UNITYOfficial Journal of the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union (Construction & General Division) NSW Branch August 2008

Union & Proud

Registered by Australia Post

Publication Print Post No: 243184/00011

Saving Sanja’s

homeDeath benefit win for CFMEU

Union & Proud

Registered by Australia Post

Publication Print Post No: 243184/00011

Who can help if you are injured at work?The CFMEU solicitors, Taylor & Scott,

have collected data over the past 12

months that indicates that as many

as 80 per cent of injured workers

who are receiving voluntary work-

ers compensation payments may be

owed money by insurance companies

and employers. Changes to the law

and recent court decisions mean that

workers who have suffered an injury

can apply to recover monies owing.

You should not wait until your claim

has been rejected to consult the

union. Make an appointment today to

receive proper legal advice. Examples

of underpayment are your produc-

tivity allowance and in some cases,

travel expenses. There are also lump

sum claims that can be made.

Ready to helpDavid Coleman is a Senior Partner at Taylor & Scott prac-

tising extensively in the workers compensation and per-sonal injury area. He has conducted cases in all states

of Australia as well as England and Ireland and advised trade unions and their members for more than 30 years.

Level 2, 287 Elizabeth Street, Sydney NSW 2000tel (02) 9265 2500 fax (02) 9265 2555

freecall 1800 600 664

Level 1, CFMEU Building, 12 Railway Street Lidcombe NSW 2141tel (02) 8737 4500 fax (02) 8737 4555

Suite 1, Tonella Commercial CentreCnr Bull & Ravenshaw Street, Newcastle NSW 2300

tel (02) 4929 6777 fax (02) 4926 5109freecall 1800 880 777

Ground floor, Fred Moore House, Lowden Square, Wollongong NSW 2500

tel (02) 4227 2344 fax (02) 4227 1590freecall 1800 678 225

By appointment – Shop 3127 High Street Wodonga VIC 3690

tel (02) 9265 2500

www.tayscott.com.au

Checking your entitlements If receiving workers’ com-pensation for an injury sustained at work, or travelling to or from work, the insurance company is obliged to pay productivity allowance in certified union EBAs for the first 26 weeks of incapacity. Many bosses and insurance companies are not paying this. In addi-tion, the majority of mem-bers are entitled to ‘top-up’ money from Uplus. If this is your situation, contact the CFMEU or Taylor & Scott for further advice.

Difficulty hearing?Ongoing and/or past exposure to a noisy envi-ronment in the course of your employment may have resulted in hearing loss. If you feel they may have suffered such loss visit the Hearing Clinic in the Workers Health Centre located at Level 2, CFMEU Building, 12 Railway Street, Lidcombe. For an appoint-ment phone 9749 7666

Taylor & Scott claims settledDuring the three months ending December 2006, the CFMEU worked with Taylor & Scott on several mem-bers’ claims and workers compensation cases. Taylor & Scott were successful in settling $679,158.02 for our members, who all appreci-ated the assistance provided by the union and by Taylor & Scott.

Need constructive legal advice?

Taylor & Scott Lawyers continue to fight for your legal rights. For expert legal advice call us today!

UNITY 2

TAYLOR & SCOTT

Feedback . . .This is your journal and the CFMEU encourages you to have your say. Unity can only continue to improve with your participation. We welcome your contribution – letters, stories about wage claims, disputes, rorts, OHS, bad eggs, site conditions, poems, photos etc. If you have anything you think is worth publishing, phone, fax or mail us. Mark for the attention of Dani Cooper:

Unity File, Locked Bag 1, Lidcombe, NSW 1825 tel 02 9749 0400 fax 02 9649 5255 cooperdani@bigpond.com

Writing, editing and photographyBleedin’ Heart Media

Andrew Ferguson

DesignRodney Lochner 0414 716 306

Cover photoJames Alcock

Printing and distributionPrint&Mail Pty Ltd 02 9519 8268

AdvertisingSummit Advertising 03 9329 7571

UNITY

UNITY 3

EBAs 4

Cover story 5

Bin the ABCC 6

Your union 7-8

Regional 9-10

Company fines 10

Apprentices 11

Labour hire 12

Legal 13

Guest workers 14

OHS 15-17

Retired members 18

Widows group 19

Super 20-21

Community 22, 37

World 23

Awards 24-28

Multilingual 29-31

Direct debit 36

Letters 38

Drugs & Alcohol 39

Profile 40

ContentsAugust 2008

Issue 42

CFMEU members campaigned last year to help get rid of John Howard and his anti-worker WorkChoices legislation.

But more than six months after gaining office, the Federal Labor Government has not done enough. In particular it is continuing Howard’s legacy by refusing to dismantle the Building Industry Taskforce (ABCC).

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is subservient to big business’s threats and has decided to keep the ABCC until January 2010. The ABCC has unlimited powers to harass building workers. It has the power to require anyone to attend a compulsory interview. There is no right to silence and refusal to attend can lead to jail.

More than 50 ordinary men and women have been forced to attend secret interrogations. Why should there be one law for building workers and another for everyone else?

Right now CFMEU Victorian Vice-President Noel Washington is taking a stand – and is refusing to front the ABCC. It is anticipated that if Washington is jailed, the ACTU will organise mass protests in every capital and major regional centres in Australia. It is expected that tens of thousands of building workers will participate in the mass protests.

The CFMEU needs you to join the campaign to get rid of the ABCC and give building workers back the democratic rights that every other Australian enjoys.

DISCLAIMER: Advertising by a company in Unity does not in any way constitute endorsement by the CFMEU of the practices of any employer/company.

UNITY 3

ABCC must go!

EDITORIAL

One of Sydney’s largest traffic control companies has signed on with the CFMEU bringing up to 40 members into the union.

AAA Traffic Control, based at Mt Druitt, has signed an enterprise bargaining agree-ment with the CFMEU for the first time.

Organisers Brian Parker and Ian Gemmell put in the “hard yards” over a number of months, holding numerous meet-ing with staff and management, to secure the better deal for the company’s workers.

The union EBA means workers will

immediately benefit from a lift in pay, along with improved conditions and amenities on site.

So good is the relationship with the com-pany it has agreed to place CFMEU signage on all its trucks including stickers declaring the compamy “Union and Proud”.

Gemmell says one of the main motiva-tors for the company to begin talks with the union was the change of government last year.

“The company is very conscious about

doing the right thing and very safety con-scious so it was a good fit with the union,” he says. And with the area of traffic control growing rapidly, the number of women in the CFMEU is set to increase, he says.

“More and more women are going into traffic control,” Gemmell says.

“They have a better temperament for the job, are more reliable and seem to be able to handle road rage situations better.”

About 30 per cent of AAA Traffic Control’s workforce is women.

Proud to be union

Pay rise on way ACIRT has unclaimed $3mMembers working under EBAs should look for a wage rise in their pay packets at the start of October.

Warren Kelly, from the CFMEU’s EBA Department, says under current EBAs a 2 per cent wage rise was locked in to take effect from October 1.

The wage rise will also mean members should get an increase in their superan-nuation benefits as super payments are a minimum amount in the EBA or 9 per cent of wages, whichever is the greater.

Members should check their pay slips to ensure the increase to both their wages and superannuation takes effect.

Meanwhile Kelly says big builders and many contractors are lining up to sign the next round of EBAs, despite having months to go before they expire.

About 1000 EBAs are due to expire this year and Kelly says many companies are coming forward to get the paperwork done well before current EBAs end.

During 2007 ACIRT had $61 million to be paid out in interest distribution to mem-bers. However, ACIRT is still unable to dis-tribute $3 million in interest distribution to members – due to members having invalid addresses.

If you changed your address and have failed to inform ACIRT, then you may be entitled to some of the unclaimed income distribution.

All members should contact the ACIRT administrator now on a Toll Free Number 1800 060 467 and provide them with new address details.

For the year ending June 30 2008, ACIRT is expected to pay out to members approxi-mately $14 million in interest distributions. The interest return for ACIRT members for 2008 will be 2.5 per cent.

ACIRT RecoveriesBetween January and June 2008, CFMEU organisers, with the assistance of ACIRT

National Co-ordinator Dennis Matthews, recovered $363,265.00 in unpaid ACIRT con-tributions.

Company Name Amount RecoveredLaines Management $99,369Carlton Sheetmetal $69,200Mann Group $31,500Fire Life Safety $25,699Fire & Life Safety $20,129Dong In Australia $19,584Aqua Australia $18,655Bettaplex Resources $18,020Winform Contracting $17,420Clearwater Asset Services $13,280G&W Hydraulics $ 9,025G&H Aluminium $ 8,580JFC Interiors $ 7,888Superior Fire Protection $ 6,836Salex Interiors $ 6,240Rediform Constructions $ 5,200Clearwater Constructions $ 3,640

UNITY 4

EBAS

IT’S A DEAL: AAA Traffic Control is out and proud when it comes to declaring its union allegiance.

Niatummy nim ea con vel ilit praessi blam ver sus-ciduis er iriurem ipsumsa ndignit la commy nos am iusto dolorperat ilis num velit loreet, veros nibh elent

Another son lost

Sanja’s victory

On July 25, Lee Tapping’s name was unveiled on the CFMEU’s Wall of Remembrance as his parents watched.

The 33-year-old’s death in April has again highlighted the disregard some builders have for workers’ safety and rights.

Tapping, a formworker, was killed while working on extensions to Grafton Shopping World, which is being built by the McConaghy Group.

Northern NSW Organiser Jim Hutcheon says Tapping was stripping the formwork off concrete columns when a formwork shutter slipped and hit him on the head.

Tapping was rushed to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney, but his life sup-port was turned off the next day.

Hutcheon says Tapping’s boss, Suncoast Formwork, had not registered him with the construction industry’s superannuation

scheme, CBUS, despite being legally required to do so.

As a result his family has been denied a death benefit of $200,000.

When approached to pay the death benefit on Tapping’s behalf, Suncoast Formwork refused.

However the CFMEU launched a campaign to ensure Tapping’s family received a superannuation death benefit and presented his parents Susan Smith and Ken Tapping with a cheque after the memorial service at Lidcombe.

According to Hutcheon, workers had complained about safety in the lead-up to Tapping’s death but these concerns were largely ignored.

“When Lee died myself and Organiser Mick Lawler had to fight

every step of the way to receive the safety

documentation relating to the accident,” Hutcheon says.

“To rub salt into the wound the company then refused to shut the site even after numerous formal requests.

“It is employers like this that make the CFMEU determined to fight on behalf of workers’ rights for a safe workplace.”

Death benefit payments will rise by almost $100,000 and dependency require-ments that stopped some families receiving compensation have been abolished, thanks to a campaign by the CFMEU. A death ben-efit of $425,000 will now be paid to the next of kin of those killed in workplace accidents irrespective of dependency.

NSW Premier Morris Iemma’s recent announcement, before 150 CFMEU del-egates and relatives of building workers who died, means the fight for fair compensation for the loss of family members is won.

And thanks to the CFMEU, around 60 families of workers killed in work-related accidents since October last year will receive ex-gratia payments of between $100,000 amd $425,000.

For widow Sanja Budesa, whose husband Nebojsa was killed while travelling to work on October 29, the victory means her home is safe from the banks.

The 27-year-old, with two young boys Luka, 3, and Nemanja, 1, says the decision eases her worries because she knows there will be a home for Nebojsa’s children.

“I need to be strong for the kids,” she says. “The pain is still there, but I feel a bit more secure for the kids knowing they have the house in the future.”

Under the old law, Susan Smith and Ken Tapping would have received no compensa-tion for the death of their 33-year-old son Lee because they were not dependent on him.

Obviously still distressed over his death on a Grafton worksite, Ken and Susan say the changes recognise the loss to families, whether they are dependent or not.

“My concern is that this isn’t going to happen to someone else,” Ken says.

Ken and Susan also praised the efforts of the new Workplace Tragedy Family Support Group. “Today has shown us there is more support for fam-ilies like us than we knew about,” Ken says. “The CFMEU has helped us feel as though there is a way through all this.”

For sisters Kate Murray and Liz Raymond, whose father Geoffrey Jardine died after being crushed on a building site in 2002, the changes have come too late to help their mother Rosalie.

When Jardine died he was semi-retired and his wife was planning to retire. However because Rosalie earned more than Jardine at that point, she was not considered a dependent and received no death benefit. It meant she could not retire and the sisters believe she will be forced to sell her home in the next 12 months.

Kate and Liz say the changes mean other wives do not have to suffer their mother’s fate. “In reality we’re not going to stop workplace deaths,” Kate says. “But it means the road will be easier for the next people who lose a loved one.”

CFMEU State Secretary Andrew Ferguson says the union has lobbied hard to ensure the law was changed.

“This is not about financial gain, it’s about recognition of the loss families experience and easing some of the pain.

“It’s important for widows like Sanja and Rosalie to know they are not going to lose their home and for parents like Susan

and Ken to have their son’s death acknowl-edged.” If you’ve lost a loved one at work contact the support group at email: cherylromer@workplacetragedy.com

UNITY 5

COVERCOVER STORYUNITED: Sanja Budesa, above, and sisters Kate Murray and Liz Raymond with photos of their lost family member.

RAW GRIEF: Susan Smith and Ken Tapping with a picture of their son, Lee.

Targettaskforce

For as long as he can remember, Noel Washington has hated bullies. And because of that he has always spoken out or stood up against those with power. He has done it, even at the risk of losing his job.

But this time Washington risks losing his freedom.

The vice-president of the Victorian branch of the CFMEU has been charged and is set to appear in the Magistrates Court over the next few months with the possibility of a jail sentence looming over him.

The charge is for refusing to attend an interview with the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) – set up by the Howard Government to harass, intimi-date and bully workers and their unions in the construction industry.

As a union official for 27 years, Washington is no stranger to being in the witness box and being cross-examined by the best of them. He’s not afraid of being ques-tioned by the ABCC, but instead is refusing to appear before it to make a political point.

“The ABCC are the biggest bullies I’ve ever dealt with,” he says. “The laws they have at their disposal have no place in a so-called democratic society like Australia and they use those laws freely to go after ordinary

workers. Workers are not entitled to choose their own legal representative and they are forbidden to talk to anyone about what took place in these interrogations.”

The ABCC wants Washington to answer questions relating to a union meeting held on a site in 2007. As far as Washington is concerned it’s none of their business.

Washington says he is making a stand to draw attention to the ABCC’s attacks on vul-nerable workers.

“I have a brother, son and son-in-law in this industry, not to mention the countless friends. I don’t want any of them working and living under these laws.”

The laws are also affecting our status overseas. The International Labor Organisation has condemned the ABCC and made personal representations to Workplace Relations Minister Julia Gillard.

“The last thing I want to do is go to jail,” says Washington. “But there are bigger things at stake here, workers’ rights for one. And in the building industry, we don’t have them.”

If Washington is jailed there will be mass protests in every capital city in Australia. Tens of thousands of workers will not work on site and will attend these rallies.

Taking a stand The battle to get rid of the building

industry taskforce is on.Every building and construction

union in Australia is now united behind a campaign to have the Rudd Labor Government abolish the Building Industry Taskforce (ABCC).

The CFMEU has been joined in the campaign by the Australian Workers Union, Australian Manufacturing Workers Union, Electrical Trades Union, Plumbing Trade Employees Union, Queensland Council of Unions, Unions NSW, Victorian Trades Hall and the ACTU.

CFMEU State Secretary Andrew Ferguson says the unions are united because the ABCC threatens every build-ing worker’s fundamental right to organ-ise to protect their conditions and safety.

“The ABCC is a legacy of the previous Howard Liberal Government,” Ferguson says. “There is no credible reason for the Rudd Government to maintain it and its anti-democratic powers.”

He says taskforce boss John Lloyd has no interest in looking out for workers.

“Bosses who break the law are ignored by the taskforce,” he says. “Instead its hit list is made up of individual workers.”

Kurdish Iranian CFMEU organiser Mansour Razaghi knows a thing or two about repression. He says the ABCC is a blot on Australian society.

“I have close contacts with workers in Iran through the solidarity commit-tee. When I explain to them that such an organisation exists they cannot believe it.

“They ask me ‘how is that true when you are living in a so-called democracy’.”

Workplace Minister Julia Gillard has set up an inquiry, chaired by former Federal Court judge Murray Willcox into the powers of the building industry inspector-ate that will replace the ABCC from 2010.

What you can doKeep an eye on this website: www.constructingrights.com Spread the word at your workplace Make sure everyone knows their rights for dealing with the ABCC Get copies of flyers and stickers from the Lidcombe office and pass them around your community Talk to your local MP or ALP branch Join the Joint Construction Unions' campaign Support members targeted by the ABCC Check the latest union activities at:

www.constructingfear.com.auwww.cfmeu.asn.au/construction

Where are our rights?Construction workers have called on the head of the Australian Building and Construction Commission to explain why his agency is targeting individual construction workers for exercising their basic rights.

CFMEU Construction Division National Secretary Dave Noonan says the ABCC laws are a left over from Howard’s IR disaster, and need to be brought to an immediate end.

“The ABCC charge sheet reads like a roll call of attacks on individual building work-ers,” he says. “Unions will do their job to stand up for the rights of ordinary workers.”

