Our Team

Committee

The Association is governed by a Committee which guides its direction. It is made up of 11 rank-and-file members who are elected by their fellow members. Committee members are elected on a yearly basis by members in their respective mining districts. These include:

•          Upper Hunter (NSW)
•          Lower Hunter (NSW)
•          Central (NSW)
•          Western (NSW)
•          Southern (NSW
•          Northern (QLD)
•          Southern (QLD)
•          Eastern (QLD)
•          Western (QLD
•          Central (QLD)
•          Western Australia

The Committee meets four times each year, alternating between Brisbane and Sydney and oversights the industrial, legal and other activities of the Collieries’ Staff Division.

Paul Meehan – President

Paul is the rank-and-file President elected by members of the CSOA. He worked full-time in the black coal mining industry from 1981 until 2015 and now works casually in the industry. He worked in a variety of roles from Operator, to Deputy to Undermanager. He was elected President of the CSOA in 2014, and prior to that was elected as a representative member of the committee in 2011.

Catherine Bolger – Director

Catherine has worked for unions for 27 years, most recently with the CSOA since the amalgamation in 2001. Catherine is responsible for the strategic oversight and management of our union, including our finances, legal, safety, industrial and staff.

Sue Carswell –   Industrial Relations & Organising Assistant

Sue grew up in New Zealand and moved to Australia in the mid 70’s.  She gained a double degree in Industrial Relations and Political Economy in the early ‘90s while working full time at a large manufacturing Union, studying at the University of NSW at night and bringing up her children. She has continued to work for the Union movement for 25 years, using her communication, informational, interpersonal and organisational skills, working in research and administration.

Kylie Rooke – Industrial Officer/Organiser

Kylie has worked for unions for around 14 years, having joined the CSOA team in January 2007.
Kylie studied Industrial Relations and Politics at the University of Newcastle and more recently has completed postgraduate studies in Dispute Resolution. Kylie is responsible for many of our key bargaining activities, including negotiation of the foundation agreement for Appin Staff.

Belinda Giblin – Senior Organiser

Belinda has been working as an Organiser in the trade union movement for 14 years. She entered the movement as a rank-and-file union member and delegate before being retrenched when her place of business closed. With her union she fought and won one of the first cases to see redundancy payments made to long-term casual employees. She then began work as an Organiser in the union movement and has been working for CSOA for 4 years.

Andrew Rivett – Organiser

Andrew has been with us since 2016 and worked in the broader union movement for ten years beforehand.

Adam Guy – Legal Officer

Adam is the CSOA’s Legal Officer and joined the team in August 2016. Adam comes to the CSOA with over seven years’ experience as a solicitor, and more than 10 years as an industrial advocate. Prior to joining the CSOA, Adam worked for a number of large transport industry trade unions and has significant experience in appearing in various courts and tribunals for members.