed to our success and achievements for members and have played a crucial role in cementing the NSW Postal & Telecommunications Branch as the biggest, most influential and financially viable Branch within the Communications Division of the CEPU.
I wish them the greatest success for the future.
Finally, I would like to sincerely thank my wife Margaret along with my daughter Kylie and my son Nathan, their partners David and Vanessa and my beautiful grandchildren for their steadfast support throughout my career, but especially during the most difficult time for all of us over the past few months.
Yours faithfully,
JIM METCHER
Comments are closed.