Noonan says the public rejected the WorkChoices agenda at the last federal elec-

tion and the new Labor Government should respect that.

The AMWU, AWU, CFMEU, ETU and Plumber’s Union have begun a nationwide campaign to bring an end to the laws.

“The lobbying of federal Labor MPs is just one arm of the campaign that the union will be running over the coming months to restore basic rights to workers in the con-struction industry.

“No other body in Australia has such sweeping powers. No other workers are faced with this sort of heavy-handed and undemocratic assault on their human rights,” he says.

UNITY 6

DRAWING THE LINE: Noel Washington is ready to go to jail in his fight with the ABCC.

UNITY 6

BIN THE ABCC

The CFMEU is rebuilding its strength and influence with a marked growth in membership for the first time in four years.

To ensure members are well served the union has brought in a number of new organisers.

However, the union is only as good as its mem-bership and delegates. CFMEU State Secretary Andrew Ferguson says the union needs members to put up their hands to be delegates and to encourage co-workers to become financial and for non-members to join.

“The more CFMEU members in a workplace the stronger the union’s hand when we are negoti-ating better pay and conditions for you,” Ferguson says.

Among the new faces at the union are plas-terer Yu Lei Zhou, Mansour Razaghi and Charlie Boumelhem. Zhou, 24, has worked in the industry for the past five years. A native Mandarin speaker he came to Australia alone, aged 16, with little English.

He says his experiences are echoed in the lives of many expat Chinese workers in the construction industry. “Ninety per cent of Chinese workers out here, their families are back home,” he says. “It’s pretty tough, especially when you are young.”

Zhou wants to get around building sites and talk to Chinese gyprockers and painters to make sure they know just what their entitlements are.

He estimates about half of the Chinese work-ers are being ripped off and language is the main reason. Not only is it unfair for these workers, but it undermines the standards for everybody else.

“I want to help the workers because we came from the same country and because they can’t communicate well they need someone to speak up for them.”

Razaghi’s journey to the CFMEU has covered many countries and careers.

A Kurdish Iranian, the 47-year-old arrived in Australia in 1992 and immediately began working in community activism.

During the past 10 years he worked to help resettle refugees, worked with victims of torture and trauma and has been a community liaison officer with Holroyd High School. In between that

he has also found time to turn volunteer work with community radio into developing a career with ABC and SBS that has seen him nominated for the media industry’s major Walkley Award.

It was during his community work and soli-darity work with Iranian workers that he found a common ground with the CFMEU.

Although it may seem a leap in a different direction, Razaghi says workers’ rights have always been his passion.

“I’m not looking at this as only as a job, but that it is my duty ideologically,” he says.

“The power of workers comes from the deci-sion to be organised, to be united and to be informed. My main agenda is to bring power to the workers.”

The married father of three will be based around the Holroyd/Parramatta region.

The new organisers can be contacted via the Lidcombe office on 9749 0400 or Razaghi’s mobile 0421 339 401 and Zhou on 0430 106 669.

Tulloch’s new job

Organiser Malcolm Tulloch is now acting Assistant Secretary of the union after Peter Zaboyak resigned in April.

Tulloch, who joined the union in September 2002, says he is honoured by the appointment. “It is an important period for the union movement,” he says. “We got rid of Howard and survived thanks to good leadership in the move-ment. Now we are in a position to grow and exert our influence to improve condi-tions for workers and I am proud to be part of that.”

State Secretary Andrew Ferguson thanked the Wollongong-based Zaboyak for his service to the union. Zaboyak is now a human resources manager with a refractory brick contractor.

After almost four years with the CFMEU, media officer Tim Vollmer has left the union, to be replaced by Saffron Howden.

Vollmer takes up a position as full-time carer to Dyson, 5, and Uriah, 14 months. He describes his time with the union as an “emo-tional rollercoaster ride through Latham’s brain snap, Bomber’s fizzle, Howard’s end, and Chairman Rudd’s revolution”.

Vollmer is sending his wife, Michelle, out to work in the belief that spending time with his two, small children can’t be harder than keeping up with Andrew Ferguson. He says it was a privilege to be part of the campaign to protect workers from “Genghis Howard and his horde of bloodthirsty CEOs”.

“I have learnt a lot, befriended a few of you, pissed off a few more and been greatly enriched by the experience,” Vollmer says.

Howden, who joins the union from The Daily Telegraph, is step-ping into Vollmer’s shoes.

Although she admits it is a daunting task, Howden has been on the frontline for workers’ rights.

Eight years ago, she became a union delegate for the first time. She was working for a small media monitoring company where people were employed under dodgy con-tracts and in terrible conditions.

The Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance had no presence in the workplace. But in less than a year, Howden had encouraged more than one quarter of her fellow young monitors to join the union and get active.

While Howden went on to pursue a career in journalism, she always maintained her union involvement and commitment. She became a union delegate again while completing her cadetship at Australian Associated Press.

After two years spent covering politics from the press gallery in Canberra during the Howard era, Howden returned to Sydney to join The Daily Telegraph.

If you have a story you think deserves some media attention contact Howden at the CFMEU’s Lidcombe office on 9749 0400 or email her at showden@nsw.cfmeu.asn.au

Rebuilding our influence

Passing on the PR baton

UNITY 7UNITY 7

YOUR UNION/STAFF MOVES

NEW FACES: Mansour Razaghi, Yu Lei Zhou and Saffron Howden

THE CFMEU is encouraging union members to pay their fees by direct debit.

Many members are embracing this way of stay-ing financial with about 20 per cent of members now paying union fees by direct debit either fort-nightly or monthly from their savings or credit card account.

The union is aiming to lift that figure to 30 per cent by the end of the year.

An amnesty is now operating for outstanding fees. If you owe outstanding union fees, the union will suspend these fees for 12 months and if you remain on direct debit for that period we will cancel

your outstanding fees. Under the direct debit system there is no cost to you as the CFMEU pays the account charges.

The union is reliant on its membership fees to keep it strong. Through the direct debit system members do not have to worry about getting behind in payments and the union is assured of a regular income.

It also means less dependency on the boss controlling union fees and deducting them from his

workers’ wages.This is an easy and convenient way to pay fees

so sign up now.

Notice of increase in union fees effective 1 October 2008With the defeat of the Howard Government in 2007, we have a much better opportunity to rebuild the union and advance the interest of our members.

We cannot however, think the new Rudd Government is going to address all the prob-lems confronting us as a result Howard’s draconian measures against building workers.

While the Rudd Government has promised to rip up WorkChoices later this year, the huge threat facing construction workers will remain, that is the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) and its taskforce of goons who will continue to pretend to be inspectors until 2010.

The union is committing millions of dollars to a public campaign to have the ABCC, its taskforce and the legisla-tion abolished, just to regain the same union and civil rights enjoyed by every other worker.

We will be using television, radio and print advertising. We are also employing more organisers to improve the service to the membership during this period.

To assist in achieving this union fees will increase by $5 for the next six monthly union ticket. This 2.17% increase is much lower than inflation.

Help us to help you by taking out your next union ticket early.

Members are reminded that each year the union has exclusive access to three holiday units in Fingal Bay and one unit in Sussex Inlet during the peak school holiday periods. Each year the CFMEU runs a ballot to see who can use these properties in the weeks over the Christmas/New Year break.THE BALLOTThe ballot for this Christmas period will be held on 20 September 2008. If you wish to be placed in the ballot, contact Tianne on 9749-0408 to have an application form sent to you.ABOUT THE HOLIDAY UNITSSussex Inlet and Fingal Bay costs $467.50 per week during the peak season from Saturday to Saturday.

Self-contained units accommodate a maximum of six people. Pets are not allowed.

Fully furnished with fridge, stove, microwave oven, iron, toaster, jug, cutlery, cooking utensils

DVD player and colour TV. Blankets and pillows are provided. Laundry facilities are available, and gas barbeques and picnic settings are located through-out the centre.Outside school holiday periods members may ring the holiday unit managers directly to book:

The manager for Sussex Inlet may be reached on (02) 4441-2367.

The manager for Fingal Bay may be reached on (02) 4981-1533.The rates in periods outside the school holiday dates are as follows:

Summer ($401.50p/w) Covering 11 October - 19 December 2008 and 24 January - 10 April 2009

Shoulder ($308p/w) Covering 30 August - 26 September 2008 and 25 April - 29 May 2009

If you want to sign up to direct debit payments simply fill out the application form on Page 36 of this edition of Unity and return it to your union delegate, organiser or the union office, CFMEU, Locked Bag 1, Lidcombe NSW 1825.

ROYAL RECEPTIONStep forward. The union is

trying to chase down the member in this photo who declares on the back: “I’m

the chap who nearly signed Lady Di up to the BWIU. The

BLF gave her a T-shirt and I told her if you want a start

you can work with me”. We’d love to hear the

story of that day with Di. If you know this member

contact Unity via email to cooperdani@bigpond.

com or drop us a line at Unity File, Locked Bag 1,

Lidcombe, NSW, 1825.

UNITY 8

THHT EE CFCFMEMEUUU iisis e encncououraragigig ngng u uniinionon memembmbererss to pay thheiir f fees s byby d dirirect debit.

MMany mmembers are embraracicingng this way of stay

yoyourur o o tutut tststanandidingg f ffeeeess. U Undnderer t thehe d dirirecectt dedebbibitt sy tstemm t theherere i iss nono c cost to you as the CFMEU pays the account charges

d e

Easy way to pay fees

wiwillll s sususpependnd t thehesese f feeeess foforr 1212 m months and if y youou remamainin o onn didirerectct d debebitit f foror tthat period we will cancecel

ThThisis i iss anan e easasyy anandd coconvnvenenieientnt w wayy to psoso s sigign upp now.

M b i d dd tth t h th i DVD l d l TV Bl k t d

Holiday unit ballot

YOUR UNION

DECEMBER 2008 - JANUARY 2009 SCHOOL HOLIDAY PERIOD

Most workers on the Northern Distributor extension north of Wollongong being built by Reed Civil are enjoying decent pay and conditions thanks to union-negotiated enterprise bargaining agree-ments.

CFMEU organiser Peter Primmer said the project was one of the better projects in the region. “We have a lot of rogue operators down here, so it’s good to step on to a job where safety and condi-tions are good.”

Plant operator Noel Johnston, from N&T Johnston Earthmoving, was working under a union-EBA and said it helped set out decent standards for everybody. “I joined the union about five years ago and they’ve been good.”

Doug Stewart, from Blacktown, is a foreman for Trade West, installing sound barriers for the distributor.

A boilermaker by trade he has been in the union “for years” and said it helped bring about better

safety. “The union helps keep the pressure on. They’re proactive, while employers are usually more worried about speed, getting the job done quickly.”

Formwide first-year apprentice Joe Bond, 18, was happy to get a start in the industry, and while he didn’t know too much about the union, he was interested in their role in delivering decent pay and conditions.

“Apprentices wages are pretty low, so anything that helps us is good.”

Reed’s Safety Co-ordinator David Zanetic said the Northern Distributor was a challenging job, as it involved crossing 14 creeks and culverts and building 13 bridges.

“The other big challenge is working so closely to residents and traffic. We are literally passing with metres of people’s homes.”

Zanetic said it was important to get safety right, and to do this, every contractor needed to be prop-erly inducted, trained and equipped.

Green bansaves iconWollongong’s Town Hall has been saved thanks to the efforts of the CFMEU and a timely Green Ban.

When Wollongong City Council moved last year to prepare plans for the historic site’s demolition, the union stepped in with a Green Ban.

The move was applauded by the public and has since been backed by a decision to restore the landmark building to its former glory.

The change of heart came about after the city council was sacked by the NSW State Government and replaced by administrators.

In May, the administrators announced the Town Hall would be restored “as quickly as possible” and the hall updated with modern facilities at a cost of more than $2.5 million.

One of the administrators is Gabrielle Kibble, who is also chair of the NSW Heritage Council.

The CFMEU has now lifted the Green Ban.

State Secretary Andrew Ferguson says the decision is a victory for the community.

“As in the past the CFMEU’s Green Ban has been instrumental in saving our his-tory,” he says.

“The union welcomes the plan to stop the sell-off of this landmark building and instead refurbish it into a community facility for the benefit of local residents.”

UNITY 9

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Right road to safety

WOLLONGONG

THE NAME’S BOND

Apprentice Joe Bond is enjoying working on the

union site

Organiser as mad as MaxNewcastle organisers have launched a mini-blitz on faulty equipment.

The campaign is in response to an increasing amount of dodgy plant coming into the region, which is undergoing a mas-sive construction boom.

The CFMEU has called on WorkCover NSW to take a more active stance by pulling up faulty equipment and demanding recti-fication before it gets moved to the next site.

CFMEU organiser Russell Cunningham says he is amazed at the state of some of

the plant coming into the Hunter region. In the latest incident Cunningham called WorkCover NSW to investigate a drilling rig he came across on a site in the suburb of Belmont.

“I was so shocked at the horrendous condition of the rig that I immediately called WorkCover,” he says.

WorkCover NSW inspector Nathan Hamilton took one look at the rig and declared, “It looks like something out of a Mad Max movie,” Cunningham says. “I

don’t think that this type of gear would even be accepted in a third-world situation, so why are we encountering so much defective plant in Newcastle?

“We will be stepping up our efforts to uncover any faulty plant that is operating in any area of our authority, but we would like to see WorkCover taking a closer look at this equipment while it is being used.

“Otherwise it just gets trucked to the next job without any repairs or maintenance until the next time we come across them!”

Obvious riskThe NSW Industrial Relations Commission has found that the risk to workers from overhead powerlines that killed a dogman at Heathcote in 2003 was “not only obvious, but foreseen”.

Railcorp was fined $275,000 over its “extremely serious” fail-ure to ensure workers’ safety.

Michael Boland, 32, was killed on February 23 when he was electrocuted when the crane jib touched an 11,000-volt over-head powerline.

The court heard that the risk of the cranes coming into con-tact with powerlines was identi-fied by a number of workers both before work began and on the day of the fatal accident.

The court heard Railcorp has brought in new safety proce-dures for work near powerlines since the accident.

Win for apprenticeAn apprentice has won more than $2 million in compensation for a five-metre fall on a con-struction site in 2004.

On June 18, 2004 fourth-year apprentice Sam Chamma was installing roof eaves for Chubs Construction on a housing con-struction site in Sutherland.

He had been using a cherry picker for the work, but on June 18 other tradesmen were using the only cherry picker on site.

Contract site foreman David Boswell told Chamma to use a ladder instead. There was no perimeter scaffolding and the balcony Chamma was working on had no fencing.

NSW Supreme Court Acting Justice David Patten found the principal contractor Soliman could not escape liability by con-tracting out foreman services.

“[Soliman] knew of the dan-gers of the building site yet did nothing ... knowing that in the meantime workers were likely to expose themselves to the perils,” he said.

The court found Chubs was also liable because it had “unlimited opportunity” to inspect the site and should have known of the risks.

$3 million for labourerA Sydney construction company has lost its appeal against dam-ages it was ordered to pay to a worker who suffered back inju-ries on a site in 2003.

Labourer Warren Jones was hurt when he lost control of a wheelbarrow while moving cement at a Baulkham Hills site in February 2003.

In July 2007 the NSW Supreme Court Justice Carolyn

Simpson ordered Syd Bricklaying and Dyldam Developments to pay Jones more than $3 million in damages.

Fine for lost fingers increasedThe NSW Industrial Relations Commission has increased the penalties imposed on a company and its director over a worker who lost all the fingers on his left hand.

On May 19, 2006, Jin Woog Kim was working alone feeding plastic material into a machine’s chute.

His left hand was drawn into the feed chute, which had an auger. All the fingers of his left hand were amputated.

Company Rexma and director Chung Byung Man were origi-nally fined $21,000 and $11,000. Rexma’s fine was increased to $45,000, and Man’s to $21,800.

UNITY 10

NEWCASTLE

COMPANY FINES

DODGY INC: Some of the sub-stand-ard equipment the CFMEU is trying to eradicate from Newcastle building sites.

Push for gap year

Boss brought to book

A gap year with a guaranteed job on return is a key condition a group of young apprentices are keen to see the CFMEU chase up.

Last month, Unity spoke with three apprentices at Chullora TAFE on work, tradies, the union and being an apprentice.

And the message they had for tradesmen out there is slow down and take a bit of time to pass on your knowledge.

For Dylan Breust, who works with Tweed Shire Council, safety remains an important role and one he is happy to see the union push.

But the 20-year-old is also quite keen that older tradesmen take the time to communi-cate and share their knowledge.

“Sometimes I learn more off the labour-ers because they are willing to talk,” he says.

Kevin De Sousa, from the Wollongong-based company Wideform, agrees.

He reckons apprentices would get better on-the-job training if they worked with two tradesmen.

“That way they’ll still get through the job and they’ll be able to show you how to do it,” he says.

“When you work with one tradie he’s going, ‘go get that, go get that’ and you’re just running around not learning anything.”

In De Sousa’s ideal world, apprentices would spend their first year without tools, just watching tradesmen as they work.

The second-year apprentice says last year’s election was his first where he was eli-gible to vote and he took the right seriously.

He says the WorkChoices legislation and the Howard Government’s ban on site allow-ances made Labor the logical choice for him.

“I did look into it and thought about what was best for me and for my kids,” he says.

Ben Cogan, 21, has his eye on a well-earned break at the end of his apprentice-ship. The 21-year-old who works with Bega Valley Shire council is keen on a gap year being written into union EBAs.

“They should offer you a year off after you finish your apprenticeship and you can still get your job back, it could be a gap year

for apprentices.” Cogan reckons the idea, which his two classmates enthusiastically backed, would help turn around attrition rates.

He says going straight from school to an apprenticeship then work leads to burn-out.

“You’ll get more apprentices staying with their employer and if there was a bit more flexibility it might reduce the drop-out rate as you can only get working visas for over-seas until you are 28.”

All would like to have better communica-tion between their site bosses and talked openly about how difficult it sometimes is to take the practices they learn at TAFE into the workplace.

“Some of the older blokes just don’t want to know,” says Cogan, but he says his boss will “sometimes be open to new ideas if he can see the point”.

With the support of the CFMEU, apprentice Byron Nolan has brought his boss to account.

For three months Nolan, 18, was verbally abused, humiliated, racially discriminated against and underpaid.

“I was feeling pretty lousy, but I knew how important it was for me to finish my apprenticeship,” Nolan says when asked why he didn’t just quit.

But on his mum’s advice he documented his miserable work experience in a diary.

That diary proved explosive when Nolan appeared before the Vocational Training Tribunal on July 25.

It detailed how his boss John Ryan, of Northern Rivers Original Kitchens, tried to control his life on and outside the job.

Among the claims Nolan made were:

Ryan demanded Nolan’s girlfriend not stay at his house during the week because it would make him too tired for work.

Ryan refused to let him cut up tomatoes for sandwiches, insisting they be pre-made.

He was told to get a haircut three times in four weeks.

He was told he wasn’t “really black”, and if he was he should come to work with some kangaroo meat for his lunch.

The tribunal also heard that Nolan was sacked two days before the end of his offi-cial three-month trial as an apprentice.

And he was underpaid more than $7000 in wages and superannuation.

For Nolan the $5 spent joining the CFMEU is money well spent given the sup-port he received and his tribunal victory.

“He’s now labelled a prohibited

employer,” says Nolan. “It means he won’t be able to do it to any other apprentices.”

Better still the union is chasing up his lost wages.

CFMEU State Secretary Andrew Ferguson says with the country suffering a skills short-age, young apprentices should be encour-aged not scared away from the industry.

“Sadly, we get calls from apprentices or their parents all the time about exploitation, abuse and underpayment of wages,” he said.“We have a major shortage of apprentices – and bosses like Byron’s are not doing anyone any favours by treating their young workers so badly.”

If you are being underpaid, mistreated, want advice or assistance contact the Apprentices Organiser Brad Parker on 0404 085 295.

UNITY 11

APPRENTICES

TRADING PLACES Dylan Breust, Ben Cogan and Kevin De Sousa at Chullora TAFE

FLAGGING AN ISSUE

The CFMEU is launching a

campaign to win back conditions

in the labour hire sector

With the Howard Government out of office, the CFMEU is fighting to restore con-ditions to workers in the labour hire sector.

Following the successful superannua-tion blitz, a team of union officials will this month visit Sydney building sites to ensure labour hire workers are not being ripped off in their pay packets and site conditions.

The team will check that casual staff hired through a body hire company, and apprentices hired through a group appren-ticeship scheme are being paid the same as workers directly employed by the host company.

NSW State President (Construction) Peter McLelland says the team will also

make sure labour hire workers are only being used to meet temporary requirements.

“If we find companies are using labour hire to get around directly hiring workers then we will be pushing the company to offer the workers a full-time job,” he says.

McLelland says CFMEU members in the labour hire sector were hit hard by the Howard Government’s attacks on workers’ rights.

Under Howard’s changes to industrial laws, protections against labour hire work-ers being exploited became illegal.

These included requirements that tem-porary staff were paid the same as workers from the host boss; and that labour hire

workers had to be given a permanent job if they worked casually for a company for more than six weeks.

“The union with the endorsement of body hire workers had to adapt to these circumstances to maintain employment in an increasingly unregulated environment by agreeing to reduce standards in order to maintain their jobs,” McLelland says.

“With the defeat of Howard the union’s influence and membership is growing,” he says.

“We can use the changed environment to restore the standards of employment for body hire workers and apprentices employed by group schemes.”

LABOUR HIRE

UNITY 12

Hire calling for super blitz

Piercing the company veil

CFMEU member Ead Barhoum fought an unlawful dismissal case with the help of the union and won.

Barhoum, a painter, was sacked more than two years ago because he took time off work for an injury.

His employer All Districts Coating had claimed that he was dismissed because the company had ceased trading.

However, the CFMEU “pierced the corporate veil” of the business to show that a related company and its same owner were continuing to operate the business and that no other workers were sacked at the time of the corporate transfer.

The Federal Magistrates Court has awarded Barhoum the maximum available com-pensation, which including superannuation and ACIRT will be $45,000.

The union has been awarded costs. In an earlier decision the company was also ordered to pay the union $7000.

Hose job earns fineA SAFETY consultant who turned a hose on two CFMEU officials and locked them out of a con-struction site has been fined $6500 and ordered to pay the CFMEU’s costs.

In a great victory for mem-bers, the CFMEU successfully prosecuted Michael Dalzell for a breach of the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2000 for obstructing and threatening or intimidating union organiser Andrew Quirk and safety co-ordi-nator Dick Whitehead, pictured.

Dalzell was a safety consult-ant on site when Quirk and Whitehead attended the site to investigate serious safety issues.

Dalzell tried to stop the offi-cials by hosing them with water and locking them out of the site.

The safety issues the officials were investigating included falls from heights, unsecured pen-etration covers and dangerous storage of building materials.

The Chief Industrial Magistrate found that Dalzell had breached the Act.

He was fined $6500, a convic-tion was recorded and he was ordered to pay the union’s legal costs of about $26,000.

In handing out the penalty,

the chief magistrate said the powers of authorised union officials to investigate suspected breaches of the OHS Act were an important part of the work-place safety system in NSW and to impede them was a serious offence.

CFMEU senior legal officer Rita Mallia says the case clearly highlights that union-authorised officers are protected by the law.

“It reaffirms the very legiti-mate role of union-authorised

officers in ensuring workplaces are safe for all workers on build-ing sites and that the union, and the courts, take very seriously, a situation where site management choose to ignore the role that authorised union officials play in ensuring that safety standards are maintained,” Mallia says.

“The union will be prosecut-ing other builders and contrac-tors and any other indiivdual that seeks to hinder our right of entry.”

UNITY 13

LEGAL

UNITY 13

A win you can drink toVictory doesn’t come any sweeter than the CFMEU’s recent win over Tooheys, who took a group of employees to court after overpaying them about $650,000.

The overpayments were part of a redundancy offer made to nine workers its Auburn factory after the company decided to automate the engine room.

CFMEU Organiser Terry Kesby says two of the nine, Len Binkhorn and Dave Whitmore, were CFMEU members who wished to keep their jobs.

Kesby says the union had fought against the redundancies on safety grounds saying automation of the boilers could lead to an accident.

However, Tooheys insisted that if they did not sign the redundancy agreements, it would assume the men had agreed to work on the production line.

Kesby says the company’s mistake was in offer-ing all employees redundancy packages based on 30 years’ service.

“It didn’t matter if you’d been there for 18 min-utes or 25 years,” he says.

Although only two of the nine workers were

members of the CFMEU, the workers presented a united front at the court case.

“The CFMEU fought the case on the definition of a contract,” says Kesby. “There was no pressure for them to make the offer and our guys had signed in good faith.”

The two CFMEU members had the least to lose as they had worked for the company for 24 and 26 years. However some of the other workers had been overpaid by more than $150,000.

Kesby says the union initially proposed the work-ers could keep two-thirds of the overpayment.

However, Tooheys rejected the offer and instead the union found itself being summonsed to the Supreme Court, which eventually found in the workers favour and ordered Tooheys make good on the initial contracts.

“I’m really happy for the guys that we won, because the company thought it was smart and would do us over,” he says. And while the beers might be on Dave and Len, Kesby is pretty sure Tooheys is no longer their drink of choice.

The pay packets of guest workers employed in Australia under the 457 visa scheme workers increased on August 1, thanks to a long campaign by the CFMEU.

The 3.8 per cent pay rise will take the minimum salary for guest workers to about $43,000.

Federal Labor Immigration Minister Chris Evans says the increase will coincide with a better moni-toring system to ensure workers are not ripped off.

Evans says the changes will mean skilled migrants work in areas where there are genuine shortages. But the higher wages will also guarantee people on 457 visas are not employed ahead of Australian workers.

CFMEU State Secretary Andrew Ferguson wel-comes the changes, but says more needs to be done to limit temporary guest worker numbers.

“We need to expand skilled immigration rather than having workers employed temporar-ily,” he says. “More also needs to be done to train Australian workers.”

He says the union has been campaigning to improve wages and conditions of guest workers.

The Howard Government had not raised mini-mum wages for 457 workers for over two years.

“We have seen far too many cases of workers being brought in from other countries and treated like slaves by rogue, corrupt bosses,” he says.

The Cook Islander teenager who was sav-agely bashed by his boss and worked under almost slave-like conditions has been awarded a total of $700,000 in work injury claims.

With the support of the CFMEU’s legal depart-ment, Sam Kautai’s has received a $250,00 lump sum claim and $450,000 work injury claim.

Sam and his friend were brought to Australia in 2004 by Manuel Puruto to work for his roofing company Freliesma Guttering.

During the next two years they lived at Puruto’s house and worked 10-hour days, six days a week, receiving bread and noodles and $50 as payment.

However, Puruto also brutally attacked the

teenagers, in one instance beating Sam with a claw hammer so badly that he is now blinded in his right eye and has damaged vision in his left.

CFMEU State Secretary Andrew Ferguson paid tribute to the work of the union officers, in particu-lar Keryn McWhinney and Rita Mallia, who worked hard to ensure Sam was compensated.

Puruto has since been jailed over the attack.“This is one of the most vicious examples of

abuse to guest workers in Australia that we have encountered,” Ferguson says.

“Because of one boss’s greed, Sam has lost most of his sight. This payment will go some way in helping Sam secure his future.”

Politics in the Pub

State Secretary Andrew Ferguson will be one of the key speakers at the September 12 Politics in the Pub.The topic “Migrant workers: The latest in exploitation”.Come watch him talk the opposition into submission. Where: Gaelic Club, 44 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills.When: September 12 Time: 6pm-7.30pm

Picket is the ticketAfter many wet and cold Friday nights on the picket line out-side Sombreros restaurant in Cronulla, Basilio Reyes has had his faith in Australia restored.

The Chilean-born chef was sacked and threatened with deportation after he required extra time off work because of a life-threatening brush with cancer.

The CFMEU became involved in his case at the request of his brother, a long-time union member.

As part of the campaign the CFMEU staged a weekly picket highlighting Reyes’ plight to prospective customers.

CFMEU industrial officer Radhika Raju says a confiden-tial deal has been reached.

“Basilio Reyes is very happy that he can put this behind him,” she says. “He now has a new job and his employer treats him with the respect every individual deserves.”

The only outstanding issue is Reye’s medical expenses. The union is continuing to assist Reyes in respect of this issue.

SMALL COMPENSATIONSam Kautai was perma-nently injured after being

attacked by his boss

UNITY 14

GUESTWORKERS

Campaign wins pay rise

$700K for abuse

One in 10 carpenters in Australia and Britain will die of asbestos-related cancer, a UK expert says.

Professor Julian Peto, a cancer researcher with the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says about 30,000 Australians will die of mesothelioma between 2000 and 2050.

And he predicts one in 10 carpenters born before 1950 will die of asbestos-related cancers.

Peto, who presented his findings at a recent Melbourne University lecture says 500 men and 100 women now develop mesothelioma every year in Australia.

And as people who were born before 1950 age, his predictions suggest the epidemic will worsen

for 15 years, with 900 deaths a year at the peak.There have already been about 10,000 mesothe-

lioma deaths in Australia since records began in the early 1980s.

Peto predicts another 25,000 Australians will die from mesothelioma over the next 40 years.

The researcher studied the lifetime occupational histories of 600 mesothelioma patients in Britain against 1400 non-exposed people, making it the world’s biggest study of its kind.

He found that the largest risk is now to con-struction workers, particularly carpenters, plumb-ers and electricians.

Rates have also increased in women, although at a much lower level, he says.

When Karen Banton stood to honour her late husband on the Day of Mourning it seemed fit-ting that the event was held in Reflection Park at Sydney’s Darling Harbour.

It was just 153 days after Bernie’s death from mesothelioma, the fatal lung disease caused by exposure to asbestos.

Karen told the large crowd of grieving families that 153 days was also the average survival time vic-tims had from diagnosis to death.

Visibly upset at times, Karen shared a fitting tribute for Bernie’s life she had found in Timothy from the Bible: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.”

Bernie’s surviving brother, Reverend Bruce Banton said he had lost two brothers to asbestos-related deaths.

He said those gathered in the park to mourn would have “empathy” for his and Karen’s loss.

“Bernie was someone who stood up and was counted and stood up for what counted,” Reverend Banton said.

Father John Boyle, who conducted the service, said he had also lost his mother to mesothelioma

and carried the pleural plaques in his lung that are a testament to asbestos exposure.

He paid tribute to the work of Bernie and the union movement in bringing James Hardie to account for its actions in exposing workers to the deadly fibres.

Unions NSW Secretary John Robertson said this year’s service coincided with a push by state and federal governments to harmonise occupational health and safety laws.

“NSW has the best OH&S laws because these laws recognise the right of workers to a safe place of work,” he said.

“We advocate that any harmonising of OH&S laws makes sure every other state comes up to the standard in NSW.”

Among the mourners was Julie Bastin with her children Hayley, 20, Anthony 21 and Jack, 10.

They came to remember husband and father Bruce Bastin, who died on July 28 last year when he was crushed by a forklift that fell from a truck.

Mrs Bastin said the service was “absolutely beautiful” and a wonderful release for families.

Keep ahead of safetySafety helmets have a use-by date and a working life, the NSW Department of Primary Industries is warning.

A three-year replacement date has been adopted as the Australian Standard.

The date the helmet was made is stamped on the inside of the shell near the peak.

If a helmet is used regularly it should be replaced three years from the date of issue.

This date should be marked on a sticker on the inside-back of the helmet.

If the sticker is lost use the manufacturing date as the benchmark.

The harness inside has a two-year life and should be replaced earlier.

UNITY 15

TEXT

UNITY 15

One in 10 carpenters at risk

OHS/ASBESTOS‘BEAUTIFUL’

Julie Bastin with Hayley, Jack and Anthony at the service

Day of mourning

Safety showThe Safety Show Sydney is on from October 28-30 at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park.

It will feature more than 350 companies showcasing the latest products and services in OHS and manual handling.

The Trade Show is held with the Safety Conference, which features more than 60 Australian & international speakers covering the latest issues in Occupational Health & Safety.

Safe work on roofs code The CFMEU has prepared a submission on the revised draft Code of Practice for Safe Work on Roofs.

The submission says the union considers this one of the most important codes of prac-tice and points out there have been four deaths from falls in NSW since August last year.

The CFMEU submission broadly supports the proposed code but suggests stronger wording in areas.

“Our officials continue to find unsafe practices, par-ticularly in the area of working from heights on sites,” the submission says.

The submission can be viewed on the union’s website at http://www.cfmeu-con-struction-nsw.com.au/

Reo alertWorkCover has issued a Guidance Note for manufac-turers over sharp edges on factory cut reo bars.

The alert follows an increase in the number of injuries received by workers from the sharp edges of the reo bars.

For further information visit the WorkCover website at www.workcover.nsw.gov.au

UNITY 16

An audit of the bricklaying sector has uncov-ered appalling safety standards, CFMEU organiser Brian Parker says.

Parker and fellow organiser Phil Smith have been visiting members who work as brickies to ensure they are being paid correctly and are receiv-ing the right superannuation and long service leave entitlements.

During the audit, they found many bosses were severely underestimating their workers’ compensa-tion levels.

Parker says this is particularly important as many members are working under dangerous con-ditions.

He says at some sites instead of proper scaf-folding, brickies were using steel horses and long planks.

“There is no engineering report to see if these

structures can bear the weight that is being put on it in terms of blocks, mortar and tools,” he says.

“It’s Rafferty’s rules.”Parker says they have hit about 10 sites already,

with workers welcoming the union presence.“They say it’s good to see the union on site and

say the environment is a bit better now to feel fine about discussing issues like safety and pay.”

Parker says the union is insisting that contrac-tors scrutinise subbbies and ensure they are con-tributing to workers compensation, superannuation and long service leave.

“The bosses seem to think they can get away with leaving it up to the subbie,” he says.

“Through this audit we are showing we are on the warpath and that we are checking and are going to ensure they fulfil their obligation to make sure workers are getting their entitlements.”

A crackdown on the use of dodgy plywood in formwork is reaping ben-efits with engineer James MacGregor helping CFMEU organisers identify dodgy products.

MacGregor and CFMEU Organiser Mark Cunningham have visited numer-ous sites across Sydney.

MacGregor says poor quality ply-wood is rampant across some sites.

“Most of the Chinese plywood is poor quality and has poor bonding, even though it says that is has certifica-tion,” he says.

“Most of the stuff I’ve seen is show-ing signs of delaminating. If you get an extra load on the ply it can fail and someone can get killed.”

Cunningham urged any members concerned about plywood being used on their site to contact the union.

The main target of the crackdown is Chinese formply that is fraudulently stamped with the JAS-ANZ accredita-tion mark. JAS-ANZ is a government-appointed regulator that oversees certi-fication and its mark represents safety.

The markings on the Chinese prod-uct look authentic, however testing by the Engineered Wood Products Association of Australia (EWPAA) shows 60 per cent of the samples do not meet Australian Standards.

For more information visit the JAS-ANZ website at: http://www.jas-anz.com.au/

UNITY 16

OHS

Brickies’ sector unsafe

Ply warning

PLYING THEIR TRADE: James MacGregor, Mansour Razaghi and Mark Cunningham inspecting formply on building sites, and below, ply-wood in the process of delaminating.

Toeing the line: the boots injured worker Joshua Lamey wore.

Alert after two deathsA double fatality at a Gold Coast con-struction site has led WorkCover to issue an alert over the use of swing scaffolding.

Chris Gear, 36, and Steve Sayer, 52, fell to their death from 26 storeys up on a high rise, as they patched concrete.

Union officials believe the swing scaffolding they were using collapsed.

“The incident serves as a tragic reminder that any failure of a suspended scaffold or its support system is potentially catastrophic,” WorkCover says in a statement.

The scaffold relies on all of its components, the correct installation and usage to ensure the safety of people in, or in the vicinity, of sus-pended scaffolding.”

The accident occurred across the road from a state Labor conference, and led Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who was at the meeting,

to offer his impromptu condolences.“A few blocks from here there has just been

a terrible industrial accident, where we have seen two construction workers lose their lives,” Mr Rudd said.

“As Labor people, our thoughts are with the families of those men and this terrible accident reminds us all ... of the dangers which continue to affect so many of the work sites of Australia.”

Further information regarding suspended scaffolds can be found in:

Australian Standards AS 1567.4: Scaffolding Part 4: Suspended scaffolding and AS 4576

Guidelines for scaffolding WorkCover Rigging Guide More information is also available at www.

workcover.nsw.gov.au or from the WorkCover Assistance Service on 13 10 50.

UNITY 17

OHS

Big business has shown once again it pre-fers profits before people with a major push to weaken NSW safety laws.

The Master Builders Association (MBA) and the Australian Industry Group (AIG) are urging the Rudd Labor Government to water down safety standards in its mooted plan to harmonise OH&S laws across the country.

All state and federal governments agreed recently to nationalise occupational health and safety laws by 2011.

Big business has been quick to press the Rudd Government to aim low.

The AIG called on Rudd to reject NSW’s tough safety standards, which force employ-ers to prove they are not to blame for work-place accidents.

And the MBA’s acting CEO, Richard Calver, says new national occupational laws should not be brought up to the highest standards.

“We do not (want) harmonisation at the highest common denominator,” he says.

However that is exactly what the CFMEU wants and will be campaigning to ensure it happens.

State Secretary Andrew Ferguson says the safety of NSW building workers is not up for negotiation.

“The recent death of Lee Tapping on a Grafton work site is another reminder of why we need strong safety laws and union access to work sites,” Ferguson says. “In NSW we still have some of the strongest safety stand-ards in the country despite the efforts of John Howard to destroy the union.

“It is criminal for the MBA to suggest that profits are more important than the right to a worker to come home every day.”

Operators of mini crawler cranes have been warned they can be unstable if not used properly. There have been up to 15 cases on the east coast where cranes have overturned.

The mini cranes generally have a capacity of less than three tonnes moving along on a wheeled crawler track base. If they are not set up and operated according to the manufac-turer’s instructions, they can over-turn with very little warning.

In the most recent incident in Victoria, a dogman was suspended from one of these mini cranes in a workbox around four metres off the ground. Further information on crane safety can be obtained by telephon-ing WorkCover on 13 10 50.

Mini-crane warning

Safety laws not for sale

Crew’s lucky escapeTwo CFMEU members had a lucky escape recently when a 50-tonne crane toppled over at a Leichhardt construction site, nar-rowly missing fuel tanks but slicing through an almost empty bus.

CFMEU Organiser Brian Parker says the dogman, who was forced to jump from the boom lift, broke his wrist.

However, he says it was lucky no more serious injuries incurred.

With the investigation under way, Parker says there did not appear to be any evidence of shonky safety.

However, Parker says the accident has highlighted the importance of geo-tech reports being available on site to ensure the ground on which cranes are erected is stable.

“Stability of the ground is a common

cause behind many cranes toppling over,” he says.

“Cranes are erected right near schools and childcare centres and many areas where the public have access.

“This is why WorkCover should be insisting before the work is done by cranes that a geotech report is made available and produced at the site.”

UNITY 18

RETIRED MEMBERS

Ramsey Hamzey’s work life mirrors the evolution of the CFMEU. Recently retired, the cabinetmaker and shop fitter has donated all his union tickets to be displayed at Lidcombe headquarters from a career that stretches back to May 1969.

Hamzey arrived in the country from Lebanon on Anzac Day, 1969. After coming from the buzzing streets of Beirut, he was thrown by the deserted streets of public holiday Sydney as he made his way from the airport to Auburn.

“I kept wondering what was wrong, where had all the people gone?”

Within two weeks the then 26-year-old had taken up the tools and was working as a cabinetmaker in Greenacre.

With just a few words of English he initially worked alongside fellow Lebanese speakers. But within three months he moved to a new job and remembers having to tell his new boss: “You draw picture, me under-stand.”

The union movement was very quickly part of Hamzey’s life.

“From the second or third job I joined the union for cabinetmakers and since then I’ve been a member.”

It is not a decision Hamzey has ever regretted.

“The union is one of the best things for workers. Even if you don’t see the union doing something for you they are there like a big brother watching out,” he says.

“If there’s no union, there’s no safety.”With a brief interlude from construction,

when Hamzey and wife Aida ran a small store, he knows the value of having that support. In 2003, after 45 years of work, Hamzey had his first workplace accident.

While using a dropsaw, he cut a small piece of his finger off and was off work for five weeks.

“I was off work for five weeks, but I never claimed a benefit,” he says.

When he returned to work however, a col-league insisted he talk to the union delegate. With workers’ compensation and a one-off injury payment, Hamzey collected about $9000.

“I wasn’t expecting to get anything out of it,” he says.

Although he has experienced some racism on work sites, Hamzey says in gen-eral most colleagues help out those who do not speak English as a first language.

In his time here, Hamzey has watched his native land, once considered a paradise,

being blown apart. He jokingly compares Australia to a jail.

“Once you’re in, it’s very hard to get out,” he says.

“The first two years are hard, but if you leave you’ll come running back because Australia is one of the best countries in the world.”

Now with three children and two grand-children, he admits to struggling with the idea of retirement.

“I love the working life. I’ve been working since I was 15 years old and I’ve been work-ing hard all my life,” he says.

Delighted to see the back of the Howard Liberal government annd its anti-worker ways, he says the Labor Government needs to help the union movement help workers.

He has two pieces of advice for young workers in the industry: “Don’t say, ‘it’s alright, that’ll do’, there’s no such thing”. And more importantly, “Join the union and do the right thing by your fellow workers by the Australian way.”

The CFMEU Retired Members meet every fourth Tuesday of the month at 10am sharp, at 12 Railway Street Lidcombe. The past few months has seen both an increase in numbers attending, and also more activity, showing these members’ continued commitment to workers’ rights, environmental protection, and legal and civil human rights. In 2007 the group played an extremely important role in the election campaign which saw the defeat of the Howard Government.

Their activities included: A strong presence at the Sombreros

restaurant protest, which contributed to the win for a 457 visa worker who had been

sacked, with no medical coverage, because he had cancer.

Active participation in the protests against electricity privatisation and two rallies, to let the NSW Government know how badly their plans would affect retired members

Ongoing interest in Green Bansactivity on the environment, about renew-able energy

Several letters to state and Federal Government ministers expressing the views of the group

Participation in the Council of Retired Union Members Association

Participation in joint meetings with the retired Maritime and Metal Workers

Participation in all union actions

The Retired Members have just commit-ted to assist the union in its campaign for the abolition of the Australian Building & Construction Commission – which they believe to be an organisation (backed by its legislation and taskforce) that results in out-right discrimination against building work-ers, threats of fines and jail terms, reduction of pay and conditions (hard fought for by retired members such as site allowances), lack of general civil liberties for building workers, spying on job and union meetings, and continuous threats and intimidation of building workers.

We invite all retired members to join the group in its important work.Mick Tubbs – PresidentCFMEURetired Members Association

No such thing as that’ll do

Work never ends for unionists

NOT THE RETIRING TYPE: Ramsey Hamzey reflects on his working life in Australia

UNITY 19

WORKPLACE TRAGEDY FAMILY SUPPORT

The Workplace Tragedy Family Support Group aims include:1. To develop a kit for families of workplace tragedy victims, to advise them on how to proceed through the legal and industrial minefields; a kit for workers who have wit-nessed such a tragedy; and a kit for employ-ers to ensure uniform highest benchmark policies and procedures are carried out in the event of a major accident on site.2. To assist families of those who have also been badly injured at work.3. To increase workplace and public aware-ness about the extent and consequences of workplace accidents.4. To campaign with other community groups, including trade unions, for improved workplace OH&S and workplace laws: (a) Greater government monitoring of OH&S practices, particularly where the gov-ernment is the client;

(b) Transparency in respect to workplace accidents, so that information about the death and circumstances surrounding it is provided to families by Workcover NSW; (c) Protection from unfair dismissal; (d) Enhanced right of entry laws for union officials investigating workplace safety; and (e) Greater compensation to the victims of workplace accidents and their families. The CFMEU has been the group’s inspira-tion and motivating force, and it is through its input that it has been able to get up and running effectively.

There is now a website: www.workplace-tragedy.com, a committee to develop our aims, a bank account, and the group is in the process of organising speaker training for some family members so that they can attend job sites, employer and government meetings and other occasions to talk about the aftermath of workplace deaths.

The WTSG would like to thank those delegates and activists, as organised by the CFMEU, for their job-site meetings covering 2700 workers and particularly to those who provided the following donations to our new group.

Widows make mark

Multiplex Site Erskine & Sussex Sts $ 965Bruce Scott Abigroup $ 800Denis McNamara Watpac $ 650Lucas Stewart George St $ 635Boss Civil Sydney Uni $ 500Buildcorp Pyrmont $ 322.10A W Edwards Darlinghurst $ 322Laing O’Rourke Macquarie Park $ 309.60Multiplex Pyrmont $ 306Shell Rosehill $ 272Whitehorse Fairfield $ 175.70Baseline Hurstville $ 157.60Baulderstone Wollongong $ 112.95Hansen Yuncken Port Macquarie $ 80

There was music, fabulous food, special guests and a sense of excitement that the Howard days were over. But in the end, the 2008 Construction Industry Dinner belonged to those who could not be there – the dead.

NSW State Secretary Andrew Ferguson brought that message home when he told the story of the first and latest deaths for 2008.

There was Gerry Murphy, who fell and died after being left alone on a Blue Mountains site in January, whose body was found more than 24 hours’ later by a son wondering why his dad had not come home.

Then in April, painter Ivan Vega fell from his ladder and died in the arms of the son who worked alongside him.

For the more than 170 representatives at the dinner of families of workers who have been killed these were stories they knew

well. But, as Ferguson said, the night was not about sympathy, but action.

Federal Labor Minister Penny Wong was on hand to launch The Workplace Tragedy Family Support Group.

The brainchild of widow Cheryl Romer, Wong said it was important “for us to remember that behind every statistic lies myriad stories of those left behind”.

“It’s difficult to make sense of that loss and live with the belief that it could have been avoided [through better safety],” she said. “For the trade union and its members OH&S is not an abstract concept. It’s part of their everyday lives.”

Romer quietened the audience as she recounted the events of October 24, 1988, the day her husband Bob, then aged 43 and a father of two young children, was crushed at work.

Almost 20 years’ later at the unveiling

of the CFMEU’s Wall of Remembrance at its Lidcombe headquarters, she had been angered to hear the story of another widow Andreia Veigas.

“I realised after 20 years nothing had changed,” she said and the idea of the national support group for people who lose a family member at work was born.

With her now two grown children watch-ing, Romer told the dinner the group’s first mission was to produce a kit for families of those killed to outline how to deal with the bureaucracy that follows a workplace death.

But more importantly she said the group would be a visible force campaigning for improved safety at work.

Its first target was enhanced right of entry to work sites by union officials.

“Union access to sites is a key part of ensuring other dads come home each night,” she said.

Group hits ground running

OUT TO LAUNCH: Alan Jones with Sue Baxter, mother of Joel Exner and Penny Wong meets the

support group founder Cheryl Romer

CFMEU delegate Derek Wenderski can’t say enough good things about the union’s blitz on superannuation payments.

While his super payments might be all up to date, in talks with State Secretary Andrew Ferguson, Wenderski, pictured above, discovered he had almost six years of long service leave he had never claimed and a possible medical payment for permanent damage to his lungs.

According to Ferguson, Wenderski’s story is just the tip of the iceberg the union has discovered on its round of field trips.

He says many workers do not fully under-stand their entitlements and as a result are missing out on money, often substantial amounts of it, in their pockets.

Wenderski, the Billbergia Group delegate, says he spent four years self-employed as a vinyl layer and did not realise he was entitled to long service leave for that period.

He was forced to stop working due to health reasons on the orders of a special-ist and thought nothing more of it, until

he spoke with Ferguson. “In 99.9 per cent of cases if you can’t work for any medical reason, whether it is work related or not, if you can provide evidence to the Long Service Payments Corporation you will be entitled to claim for that period,” Ferguson says. “So a five-minute chat has resulted in the union realising Derek has six years’ long service leave he can claim and we will now chase that up for him.”

Wenderski also discovered while talking to Ferguson that he had a possible medical claim because of the impact the solvents used in the vinyl laying had on his health.

Diagnosed with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Wenderski remembers being unable to walk 20 metres without gasping for breath.

He was in and out of hospital emergency and intensive care units and going from doc-tors to specialist appointments.

During that time, between 1998 and 2000, he could not work and was paying all his own medical bills and prescriptions and

didn’t chase up workers’ compensation. “When this happened I was so sick that

to go anywhere seemed almost impossible, all I could do was the minimum to survive,” he says.

“Information wasn’t around and I was too sick so I couldn’t visit people that might have helped me.”

Instead he slowly ate away at a “nest egg” he had saved to help him fulfil a dream to make a film of a trip he documented about sailing around Cape Horn.

“I used that [nest egg] up to survive,” he says.

Having helped organise the visit by the CFMEU and being a delegate, Wenderski is slightly sheepish that he wasn’t aware of just what his rights were.

But he is now delighted to know he may yet get his nest egg back.

“It will be a bit of justice,” he says. “I didn’t do that to myself it was the material I was working with. If I get that money I can at last finish that film.”

TEXT

UNITY 20

SUPER

UNITY 20

Plan for all

SUPER

Chat gives dream sea legs

Many subcontractors and sole traders do not realise they are entitled to long service. When portable long service for building workers was introduced in 1974, following a union cam-paign, it was a major breakthrough.

It was a system that was soon extended, thanks to union action, to subcontract workers. Workers are entitled to almost nine weeks pay for 10 years of recorded service.

CFMEU wage officer Keryn McWhinney has highlighted to workers the importance of union agreements with companies.

Unless workers are covered by a union EBA they will be paid out their long service leave at the minimum rate. Union EBAs require long service to be paid out at any hourly rate of about $25-$27 an hour.

To receive the benefit you must make sure you are registered with the Long Service Payments Corporation. To register contact the NSW Long Service Payments Corporation on 131 441 or drop into the LSLC’s office on Level 1 of the CFMEU’s head office at Railway St, Lidcombe.

If you are a wage worker, your boss must notify the Corporation of your period of service at the end of each financial year.

Subcontractors need to ensure their tax agent sorts out the paperwork for long service at the end of each financial year.

It’s money lost if they fail to do it.

A six-week blitz on Sydney metropolitan construction sites has recovered more than half a million dollars in unpaid super entitlements for workers.

Last month a CFMEU compli-ance team of Andrew Ferguson, Keryn McWhinney, union volun-teer Barry Hemsworth, Cbus rep-resentatives and union organisers visited 50 sites to make sure work-ers were being paid correctly.

On the very first site we visited we found seven Chinese-speaking workers in one company who were not receiving any super and who were not registered in any super-annuation scheme.

On the second site things were so bad we even had to explain

what overtime penalty rates were to one boss. Those workers were signed up into Cbus on the day and a $15,000 payment was made to Cbus by close of business that afternoon.

Another employer was very creative in breaking employee wages down into an award rate of pay plus a separate amount of $6 per hour labelled ‘additional pay-ment’, but they were not paying super on the extra payment of $228 per week for each worker. Back pay is currently being cal-culated and will shortly be paid to each worker’s super account.The more serious problems identi-fied were:

At least 30 per cent of employ-ers were in arrears with super payments.

Most employers were not cor-rectly calculating the 9 per cent Superannuation Guarantee, result-ing in widespread underpayments to workers.

Several employers engaged workers who were not members of any super fund resulting in:no death or disability insurance cover for workersno super/retirements savings for workersloss of interest on unpaid super.

The vast majority of ABN work-ers were not receiving any super-annuation payments from their employer. Some ABN workers

were even forced to pay their own super. The campaign was an educa-tional experience for both workers and employers. Many more workers now know how to check their own superan-nuation weekly calculation. All workers were encouraged to make regular phone calls to the Cbus hotline (1300 658 333) to check if their super payments are up-to-date and to check their employer is making four and five-week payments to their super accounts.

If any worker, including an ABN worker, is working for a company not paying their superannuation

they should immediately contact the union for assistance.

Workers on more than 50 sites visited by the union were educated in all types of money matters including; Cbus insurance levels, how to calculate superannua-tion, workers’ compensation and top-up entitlements, long service benefits, and even how to check for lost superannuation or other unclaimed monies.

If you have a question or a problem with your superannua-tion, contact the union for assist-ance on 9749 0400.Keryn McWhinney

Super results from blitz

How is superannuation guarantee calculated

Buck stops with bossThe CFMEU has issued an ultimatum to employers within the construction industry to pay superannuation.

It is demanding that build-ers check and ensure all sub-contract companies are paying superannuation for their employees.

Too many builders simply collect a false statement signed by a subbie boss that super has been paid and put it in the filing cabinet. The union is demanding that the builders check and ensure that every employer is paying the super-annuation every month.

Superannuation is not just for your retirement. The construction industry superan-nuation scheme Cbus has an insurance component for a lump sum payment if a worker is totally and permanently disabled or if he/she is killed.

The CFMEU makes it clear – if super is not paid, it will be holding the employer, builder and the client responsible.

If a worker is killed, the union will be demanding that the employer, the builder or the client pay the money which would have been payable to the worker’s estate had the employer abided by their legal obligations.

Support this campaign!

In most cases a wage worker’s weekly Superannuation Guarantee is calculated on 9 per cent of the following:

Ordinary weekly wage for 36 hours (EBA) or 38 hours (Award) for time worked and periods of paid leave

Ordinary weekly productivity allowances Five days’ fares Any other ordinary time payment (e.g. power

tool allowance, fi rst aid allowance, height or dirt allowance)The following are examples of a normal weekly wage for a CW4 rate under a union enterprise agreement:Standard WeekWage 36 hours - $ 893.16Productivity 36 hours - $ 126.00Fares 5 days - $ 25.00 $1144.16 x 9% = $102.97 superannuation Note – this is higher than the $95 minimum in most union EBAs which say “$95 or 9%

Extra Superannuation should be paid onRDO Shutdown Long Weekends Wage 36 hours $ 893.16Productivity 36 hours - $ 126.00Fares 5 days - $ 125.00RDO hours 14.4 hours - $ 375.26RDO productivity 14.4hrs - $ 50.40RDO travel - $ 25.00RDO shutdown weekend - $1,594.82 x 9% = $143.53 superannuationIf you think your superannuation is not being calculated correctly drop into Level 1 of the union offi ce at 12 Railway Street, Lidcombe, with your union card and a few pay slips and we will check calculations for you.

UNITY 21

were even forced to pay their own they should

SHOCK: When her husband died at work, Sheree Poumale, pic-tured with her kids, discovered his super had never been paid

UNITY 22

‘Big’ Pat Nicholls knows his days are numbered.

But on a beautiful winter’s day in Penrith recently there was no time to think about dying. Instead more than 500 friends and workmates and their families helped Pat celebrate life. And along the way they raised more than $20,000 for Pat and his family.

In April, the 53-year-old Maori scaffolder was given just weeks to live after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

CFMEU organiser Richard Auimatagi says when workmates and the union heard about his condition they wanted to help Pat and his family through the difficult time ahead.

A quick whip-around brought in enough money to send Pat, the youngest of 13, and wife Suzy home to New Zealand for a last family reunion. But local workmates also wanted a chance to honour the gentle giant, who has lived and worked in Australia for more than 30 years.

“I’ve known him 20-odd years,” Auimatagi says. “He’s not a bloke that you see at the pub. He’s always been at work or round the footy fields. Family is impor-tant to him. So we wanted to have an event where children and their parents could come.”

The celebration included sideshow alley rides, jumping castles, clowns, animal farms, music and mountains of food.

Pat, a union man all his life, says he

was over-whelmed by the turnout and espe-cially the generos-ity of his former boss Lou Zivanovic, of Erect Safe, who paid out more than $30,000 to stage the event.

For Suzy it was just another example of the community that is the construc-tion industry and the union movement.

“All his friends have rallied around and here we are … it’s beauti-ful,” she says.

Zivanovic, an ex-first-grade rugby league player, is used to digging deep for charity through his work with children in the Penrith community.

He says when he spoke with the union about holding an event for Pat he was more than happy to stump up the cost so all the entry fee could go to the family.

“The whole idea was to get Pat, his friends, family and kids involved in a cel-ebration of his life.”

UNITY 22

UNIONTOPHIGH-VISIBILITYJACKET. ALL SIZES

$50

UNIONTOPHIGH-VISIBILITY VEST. ALL SIZES

$35

UNIONTOPHOODIE. ALL SIZES, COLOURS

$50

UNIONTOPHOODIE, ALL SIZES, COLOURS

$50

UNIONBEANIEWARM HEAD, WARM HEART, ALL COLOURS

$10

NUNIOWEARc a l l 0 2 9 7 4 9 0 4 0 0

COMMUNITY

Celebration of union man’s life

novic of

FAMILY AFFAIREvent organiser Tina Andersen, with Pat, Lou and Suzy

FAIR GOSideshow alley came

to party

PET STOP Getting a hands-

on view of the wildlife

UNITY 23

WORLD

Deaths highlight lack of crane safety regulation The appalling safety standards within the US construction industry have been highlighted after a number of crane-related deaths recently in New York, Miami and Las Vegas.

In New York, two tower crane accidents on March 15 and May 30 killed nine people.

The cause of the March trag-edy, in which seven people died and 24 were injured when the crane plummeted 19 floors, has so far been blamed on the fail-ure of a $50 nylon strap.

However, the city’s chief crane inspector was arrested in May on bribery charges, claim-ing he gave away copies of the city licensing test and answers so some crane company employ-ees would pass.

Also in March, two construc-tion workers in Florida were killed when a crane plummeted 30 storeys on to an aprtments project, damaging the home used in the movie “There’s Something about Mary”.

But the problem is not lim-ited to these incidents with 2006 statistics showing 72 workers dying in crane-related accidents across the US.

Many states have no count of their cranes, nor do they man-date training for workers who

run the equipment, or officials who certify crane operators.

New York has only four inspectors on the payroll to inspect more than 200 cranes, 26 of them large tower cranes.

The crane standards of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were last updated in 1971. They require cranes to be inspected once a year. But most of the inspec-tions never happen.

In states that go by only OSHA standards, annual crane inspections are largely a matter of self-policing.

Federal law requires that inspection records be kept, but not submitted.

In its latest initiative, New York City announced that all individual parts of a tower crane must be inspected by an inde-pendent third party before the crane is assembled.

The company inspecting the part can’t have any connec-tion to the engineers that are devising the operational plan for the crane. California, which is widely believed to have the toughest crane regulations in the country, requires that all tower cranes undergo an annual complete mechanic inspection by an independent firm.Associated Press/New York Times

Jobs lost as Celtic Tiger loses its roar Ireland is facing up to 10,000 job losses in the construction sector.

Construction employment has dropped by 2.5 per cent, or 7000 jobs, in the past year.

But industry sources say the vast majority of firms held on to staff in 2007 in anticipation of a pick-up in demand in 2008 that has yet to materialise.

Faced with zero demand for new houses, tightening bank credit and increased interest rates, many within the sector are privately predicting a major shedding of staff.

There are now 275,000 people working in construc-tion compared with 282,000 a year ago, but levels of business suggest a fall to about 250,000 would be more in tune with market conditions.Irish Independent

Korean unionists need your supportBuilding and Wood Workers International (BWI) is asking you to show your support for the Pohang Construction Plant Workers Union, KFCITU in South Korea.

POSCO, a major steel pro-duction company in the country, launched a systematic campaign to break the union after its strike in 2006.

We cannot tolerate that POSCO has used its political and economic clout in Pohang, where the company controls at least 70 per cent of the econ-omy, to implement a deliberate and strategic plan to break the union through various tactics. ACT NOW!

Voice your concern by joining the email protest at:http://www.bwint.org/default.asp?Index=1788&Language=EN

Campaign continues for jailed Iranian unionistThe international union move-ment and Amnesty International are calling on the world not to forget jailed Iranian trade union-

ist Mansour Osanloo.Their call comes a little more

than a year after he was kid-napped off a bus in Tehran on 10 July in an arrest the authori-ties initially denied had even taken place.

Reports say he was again held on charges of threaten-ing national security over the bus workers’ strike of 2005. However he is already serving time on those charges.

The International Transport Workers Federation, International Trade Union Confederate and Amnesty International have also called on the Iranian government to recognise Osanloo’s union, the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company.

Workers urged to joinban against MugabeWorkers from around the world have been urged to refuse to handle goods destined for Zimbabwe, as part of a policy of solidarity put forward by South Africa’s trade union federation, COSATU.

The ban is supported by COSATU as well as the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions and the Swaziland Federation of Labour.

COSATU’s Patrick Craven called for a “grassroots move-ment of solidarity” and urged workers worldwide to refuse to handle goods destined for Zimbabwe, as part of a campaign to force disgraced President Robert Mugabe to relinquish power.

Craven said the action is merely an attempt to “acceler-ate progress towards demo-cratic change” and added that COSATU “has no inter-est in bringing the people of Zimbabwe into more abject poverty than they already find themselves in”.

Craven said the plan for a worldwide workers’ boy-cott will be approved at this month’s solidarity conference in Johannesburg.

COLLAPSEThe scene after a tower crane deatched and plummeted 19 floors in New York

UNITY 24

SYDNEY CFMEU CONSTRUCTION EBA RATES OF PAY

THE CFMEU negotiates extra wages for union members. The majority of members are paid well above the rates of pay applica-ble under the awards.

Hundreds of companies pay in accord-ance with the wage rates outlined in this CFMEU EBA rates of pay sheet. These rates and pay scales are included in most union

negotiated agreements. In addition to these rates the union nego-

tiates extra company productivity allow-ances are payable in many EBAs.

Also, in union-negotiated EBA’s there is extra superannuation and often redundancy benefits and a fares and travel allowance above the award rate.

If your boss is paying less than these rates you should contact the union and assist in campaigning for a union-negotiated EBA with your company.

All members are encouraged not to sign or work under individual contracts (AWAs).

Rates payable from the first pay period on or after 1 March 2008

The CFMEU had negotiated the following site allowance matrix with major employers. The Rudd Government still maintains the Howard-intro-duced prohibition on site allowances. The new Federal Government is giving priority to basic legislative changes that benefit all workers, i.e. abol-ishing AWAs etc. The issue of site allowances will not be subject to review until early 2009. Our priority for the next 12 months will be re-negotia-tion of EBAs followed by a campaign to re-introduce site allowances.

Value of project Site allowance per hour Value of project Site allowance per hour

0–5 million by agreement 50-100 million $2.00

5–10 million $1.00 100–140 million $2.50 10–25 million $1.25 140–180 million plus $3.00

25-50 million $1.75

If a project is worth more than $180 million Unions NSW and building unions reserve the right to make a claim of in excess of $3.00 per hr.

WHAT ABOUT SITE ALLOWANCES?

Rates applicable from 1 March 2008

ClassificationPer Hour Per Day

7.2 Hours0.8 RDO Accrual

Per 36 Hours

Time & a Half

Double Time

CW1 20.99 151.13 16.79 755.64 31.49 41.98

CW2 21.93 157.90 17.54 789.48 32.90 43.86CW3 (Non Trade) 22.85 164.52 18.28 822.60 34.28 45.70CW3 (Trade) 23.64 170.21 18.91 851.04 35.46 47.28CW4 24.81 178.63 19.85 893.16 37.22 49.62CW5 25.97 186.98 20.78 934.92 38.96 51.94CW6 27.15 195.48 21.72 977.40 40.73 54.30CW7 28.35 204.12 22.68 1020.60 42.53 56.70CW8 29.54 212.69 23.63 1063.44 44.31 59.08

Rates applicable from 1 October 2008

Classification Per Hour Per Day7.2 Hours

0.8 RDO Accrual

Per 36 Hours

Time & a Half

Double Time

CW1 21.37 153.86 17.10 769.32 32.06 42.74CW2 22.33 160.78 17.86 803.88 33.50 44.66CW3 (Non Trade) 23.27 167.54 18.62 837.72 34.91 46.54CW3 (Trade) 24.07 173.30 19.26 866.52 36.11 48.14CW4 25.26 181.87 20.21 909.36 37.89 50.52CW5 26.44 190.37 21.15 951.84 39.66 52.88CW6 27.64 199.01 22.11 995.04 41.46 55.28CW7 28.87 207.86 23.10 1039.32 43.31 57.74CW8 30.08 216.58 24.06 1082.88 45.12 60.16

AWARDS

UNITY 25

STATE BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AWARDRates payable from the first pay period on or after 11 September 2006

CLASSIFICATIONPer hour

Time and a half

Double time

Per 38 hours

Accrual of 0.4 hours

Pro rata annual leave plus loading

Carpenter, stonemason, bridge & wharf carpenter

18.87 28.31 37.74 717.06 7.55 71.34

Bricklayer, tilelayer hard floor coverer 18.67 28.01 37.34 709.46 7.47 70.59

Plasterer, floorlayer 18.75 28.13 37.50 712.50 7.50 70.89

Roof tiler, state ridge/roof fixer 18.55 27.83 37.10 704.90 7.42 69.99

Stonemason machinist 17.63 26.45 35.26 669.94 7.05 66.72

Carver (stoneworker) 19.43 29.15 38.86 738.34 7.77 73.42

Marker/setter out, lettercutter 18.87 28.31 37.74 717.06 7.55 71.34

Special class trade 19.43 29.15 38.86 738.34 7.77 73.27

Quarryperson 17.63 26.45 35.26 669.94 7.05 66.72

Signwriter 18.36 27.54 36.72 697.68 7.34 69.28

Painter 17.79 26.69 35.58 676.02 7.12 67.32

Refractory bricklayer 20.77 31.16 41.54 789.26 8.31 78.25

Refractory bricklayer’s assistant 18.06 27.09 36.12 686.28 7.22 68.32

Group 1

Rigger, dogman 17.63 26.45 35.26 669.94 7.05 66.72

Group 2

Scaffolder, powder monkey, hoist winch driver, foundation shaftsperson, steel fixer including tackwelder, concrete finisher

17.12 25.68 34.24 650.56 6.85 64.83

Group 3 16.76 25.14 33.52 636.88 6.70 63.49

Trades labourers, demolition work, gear hand, pile driver, tackle hand, jackhammer, mixer driver, concrete steel erector, gantry hand, crane hand, crane chaser, cement gun operator, concrete cutting or drilling machine operator, concrete gang including concrete floater, roof layer (malthoid or similar material), dump cart operator, underpinner, concrete formwork stripper.

FARES ALLOWANCE PER DAY: $15.40 Where an employer requests a worker to transfer from one site to another site during working hours with his/her own vehicle, an extra $0.83 per kilometre must paid.

Where a worker using his/her car to a job outside the required work boundaries in the award an extra $0.44 per kilometre must be paid.

The fares allowance must be paid on all days worked plus rostered days off.

LEADING HANDS ALLOWANCES PER HOURIn charge of 1 person $0.41 In charge of 2–5 persons $0.90In charge of 6–10 persons $1.15 In charge of 11 persons or more $1.53

The applicable leading hand rate should be added to the hourly rates and applies for all purposes of the award.

MEAL ALLOWANCE: $11.30

AWARDS

UNITY 26

AWARDS

NATIONAL BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AWARD Rates payable from the first pay period on or after 1 October 2007.

FARES ALLOWANCE PER DAY: $15.40 Where an employer requests a worker to transfer from one site to another site during working hours with his/her own vehicle, an extra $0.83 per kilometre must paid.

Where a worker using his/her car to a job outside the required work boundaries in the award an extra $0.44 per kilometre must be paid.

The fares allowance must be paid on all days worked plus rostered days off.

LEADING HANDS ALLOWANCES PER HOURIn charge of 1 person $0.41 In charge of 2–5 persons $0.90In charge of 6–10 persons $1.15 In charge of 11 persons or more $1.53

The applicable leading hand rate should be added to the hourly rates and applies for all purposes of the award.

MEAL ALLOWANCE: $11.30

CLASSIFICATIONPer hour

Time and a half

Double time

Per 38 hours

Accrual of 0.4 hours

Pro rata annual leave plus loading

Carpenter, stonemason, bridge & wharf carpenter

18.23 27.35 36.46 692.74 7.29 68.95

Bricklayer, tilelayer hard floor coverer 18.03 27.05 36.06 685.14 7.21 68.21

Plasterer, floorlayer 17.91 27.17 36.22 688.18 7.24 68.51

Roof tiler, state ridge/roof fixer 17.91 26.34 35.82 680.58 7.16 67.61

Stonemason machinist 17.56 26.34 35.12 667.28 7.02 66.46

Carver (stoneworker) 19.36 29.04 38.72 735.68 7.74 73.16

Marker/setter out, lettercutter 18.79 28.19 37.58 714.02 7.52 69.91

Special class trade 19.36 29.04 38.72 735.68 7.74 72.04

Quarryperson 17.56 26.34 35.12 667.28 7.02 65.34

Signwriter 18.28 27.42 36.56 694.64 7.31 68.02

Painter 17.72 26.58 35.44 673.36 7.09 65.93

Refractory bricklayer 20.77 31.16 41.54 789.26 8.31 77.28

Refractory bricklayer’s assistant 18.06 27.09 36.12 686.28 7.22 67.20

Group 1

Rigger, dogger 17.56 26.34 35.12 667.28 7.02 66.46

Group 2

Scaffolder, powder monkey, hoist winch driver, foundation shaftsperson, steel fixer including tackwelder, con-crete finisher

17.05 25.58 34.10 647.90 6.82 64.56

Group 3 16.68 25.02 33.36 633.84 6.67 63.19

Trades labourers, demolition work, gear hand, pile driver, tackle hand, jackhammer, mixer driver, concrete steel erector, gantry hand, crane hand, crane chaser, cement gun operator, concrete cutting or drilling machine operator, concrete gang including concrete floater, roof layer (malthoid or similar material), dump cart operator, underpinner, concrete formwork stripper.

UNITY 27

AWARDS

NATIONAL JOINERY & BUILDING TRADES PRODUCTS AWARDS

MOBILE CRANE HIRING AWARD

Rates payable from the first pay period on or after 1 Oct 2007

LEADING HAND ALLOWANCES PER WEEK

In charge of 1 person $14.80 In charge of 2–5 people $32.50In charge of 6–10 people $41.50 In charge of 11 or more people $55.30

Rates payable from the first pay period on or after 10 Nov 2006

CLASSIFICATION Level Per hour Time an a half

Double Time

Accrual of 0.4 hours

Pro rata annual leave plus leave loading

Carpenter/joiner 6 18.03 27.04 36.05 7.21 67.07Joiner special class 5 18.03 27.04 36.05 7.21 67.07Joiner 4 17.48 26.22 34.96 6.99 65.03Assembler A 3 16.13 24.20 32.26 6.45 60.02

3 15.58 23.37 31.16 6.23 57.99Assembler B 2 14.79 22.19 29.59 5.92 55.05

CLASSIFICATION Per hour

Time and a half

Double time

Per 38 hours

Accrual of 0.4 hours

Pro-rata Annual leave plus loading

Operator of mobile crane with a max. lifting capacity of:

Up to 20 tonnes 17.60 26.40 35.20 679.10 7.04 56.59

21-40 tonnes 18.22 27.33 36.44 692.30 7.29 57.69

41-80 tonnes 18.56 27.84 37.12 705.20 7.42 58.77

81-100 tonnes 18.77 28.15 37.53 713.10 7.51 59.43

Thereafter for each additional 20 tonnes lifting capacity an additional $10.60 per week is applicable

Dogger 17.87 26.81 35.74 679.10 7.15 56.59

Dogger/rigger 18.56 27.84 37.12 705.20 7.42 58.77

Where more than one crane is engaged on any one lift the following additional payments are payable: 2 cranes=$2.60 per day; 3 cranes = $5.15 per day; 4 cranes =$7.75 per day; over 4 cranes = $10.35 per day

Operator – special purposes crane: GCI including mobile tower crane GCI 500 series

18.02 27.02 36.03 684.60 7.21 61.88

Mobile hydraulic platform trainee: Undergoing training consistent with agreed national standards

16.59 24.88 33.18 630.40 6.64 56.98

Boom length rating: up to 11 metres (including trainee) 16.65 24.98 33.31 632.80 6.66 57.19

11-17 metres 17.17 25.76 34.34 652.50 6.87 58.97

17-23 metres 17.47 26.20 34.93 663.70 6.99 59.99

23-28 metres & platform equipped with underbridge unit 17.87 26.81 35.74 679.10 7.15 61.38

Where the boom length rating is in excess of 28 metres an additional $1.03 per metre per week shall be paid.

Pile driving allowance $12.65 per day Demolition allowance $1.75 per hour

Wet work allowance $0.52 per hour Dirt work allowance $0.52 per hour

Car allowance $0.83 per kilometre Overnight allowance $12.00 per night

Meal allowance $11.30 Fares and travel $22.30 per day

EXTRA ALLOWANCES

UNITY 28

APPRENTICE ALERTIf you work under a union negotiated enterprise bargaining agreement you are entitled to extra wages, allowances and benefits. For more details ring the CFMEU on 9749 0400.

STATE GLASSWORKERS AWARD

STATE APPRENTICES

Tool allowance is incorporated into the above rates; however travelling allowances are paid in addition to the rates above.

Meal allowance - $11.30 payable when required to work overtime for one and a half hours or more. An extra 20 minutes pay (crib) Monday to Friday is payable after two hours overtime, and on Saturday and Sunday after four hours work.

Information about junior apprentices who are over 18 and adult apprentices (ie apprentices who are 21 years or older or turn 21 during their apprenticeship) can be obtained by ringing the CFMEU Apprenticeship Officer. A copy of all wage sheets and entitlements can be obtained at www.cfmeu-construction-nsw.com

CLASSIFICATION Level Per hour

Time & a half

Double time

Per day 7.6hrs

Accrual of 0.4 hours

Per 38 hours

Experienced glass worker and complex computer operator

7 20.07 30.11 40.14 152.50 8.03 762.52

Experienced cutter/glazier 6 19.47 29.21 38.94 147.98 7.79 739.92Glass cutter and glazier, furnace operator, quality control, senior windscreen fitter

5 18.83 28.25 37.66 143.08 7.53 715.42

Forklift driver (licence), Truck driver (HIAB), Windscreen fitter, experienced glass workers

4 18.24 27.36 36.48 138.62 7.30 693.12

Stores/warehousing, Furnace loader/unloader, Truck driving, Crane overhead

3 17.34 26.01 34.68 131.76 6.93 658.82

Glass handler – repetition work 2 17.06 25.59 34.12 129.66 6.82 648.32Induction training 1 16.44 24.66 32.88 124.92 6.57 624.62

This does not include the Construction Work Allowance $22.50 per week or the Tool Allowance of $5.80 per week as of 11.09.06Annual leave is accrued at 2.923 hours per week. These rates include the special loading of $84.44 payable for all purposes

Carpenter/Joiner/Stonemason

Bricklayer/Tilelayer Plasterer Painter Roof Tiler

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

1st Year 9.24 351.00 9.05 343.80 9.12 346.70 8.74 332.20 8.93 339.20

2nd Year 12.25 465.50 12.06 458.30 12.14 461.20 11.76 446.70 11.94 453.70

3rd Year 15.70 596.70 15.51 589.50 15.59 592.40 15.21 577.90 15.39 584.90

4th Year 17.29 657.10 17.10 649.90 17.18 652.80 16.80 638.30 16.98 645.30

1st Year $14.30

2nd Year $14.80

3rd Year $14.90

4th Year $15.10

FARES ALLOWANCE (for above)

Junior Trainee Apprentices – Building & Constructions

Carpenter/Joiner/Stonemason

Bricklayer/Tilelayer Plasterer Painter Roof Tiler

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

Hourly Rate

Weekly Gross

1st Year 8.39 318.80 8.20 311.60 8.28 314.50 7.89 300.00 8.08 307.00

2nd Year 11.21 425.90 11.02 418.70 11.09 421.60 10.71 407.10 10.90 414.10

3rd Year 14.00 532.10 13.81 524.90 13.89 527.80 13.51 513.30 13.69 520.30

4th Year 15.96 606.30 15.77 599.10 15.84 602.00 15.46 587.50 15.64 594.50

Junior Indentured Apprentices – Building & Constructions

Civil Engineering (Bridge & Wharf) Carpenter

Hourly Rate Weekly Gross Fares Allowance Per Day

1st Year 9.76 370.70 15.402nd Year 12.73 483.90 15.403rd Year 15.20 577.60 15.40

4th Year 17.48 664.10 15.40

AWARDS

These wage rates apply from the beginning of the first pay period to commence on or after 1 February 2008 and apply to apprentices who are under 18 or work for an unincorporated employer.

These allowances apply to all apprentices except for Civil Engineering (Bridge and Wharf) Carpenter apprentices who will receive $15.40 per day.

UNITY 29

Arabic Chinese

Croatian Greek

CFMEU.WorkChoices « »

..

« » / ABCC

.

. ..

.

« » CFMEU.ABCC

ACTU.

. CFMEU

ABCC.

CFMEU

. CFMEU

..

Članovi CFMEU-a su prošle godine vodili kampanju da se

riješimo Johna Howarda i njegovog zakonodavstva Workchoices,

usmjerenog protiv radnika.

Ali više od 6 mjeseci od kada je došla na vlast, savezna

laburistička vlada nije učinila dosta. Konkretno, nastavlja s

onim što je Howard ostavio u nasljedstvo i odbija rasformirati

Radnu grupu za građevinsku industriju – Building Industry

Taskforce (ABCC).

Ministar Predsjednik Kevin Rudd je podređen prijetnjama

velikih biznisa, odlučio je zadržati ABCC do siječnja 2010.

godine.

ABCC ima neograničenu moć za uznemiravanje građevinskih

radnika. Ima pravo zatražiti od bilo koga da dođe na obvezan

razgovor. Ne postoji pravo na šutnju i odbijanje da se dođe može

dovesti do zatvorske kazne.

Više od 50 običnih ljudi, muškaraca i žena, bilo je prisiljeno

otići na tajna preslušanja. Zašto treba postojati jedan zakon za

građevinske radnike a drugi za svakog drugog?

Baš sad je podpredsjednik CFMEU-a u Viktoriji, Noel

Washington, zauzeo svoj stav – odbija otići pred ABCC.

Predviđa se, ako će Washington biti zatvoren, ACTU će

organizirati masovne proteste u svim glavnim gradovima i u

glavnim regionalnim centrima Australije.

Očekuje se da će desetine tisuća građevinskih radnika

sudjelovati u masovnim protestima.

CFMEU vas treba, pridružite se kampanji da se riješimo

ABCC-a i da građevinskim radnicima vratimo demokratska

prava koja uživaju svi drugi Australci.

Τα μέλη του CFMEU αγωνίστηκαν τον περασμένο χρόνο για να

διώξουν τον Τζων Χάουαρντ και την αντεργατική του νομοθεσία

ΕργασιακέςΕπιλογές (WorkChoices).

Αλλά πέρασαν πάνω από έξι μήνες από την εκλογική της νίκη και

η Ομοσπονδιακή Εργατική Κυβέρνηση δεν έχει αποδώσει αρκετά. Για

την ακρίβεια εξακολουθεί την πολιτική του Χάουαρντ με την άρνησή

της να διαλύσει την Επιτροπή Οικοδομικού Κλάδου (ABCC).

Ο πρωθυπουργός Κέβιν Ράντ υπόκυψε στις απειλές των μεγάλων

επιχειρήσεων και αποφάσισε να κρατήσει την ABCC μέχρι τον

Ιανουάριο του 2010.

Η ABCC έχει απεριόριστη εξουσία να παρενοχλεί εργάτες του

οικοδομικού κλάδου. Έχει την εξουσία να καλεί οποιονδήποτε σε

υποχρεωτική συνέντευξη. Δεν έχεις το δικαίωμα σιωπής και άρνηση

προσέλευσης στη συνέντευξη μπορεί να οδηγήσει σε φυλάκιση.

Πάνω από 50 άνδρες και γυναίκες αναγκάστηκαν να

συμμετάσχουν σε κρυφές ανακρίσεις. Γιατί πρέπει να υπάρχει ένας

νόμος για εργάτες του οικοδομικού κλάδου και διαφορετικός για

οποιονδήποτε άλλον;

Επί του παρόντος ο αντιπρόεδρος του CFMEU της Βικτώριας,

Νόελ Ουάσινγκτον, αντιστέκεται και αρνείται να παρουσιαστεί

στην ABCC.

Αναμένεται ότι αν φυλακιστεί ο Ουάσινγκτον, το ACTU θα

οργανώσει μαζικές διαμαρτυρίες σε κάθε πρωτεύουσα και μεγάλα

επαρχιακά κέντρα στην Αυστραλία.

Αναμένεται ότι δεκάδες χιλιάδες εργάτες του οικοδομικού

κλάδου θα συμμετάσχουν στις μαζικές διαμαρτυρίες.

Το CFMEU χρειάζεται τη συμμετοχή σου στον αγώνα για την

κατάργηση της ABCC και απόδοση στους εργάτες του οικοδομικού

κλάδου τα δημοκρατικά δικαιώματα που απολαμβάνει κάθε

Αυστραλός.

UNITY 30

Macedonian

Lo scorso anno gli iscritti al CFMEU si sono impegnati in una campagna per mandare a casa John Howard e per sbarazzarsi di WorkChoices, la legge anti-lavoratori.

Ma dopo oltre sei mesi in carica, il governo federale laburista non ha fatto abbastanza. In particolare, sta seguendo nelle orme tracciate da John Howard rifiutandosi di abolire la Building Industry Taskforce (ABCC).

Il primo ministro Kevin Rudd si è fatto condizionare dalle minacce della grande imprenditoria e ha deciso di mantenere in vita la ABCC fino al gennaio 2010.

La ABCC ha poteri illimitati per intimidire i lavoratori dell’edilizia. Ha il potere di imporre ad un lavoratore di comparire ad un colloquio obbligatorio. Non è previsto il diritto al silenzio e il rifiuto di comparire può essere punito con pene detentive.

Oltre 50 compagne e compagni sono stati costretti ad assoggettarsi a colloqui segreti. Perché dovrebbe esserci una legge per i lavoratori dell’edilizia e un’altra legge per il resto della popolazione?

Proprio in questi giorni Noel Washington, vice presidente della CFMEU del Victoria, sta assumendo una posizione di principio – rifiutandosi di comparire davanti alla ABCC.

Si prevede che se Washington verrà spedito in carcere, l’ACTU organizzerà proteste di massa in tutti i capoluoghi e principali centri extraurbani in Australia.

E si prevede che decine di migliaia di lavoratori dell’edilizia prenderanno parte a tali proteste di massa.

Il CFMEU ha bisogno del vostro appoggio per abolire la ABCC e restituire ai lavoratori dell’edilizia i diritti democratici di cui godono tutti gli altri australiani.

Organizzatore del CFMEU di lingua italiana

Sammy Manna, organizzatore del CFMEU, parla italiano. Se avete problemi a comunicare in inglese, potete parlare con lui in italiano per ottenere consigli e assistenza. Il suo numero di cellulare è 0438 194563.

Italian Korean

Portuguese

No ano passado, os sócios do CFMEU fizeram uma campanha para ajudar a nos vermos livres do John Howard e da sua legislação contra os trabalhadores - WorkChoices.

Mas, desde que ganhou as eleições há mais de seis meses, o Governo Federal Trabalhista não fez o suficiente. Está particularmente a dar continuidade ao que o Howard nos legou, recusando-se a desmantelar a Força de Trabalho para a Indústria da Construção Civil (Building Industry Taskforce - ABCC).

O Primeiro-Ministro, Kevin Rudd é subserviente às ameaças das grandes empresas e decidiu manter a ABCC até Janeiro de 2010.

A ABCC tem poderes ilimitados para assediar os trabalhadores da construção civil. Tem poder para requerer que qualquer pessoa compareça obrigatoriamente a uma reunião. Não existe direito a silenciar a resposta e se a pessoa não comparecer pode até ir para a prisão.

Mais de 50 homens e mulheres como nós foram forçados a comparecer a interrogatórios secretos. Por que é que há uma lei para os trabalhadores da construção civil e outra para todas as outras pessoas?

Neste momento, Noel Washington, o Vice-Presidente do CFMEU no Estado de Victoria, continua relutante – e recusa-se a enfrentar a ABCC.

Antecipa-se que, se Washington for preso, a ACTU organizará demonstrações em massa, em cada capital e nos centros regionais de maior envergadura, na Austrália.

Espera-se que dezenas de milhares de trabalhadores da construção civil participarão massivamente nestas manifestações.

O CFMEU precisa que se junte à campanha para nos vermos livres da ABCC e devolvermos aos trabalhadores da construção os seus direitos democráticos, de que todos os outros australianos desfrutam.

Organizador do CFMEU que fala português

O Organizador do CFMEU, António Vicente, fala português. Se não fala bem inglês, pode falar com ele em português para obter conselhos e assistência. Telefone para o número 0417 404 227.

Минатата година членовите на CFMEU водеа кампања да го

отстранат John Howard и неговите закони против работниците,

WorkChoices.

Меѓутоа, повеќе од шест месеци откако дојде на функција,

Сојузната лабуристичка влада нема направено доволно.

Конкретно, таа ја продолжува традицијата на Howard со тоа

што одбива да ја растури Работната единица за градежната

индустрија (Building Industry Taskforce (ABCC)).

Премиерот Kevin Rudd им се покорува на заканите на

големите бизниси и одлучи да ја чува ABCC до јануари 2010.

ABCC има неограничена моќ да ги малтретира градежните

работници. Таа има моќ да побара од секого да оди на

задолжителен разговор. Правото на молчење не постои и ако

некој работник одбие да оди на разговор тогаш тој/таа може

да заврши во затвор.

Повеќе од 50 обични мажи и жени беа приморани да одат

на тајно испитување. Зошто за градежните работници важи

еден закон а за сите други друг закон?

Токму сега викторискиот заменик претседател на CFMEU,

Noel Washington, е повикан да сведочи – и тој одбива да излезе

пред ABCC.

Ако Washington оди во затвор, се очекува ACTU да

организира масовни протести во сите главни градови и

големите регионални центри во Австралија.

Во масовните протести се предвидува дека ќе учествуваат

десетици илјади градежни работници.

Потребни сте им на CFMEU за да се вклучите во

кампањата со која ќе ја отстраниме ABCC и ќе им ги вратиме

на градежните работници демократските права кои ги имаат

сите други Австралијци.

Serbian

Los miembros del CFMEU hicieron una campaña el año pasado para deshacerse de John Howard y de su legislación antiobrera WorkChoices.

Pero después de más de seis meses de asumir el poder, el gobierno federal laborista no ha hecho lo suficiente. En especial, continúa con el legado de Howard al rehusarse a desmantelar el Grupo de Trabajo de la Industria de la Construcción (Building Industry Taskforce - ABCC).

El Primer Ministro Kevin Rudd actuó servilmente ante las amenazas de las grandes empresas y decidió mantener el ABCC hasta enero de 2010.

El ABCC tiene poderes ilimitados para acosar a los trabajadores de la construcción. Tiene el poder de ordenar a cualquier persona a asistir a una entrevista obligatoria. No hay derecho a mantener silencio y por rehusarse a asistir puede ir a la cárcel.

Más de 50 hombres y mujeres corrientes fueron obligados a asistir a interrogatorios secretos. ¿Por qué tiene que haber una ley para los trabajadores de la construcción y otra ley para el resto de la gente?

En este momento el vicepresidente de la CFMEU de Victoria, Noel Washington, está haciendo frente a esta situación – y se está rehusando a comparecer ante el ABCC.

Se anticipa que si Washington va preso, la ACTU organizará protestas masivas en todas las ciudades capitales y en los principales centros regionales de Australia.

Se espera que decenas de miles de trabajadores de la construcción participarán en las protestas masivas.

El CFMEU necesita que usted se una a la campaña para eliminar al ABCC y devolver a los trabajadores de la construcción los derechos democráticos que gozan todos los demás australianos.

Organizador de habla hispana del CFMEU

El organizador del CFMEU Vriduar Vega habla español. Si tiene problemas con el inglés, puede hablar con él en su idioma para recibir asesoramiento y asistencia. Llame al 0418 961966.

Spanish

Vietnamese

Прошле године чланови CFMEU-a су спроводили кампању да се отарасимо Џона Хауарда и његовог законодавства Workchoices, усмереног против радника.

Али више од 6 месеци од кад је дошла на власт, савезна лабуристичка влада није урадила довољно. Конкретно, наставља са оним шта је Хауард оставио у наслеђе и одбија да расформира Радну групу за грађевинску индустриjу – Building Industry Taskforce (ABCC).

Министар Председник Кевин Рад је подређен претњама великих бизниса, одлучио је да задржи ABCC до јануара 2010.

ABCC има неограничену моћ да узнемирава грађевинске раднике. Има право да затражи од било кога да дође на обавезан разговор. Нема права на шутњу и одбијање да се дође може довести до затворске казне.

Више од 50 обичних људи, мушкараца и жена, било је присиљено да оду на тајна преслушања. Зашто би требао да постоји један закон за грађевинске раднике а други за сваког другог?

Управо је сада потпредседник CFMEU-a у Викторији, Ноел Вашингтон, заузео свој став – и одбија да оде пред ABCC.

Предвиђа се, ако ће Вашингтон бити затворен, ACTU ће организовати масовне протесте у свим главним градовима и у главним регионалним центрима Аустралије.

Очекује се да ће десетине хиљада грађевинских радника учествовати у масовним протестима.

CFMEU вас треба, да се придружите кампањи да се отарасимо ABCC-a и да грађевинским радницима вратимо демократска права која уживају сви остали Аустралијанци.

Đoàn viên nghiệp đoàn CFMEU đã vận động đánh bại John

Howard trong cuộc bầu cử năm ngoái và đạo luật chống công

nhân WorkChoices đã bị hủy bỏ.

Tuy nhiên sau hơn 6 tháng cầm quyền, chánh phủ Lao Động

Liên Bang vẫn chưa thực hiện gì đáng kể. Nhất là chánh phủ vẫn

tiếp tục duy trì tàn tích của Howard bằng cách từ chối giải tán

Ban Đặc Nhiệm Kỹ Nghệ Xây Dựng (ABCC).

Thủ tướng Kevin Rudd đã khép nép trước những lời đe dọa

của các doanh nghiệp lớn và quyết định duy trì ủy ban ABCC

cho đến tháng 1 năm 2010.

Ủy Ban đặc nhiệm ABCC có quyền hành không giới hạn để

hạch sách công nhân. Ủy ban này có quyền ra lệnh cho bất cứ

một ai phải đến tham dự thẩm vấn bắt buộc. Không ai có quyền

im lặng và nếu từ chối, có thể bị đưa vào tù.

Có hơn 50 công nhân đã bị ép buộc phải tham dự các cuộc

thẩm vấn bí mật. Tại sao có một luật dành cho công nhân xây dựng

và một đạo luật khác cho các công dân bình thường khác?

Ngay hiện nay phó chủ tịch CFMEU tiểu bang Victorian, ông

Noel Washington, đã chọn thế đứng rõ ràng – và ông từ chối

không chịu đối chất trước ABCC.

Người ta tiên đoán là nếu ông Washington bị đưa vào tù,

tổng công đoàn ACTU sẽ tổ chức một cuộc biểu tình vĩ đại tại

mỗi thủ đô của tiểu bang và tại các thành phố lớn tại các vùng

xa trên toàn nước Úc.

Sẽ có hàng chục ngàn công nhân ngành xây dựng sẽ tham dự

các cuộc biểu tình vĩ đại này.

Nghiệp đoàn CFMEU cần đến sự tham gia của tất cả công

nhân để hủy bỏ ủy ban ABCC và dành lại quyền dân chủ cho

công nhân ngành xây dựng mà tất cả công dân khác đang được

hưởng.

UNITY 31

INSUPPORT

OF SAFETYUNITY42

GLENMOREBUILDING

UNITY42

Inner West DemolitionPty Ltd

Suite 23, 532-536 Canterbury RoadCampsie, NSW 2194

Phone: (02) 9789 5111Fax: (02) 9789 5011

Mobile: 0418 822 262UNITY42

EUPHORIAPTY LTD

Commercial & DomesticBrickwork & Blockwork

Ph: (02) 6281 7690 Fax: (02) 6284 2364Mobile: 0418 627 526

Email: aporetti@bigpond.net.au

UN

ITY

42United Painters ofAustralia Pty Ltd

39 Zappia PlaceEdensor Park, NSW 2176

Ph: (02) 9753 4981 Fax: (02) 9610 0038Mobile: 0410 479 569

unitedpaintersofaustralia@hotmail.com

UN

ITY

42

AbermainConstructions

P.O. Box 1200Sutherland, NSW 1499

Phone: (02) 9528 4349Fax: (02) 9528 4351

UNITY42

GEMFEN PTY LTD3 Clevedon StreetBotany, NSW 2019

Ph: (02) 9316 5138Fax: (02) 9316 4529Mobile: 0425 384 590

UNITY42

SABA BROSTILING PTY LTDThe best tilers in town

244 Military RoadNeutral Bay, NSW 2089

Ph: (02) 9904 9380Fax: (02) 9953 9573 U

NIT

Y42

NEW SOUTH WALESTILING SERVICES PTY LTD

Professionals in Planning and Co-ordinating yourspecialist requirements in Commercial and

Industrial Tiling.Also exclusive residential properties upon request.

Unit 19/250 Milperra Rd, Milperra, NSW 2214

Ph: (02) 9792 7430 • Fax: (02) 9792 7442UNITY42

Wallis Constructions(Project Management)

Pty LtdABN 67 091 658 052

Civil Contractors & Project Management28 Woodfield Boulevarde

PO Box 2246, Taren Point, NSW 2229

Ph: (02) 9531 2866Fax: (02) 9531 2966

Email: headoffice@wallisconstructions.com.au

UN

ITY

42

GLEDHILLCONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD

Commercial – IndustrialInstitutional – Heritage

13 Leeds Street, Rhodes

Ph: 9743 0344Fax: 9743 0455

Email: builders@gledhill.com.au UN

ITY

42

BigwayInteriors

Commercial Fitout andJoinery Contractors

Ph: (02) 9757 1177Fax: (02) 9757 2838

12 Elizabeth Street Wetherill Park, NSW 2164

UN

ITY

42

TOWER CRANES■ Sales ■ Rental ■ Service Parts• Horizontal Jib • Luffing Jib • Self

Erecting • Rail Travel • Crawler CranesMorrow Equipment Company, L.L.C.

An Exclusive Distributor ofLIEBHERR Tower Cranes

PO Box 533, Caringbah, NSW 2229

Ph: (02) 9525 7741 Fax: (02) 9525 0278U

NIT

Y42

Stephen EdwardsConstructions P/L

1 Station Street WestHarris Park, NSW

Phone:

(02) 9891 3099UNITY42

Phoenix AluminiumIndustries Pty Ltd

Specialise in Commercial Windows & Doorsas well as Curtain Walls

31 Liverpool St, Ingleburn 2565

Ph: 9605 6788Fax: 9618 2145

Website: www.phoenixaluminium.com.auUNITY42

K&M STEEL ERECTIONSPTY LTD

714 Comleroy RoadKurrajong Mob: 0409 712 127NSW 2758 Fax: (02) 4576 0042

UNITY42

SUPPORTINGTHE BUILDINGTRADES DRUGAND ALCOHOL

SAFETY ANDREHABILTATION

PROGRAM

UNITY42 UNITY42

DJDBrick &

BlocklayingP/L

Brick & Block LayingContractors28 Meta Street

Caringbah, NSW 2229

Ph: (02) 9540 3855Fax: (02) 9540 4190

UNITY42

EPSCONSTRUCTIONS

P/LBuilding Contractors

Suite 3,235 Pitt Street

MerrylandsNSW 2160

Ph: (02) 9760 1000Fax: (02) 9760 1111

UNITY42

ZadroConstructions

Pty LtdABN 81 002 223 967

Builders, Design & Construction,Project Managers, Construction

Managers, Maintenance Managers

Suite 4, 16 Rob PlaceVineyard, NSW 2765

Ph: (02) 4577 3200Fax: (02) 4577 2252 U

NIT

Y42

EliteProjectServicesPty Ltd

P.O. Box 486Sydney Markets, NSW 2129

Phone: (02) 9763 7239Fax: (02) 9763 7839

Email:kristina@eliteprojectservices.com.au

UNITY42

GIVEBLOOD

UNITY42

Local knowledge global know-how

Fully Licensed and Insured

1300 884 113LIC. NO. 203011AS1

Z A D R O �

Taricon Pty Ltd13 Macdonald Street

Ramsgate, NSW 2217

Ph: (02) 9395 3902

Fax: (02) 9593 4307

UNITY42

Dasco ConstructionPty Ltd

19/6-20 Braidwood StreetStrathfield South, NSW 2136

Phone: (02) 9758 7100Fax: (02) 9758 7255

UNITY42

Commercialaluminium pty ltd

Unit 1/38 Alexander AvenueTaren Point, NSW 2229

Ph: (02) 9524 2426Fax: (02) 9524 1674

UNITY42

GET REAL PAINTINGAND MAINTENANCE

PTY LTDPO BOX 1054

CIVIC SQUARE, ACT 2608

PH: (02) 6241 8783FAX: (02) 6241 8600

UNITY42

TradelinkConstructions

Pty Ltd12 Blackwood Road

Merrylands, NSW 2160

Ph: (02) 9636 8853Fax: (02) 9636 5777

UNITY42

NewfortConstructions

Unit 7106/177-219 Mitchell RoadAlexandria, NSW 2015

Phone: (02) 9519 9777Fax: (02) 9519 9711

UNITY42

ACT MasonryPty Ltd

P.O. Box 90Jerrabomberra, NSW 2619

Phone: (02) 6284 3288Fax: (02) 6284 3588

UNITY42

Design & ConstructionCommercial & Residential Development

Project ManagementWater Tanks Supplied & Installed

Colour Consultants

PO Box 354 Berowra NSW 2081Ph: (02) 9457 7866 Fax: (02) 9457 7899

info@b-mac.com.auwww.b-mac.com.au

In Full Support of all MembersUNITY42

GIVEBLOOD

UNITY42

ALKONCONSTRUCTIONS

PTY LTDUnit 37, 65 Marigold Street

Revesby, NSW 2212UNITY42

Construction & SiteSupport Group Pty Ltd

Unit 7, 21/23 Myrtle StreetBotany, NSW 2019

Phone: (02) 9700 1791Fax: (02) 9700 1794

Email: trafficcontrol@cssg.com.au

UNITY42

MASONRYSPECIALISTS

PH: (02) 9669 1915FAX: (02) 9669 1907

UNITY42

Supporting Safety in the Construction Industry

Phone: (02) 9584 3999Fax: (02) 9584 3111

Mobile: 0419 272 757brobriksyd@alwaysonline.net.au

UNITY42

SIMPLE INTERIORSPTY LTD

10 Bexley StreetMount Pritchard, NSW 2170

Phone: (02) 9711 3281Fax: (02) 9601 6702

Email: simpleinteriors@bigpond.com

UNITY42

ACTIONCivil Pty Ltd

Construction Personnel.

Supplying quality supplementarytrades & labour to the building

industry.

PH: 9438 5222FAX: 9438 3911

UN

ITY

42

CD CONSTRUCTION &BUILDING SERVICES PTY LTD

Proud to be providingCarpentry Services to the

Construction Industrythroughout NSW

Phone 02 9519 5797

Web:www.cdconstruction.com.au

UNITY42

Alkene ContractingPty Ltd

ACN 003 497 943Free Advisory Service

Safe Asbestos RemovalQualified Professional Staff

Re-roofing specialistsLic. No. 200290AS1

Unit 4, 17 Norman StPeakhurst NSW 2210

Fax: 9584 2455Ph: 9584 2233

UNITY42

BROBRIKmasonry contractors

pty ltd

Leading the way in Demolition,Building and Removal of Asbestos

Phone: (02) 9684 0400Fax: (02) 9684 0440

25 Pike Street, Rydalmere, NSW 2116UNITY42

STRUCTURAL STEEL & GENERAL FABRICATION

Supporting Safetyin the Industry

tel – 02 4932 8089 - fax – 02 4932 4259t.s.m@bigpond.net.au UNITY42 UNITY42

StatewideConcrete Industries• CONCRETE PUMP HIRE • PLACE & FINISH

COMMERCIAL - INDUSTRIAL - DOMESTIC2 x 31 Metre Boom Pumps Line Pumps for Hire

ALL AREAS

99662233 22663388AFTER HOURS OR EMERGENCY 0418 247 984

PO Box 901 St Marys 1790

9623 2638

UNITY42

Unit 1133 Ryde Road

Pymble, NSW 2073P.O. Box 1107

Pymble BC, NSW 2073Telephone: (02) 9498 2466

Facsimile: (02) 9498 5914

UN

ITY

42DALMAFormwork(Australia)Pty. Limited

The FormworkSpecialists

PRODUCT CERTIFIEDPRODUCT CERTIFIED

An accredited body under Reg. No. Z1460695ABAn accredited body under Reg. No. Z1460695AB

PAA3 Dunlop Street, Newstead, Qld 4006Telephone (07) 3854 1228Facsimile (07) 3252 4769

Email: inbox@paa.asn.auWebsite: www.paa.asn.au

ENGINEERED WOOD PRODUCTSASSOCIATION OF AUSTRALASIA

Brighton AustraliaPty Ltd

65 The Grand Parade, Brighton Le Sands, NSW 2216

Phone: (02) 9599 1611Fax: (02) 9599 1766

UNITY42

NSW OfficeUnit 5 322 Annangrove RdRouse Hill NSW 2155Ph: (02) 9679 2111

QLD Office65 Rotary Park Rd

Stapylton QLD 4207Ph: (07) 3807 1665

Whatever the asset - Diona Deliver

www.diona.com.au UNITY42

Ph: (02) 9755 7171 Fx: (02) 9755 2121www.bettaplex.com.au

The Bettaplex team are motivated to provide a service to our clients within the requirements of our projects

Formwork specialists in;High-riseCommercialIndustrialCivil

MaterialsPeri sky deck and wall formsIshenbeck grid systemConventional formwork

UNITY42

THIESSPTY LTD

Proudly SupportingCFMEU C&G DIVISION

ON SAFETY ISSUES

UNITY42

UNITY42

Paynter Dixon Constructions areone of Australia’s most

Experienced and SuccessfulDesign and Construction Groups

Services offered includeDrafting of the BriefAuthority Approvals

MasterplanningProgramming

Concept DesignsConstruction

Cost EstimatingDetailed Design & Documentation

Facilities Management & Maintenance

Paynter Dixon are proud of its record including5th Enterprise Agreement

Longest term employee – 45 years with the companyOver 90 years continuous business

PAYNTER DIXONCONSTRUCTIONS PTY L IMITEDPhone: (02) 9797 5555 Fax: (02) 9799 6149

PAYNTER DIXON

UNITY42

BUILD & CONST INDLONG SERV CORPADVERT TO COME

DIRECT DEBIT REQUEST U N I T Y

It is easy to pay your union dues by Direct Debit from your bank savings / cheque account or by credit card for only $18.10 per fortnight or $39.20 per month.

I authorise, until further notice in writing, the Construction Forestry Mining & Energy Union, User ID Number 069707, to arrange for funds to be debited from my account at the financial institution below and as prescribed below through the Bulk

Electronic Clearing System (BECS).

I, ...................................................... ...................................................... ..................................... .................................. ,

(Given Name) (Surname) (Union No.) (Date of Birth)

understand and acknowledge that the Financial Institution may, in its absolute discretion, determine the order of priority of

payment by it or any moneys pursuant to this Request or any authority or mandate. The Financial Institution may, in its absolutediscretion, at any time by notice in writing to me terminate this Request as to future debits. The User may, by prior arrangement and advice to me, vary the amount or frequency of future debits.

TO ARRANGE DIRECT DEBIT, COMPLETE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TWO SECTIONS:

SECTION 1 - TO PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT FROM CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT – MONTHLY ONLY

Please tick Credit Card Type: MASTERCARD VISA CARD

Card no:

Expiry date: / ( e.g. 1 0 / 0 9 )

SIGNATURE: DATE:

OR

SECTION 2 - TO PAY BY DIRECT DEBIT FROM SAVINGS OR CHEQUE ACCOUNT –

FORTNIGHTLY OR MONTHLY

Name of Financial Institution/Bank: Branch:

Account Holder Name:

BSB NO. ACCOUNT NO.

FREQUENCY: Please debit my Account

(Please tick): Fortnightly Monthly:

SIGNATURE: DATE: dirdebitformforunityV1.doc

UNITY 36

DIRECT DEBIT

The CFMEU is urging members to lend their support to the fantastic aid work of Union Aid Abroad-APHEDA.

The union has committed to signing up an extra 100 members to become regular donors to the ACTU’s overseas aid agency by Christmas.

Under the Make Life Fair Everywhere campaign, members can organise to have a monthly donation transferred to APHEDA via direct debit. (A form is on the back of the wrap around you received with this edition of Unity).

CFMEU State Secretary Andrew Ferguson is one of the 59 union members who have already signed up.

“The fight for workers’ rights knows no boundaries,” he says. “By donating to the union movement’s aid program you can help our comrades overseas in their strug-gle for better conditions and wages.”

APHEDA is currently focusing its

efforts in Burma to help the people affected by the recent devastating cyclone and the military government’s inept response to it.

APHEDA is funnelling funds raised through Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA), another union-based agency that has affili-ations on the ground.

Through NPA, APHEDA is helping operate two internally displaced persons camps, supplying trauma-healing teams to work with survivors, particularly orphaned children, and providing food and shelter.

APHEDA’s partner the Mae Tao Clinic, on the Thai-Burma border, says cyclone survivors are beginning to arrive in the Thai refugee camps - because they have

been unable to receive assistance in Burma.

If enough funds are raised, APHEDA may also be able to help the camps and medical clinics on the Thai-Burma Border to assist with the influx of refugees.

COMMUNITY

KIWI members of the CFMEU are being asked to save the working condi-tions of comrades in their native homeland by turning out in force to vote in the New Zealand elections later this year.

According to CFMEU organiser and New Zealand Labour Sydney branch president Richard Auimatagi the votes of building workers and their families could be crucial.

Auimatagi says the conservative National Party is currently leading Helen Clarke’s Labour by more than 12 points.

He says it seems certain Labour will only retain office through a coalition government with either the Greens or Maori Party.

Auimatagi says a Your Rights@Work-style campaign is being launched to remind

Kiwi voters in Australia of the conditions and rights their friends and families in New Zealand could lose.

“We are telling members to vote for the party that will protect working conditions,” he says.

The National Party is on record as want-ing to do away with many rights and protec-tions New Zealand workers have, including the right of appeal against unfair dismissal, elected health and safety reps and annual leave entitlements.

He says there is also concern the con-servative party will target compulsory super-annuation payments and the pension.

Auimatagi says New Zealand citizens aged over 18 and living in Australia who had

visited the island in the past three years were eligible to vote.

He says because voting is not compul-sory, anyone intending to vote has to regis-ter beforehand.

Eligible electors can enrol or update their details online, through a NZ diplo-matic post, or by asking NZ-based family or friends to complete an enrolment form.

Electors can vote by downloading their voting papers, applying to have their voting papers posted or voting in person at a number of overseas posts.

For more information go to website: http://www.elections.org.nz/ or contact Auimatagi or CFMEU organiser Ian Gemmell through the Lidcombe office on 9749 0400.

Kiwis urged to make their mark

Become a donor for APHEDA

Power sell-off fight continuesPeople are being encouraged to send e-mails to their local MP in relation to the issue of power privatisation. A facility on the Stop The Sell Off website has been established to make it very easy to do this.Please take a moment to do this. The link is: www.stoptheselloff.org.au/take-action/shock-the-premier.html

Warning over advertising scam Over the past few years people have been operating a successful scam by soliciting building companies to purchase advertising space in supposed trade union journals and occupational health and safety publications. These people either claim to be representing a trade union, or claim they have a relation-ship with the CFMEU.

If you are approached in this manner, ask for their phone number and call them back, then contact our office for confirmation. The CFMEU will report these con-merchants immediately to the NSW Department of Fair Trading and we strongly encourage others to do the same.NSW Department of Fair TradingPhone: 133-220 or mail PO Box 972, Parramatta 2124, www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au

DEVASTATION: Some of the scenes in the aftermath of the Burma cyclone

Coleman & Fairburn Pty Ltd217 North Rocks Road, North RocksPhone: 9683 1899

Crosslift Pty Limited146E Samuel Marsden Road, Orchard Hills, NSW 2748Mobile: 0400 110 553 Fax: (02) 9623 3350

Cubic Interiors Pty LtdLevel 1/93 Norton Street, Leichhardt 2040Phone: 8585 1344 Fax: 8585 1345

J.H. Orr Pty Ltd65 Holt Road, Taren Point, NSW 2229Phone: (02) 9522 6292 Fax: (02) 9522 7934

Karabiner Access Pty Ltd17/17-21 Bowden Street, Alexandria, NSW 2015Phone: (02) 9318 2466 Fax: (02) 9318 2205

Melvin Pty Ltd32 Pitt Town Road, Kenthurst, NSW 2156Phone: 9654 0152 Fax: 9654 0149

Pacific Core Cut Pty Ltd27 English Street, Kogarah, NSW 2217Phone/Fax: (02) 9593 2298

Penrith Rigging Service Pty Ltd138 Wilson Road, Hinchinbrook, NSW 2168Phone: (02) 9608 1903 Fax: (02) 9608 0191 Mob: 0418 278 197

Southside Reinforcing Pty Ltd6 Pelican Place, Woronora Heights 2233Mobile: 0418 461 584

Timbermass Constructions Pty LtdP.O. Box 318, Pendle Hill 2145Phone: (02) 9688 3414 Fax: (02) 9688 4847

Topdeck Scaffolding Pty LtdP.O. Box 586, Mona Vale Private Boxes 1600 NSWMobile: 0411 195 750 Fax: 9979 5914

VPT Formwork Pty Ltd106 Wetherill Street, Silverwater, NSW 1860Phone: (02) 9648 1011 Fax: (02) 9648 1077

Zoomwave Pty Ltd2 Chris Bang Crescent, VauclusePhone: (02) 9388 7844

UNITY 38

Organiser thanked for court victory I wish to commend Peter Primmer on his assistance for appearing on my behalf, when I faced trespass charges in Cooma Local Court recently. The charges related to my dismissal by Oakdale Sydney Constructions on an Adco Constructions site on November 1 last year and my arrest the following day. The magistrate dismissed the charges and ruled I had a lawful right to remain on the site, as I was only 48 hours beforehand, elected on to the site OH&S Committee.Gary McCarthy

Proud to be a union memberThis letter is to thank CFMEU organiser Mick Lane and Radhika Raju, our industrial officer, for their support and help in my unfair dismissal case. Mick went to my ex-employer and straightened out my situation promptly and with a great result.

Giving 34 years of service and then with-out any warning told that you are no longer required really hits you in the guts.

I’m proud to be a CFMEU member and Mick and Radhika thank-you very much.M. Green

Do blokes get ripped off too?I am a licensed carpenter and qualified builder, but due to a work accident I can only work limited hours and in an off-the-tools role.

I am supervising a job that involves a series of small decks and trellises for a community college in Sydney. To source the timber, I went to AW Swadlings in Rozelle (where the college has an account) and was quoted $18/m for 90x90 F7 Treated Pine. That’s way too expensive so I ended up at

Bunnings and got the timber for $11/m and that is the retail price!!

The next time I went to AW Swadlings and picked up a box of Powers Masonry Anchors, the guy tried to charge me for each “unit” in the box! He tried it again when I got a box of 100 Gal bolts - $180 a box. Each time I show my licence they tell me it’s all at trade price. But if Bunnings is retail, and AW Swadlings is trade, then it would appear that a tradies’ licence is just a reason to up the price. I know that is not the case and I wonder whether if I went in there as a bloke, whether I’d get a real trade price.

With Bunnings they told me that if I opened an account I’d get a 5-15% discount on materials relevant to my trade. So I opened an account via the rep and he gave me a price list. I went into the shop the other night and found that far from getting a discount, some things on my list were more expensive! I really feel that I’ve been had by both rep guys.

So is it just because I’m a girl that I’ve been done? Maybe some members can point me to a decent timber and hardware supplier that will treat me as a person and not just fair gameDeb Worsley-Pine

Guest worker efforts notedThe CFMEU Retired Members meeting unanimously decided to write to the union to congratulate it for its actions and poli-cies to prevent the economic exploitation of temporary visa or what are euphemisti-cally referred to as ‘457 guest workers’. We, in particular support the union’s demand that there are: “equal rights for all workers today”. The meeting noted that not since

the termination of convict transportation to Western Australia in the 19th century has a resident of Australia been without rights.

Should the union require any assistance in its campaigning, the retired members are on standby.Mick TubbsOn behalf of the CFMEU Retired Members

Back from the brinkI believe that we were gone for all money if the Liberal Government has won the federal election. The rot was really starting to set in.

At least now we will be able to have a decent collective of people in government who understand what we have been going through and what our fathers’ legacy was all about. In theory these should be our best years. I strongly encourage that we take hold of our future and become united again. In due course we will have proper representa-tion and our rights reinstated. The instru-ment to be used is to be in a union. Only then will we have a voice in our industry.

We are at the forefront of new beginnings of negotiations and resolutions. I believe we should all adopt an attitude to one of caring about our public image. It would be an important value to be respected instead of being feared in our society. Those dark days of union separation are gone. I would like to thank Dick Whitehead for upholding the benchmarks and standard of the office of the CFMEU, the organisers and delegates, Jim Hutcheon and Andrew Ferguson for keeping it together and sticking to the plan.Bernie Banton RIP.Kevin DwightFormer delegate Northern Rivers NSW

UNITY 38

LETTERSMORE LETTERS can be viewed

at the CFMEU HaveYourSay page at cfmeu-construction-nsw.com.au

After eight years in its present site, Foundation House is moving premises. But don’t worry, the Foundation’s Drug and Alcohol residential and outpatient treatment centre is not going far.

As part of a major redevelopment of Callan Park, all health department services at Rozelle Hospital are being shifted to Concord Hospital. This allows Foundation House to shift to a much larger, more effec-tive, building within the same site.

The good news is the bigger building will allow Foundation House to offer better services, which will eventually incorporate a residential and outpatient program for prob-lem gamblers. But for this to happen, the Program needs your help.

“The move is a big opportunity for us,” says program co-ordinator Trevor Sharp. “We will be part of a specialised non-govern-ment organisation precinct. But we need industry help to make this all happen. We can’t do it on our own.”

The NSW Government is providing some funding for the move, but a lot more is needed. “The plan is to make the centre feel as relaxed and friendly as possible. We want

it to be more like a home than a hospital. But to do this, we need delegates, work-ers and employers to help with labour and materials. We have had fabulous backing to be as successful as we are – and now it’s time for another big push.”

Work should start in September and Sharp says he hopes the new centre can be opened early in 2009. Foundation House will remain open in the meantime.

As well as the in-house program for building workers or their families with drug and alcohol problems, the new centre will also help people with gambling problems.

“Thanks to an arrangement with Fairfield RSL, we will be able to offer outpatient gambling counselling and groups from the outset. Eventually, we plan to expand this into a residential program. We have made provisions for a 10-bed residential program that will be independent from our existing drug and alcohol program.”

So it’s time for everyone to get on board and help move Foundation House into the future. If you would like to help or find out more information, see Tom on site or con-tact 9555 7852.

Moving house

Materials such as paint, carpet, fur-niture.

Labour: Gyprock fixers, painters, plumbers, tilers, labourers, carpen-ters, cleaners, carpet layers.

Bovis Lend Lease have been a big supporter of Foundation House in the past – and have promised to help out with the next move.

WHAT WE NEED

UNITY 39

DRUGS & ALCOHOL

Home, sweet home: Trevor Sharp, Bovis Lend Lease delegate Peter Genovese and Tom Simpson

t home: Trevor Sharp, Bovis Lend Lease delegate Peter Genovese and Tom Simpson

“What’s your real name?” If Rebel Hanlon had been paid a dollar for every time he has answered that question, he would, by his reckoning, never have to work.

And the answer is, of course, it’s Rebel. When his mother delivered twin boys

at Blacktown Hospital in March 1974 one son was named Rebel after the James Dean movie, while the other was called Shane in homage to the western starring Alan Ladd.

As one of the union’s most politically active organisers, Hanlon’s put his life on hold in the lead-up to the 2007 federal election to ensure John Howard and his Blacktown MP Louise Markus were booted from office.

After establishing the Western Sydney Rank and File Committee, Hanlon and colleagues campaigned in the Blacktown region to highlight the injustices of WorkChoices and held an almost non-stop run of union site meetings.

Hanlon never once thought of taking a break. “If you believe in something with a passion I don’t believe in being a talker. You’ve got to lead from the front,” he says.

With a family history steeped in the union movement and ALP politics, Hanlon concedes “labour politics have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember”.

At 15 he joined Young Labor, but it was also around this time that he joined the workforce and another type of labour poli-tics began to interest him.

Having left high school to take on an apprenticeship as a boilermaker, Hanlon worked for Transfield at Seven Hills for about six years before moving on to a smaller company where he began working on-site doing structural pressure welding.

This sparked an interest in rigging and cranes and set Hanlon on a new learning curve and career direction. With TAFE rig-ging, scaffolding and crane courses under

his belt, the straight-talking Blacktown boy was soon a familiar figure around western Sydney building sites. It was while working on the Nepean Hospital site that Hanlon’s hand went up to represent his co-workers as a CFMEU delegate.

His move into a full-time role with the union came through the encouragement of the CFMEU’s Mark Cunningham.

“He was my organiser when I was based at Ryde and I was asking him when and where the next job was and he sug-gested the union,” Hanlon recalls. “The union was just lining up for the (Cole) Royal Commission and I thought ‘what

am I getting into’.” But Hanlon considers his CFMEU work “one of the best jobs you could ever get”.

“I find it personally very rewarding to have the opportunity to help people out,” he says. “It’s one of the few jobs where you can really make a difference in people’s lives by locking in conditions and people’s rights and wages for the next three years.”

An equal partner in Hanlon’s political activism is his wife Rachael, who he met in 1999. At every rally, community meeting or event, when you see Rebel, Rachael won’t be far away. “She’s been the real rock and has really helped me out … without that good home support I wouldn’t have been able to do half of what I do,” he says.

The half of what he has done includes adding his weight and welding skills to the MUA’s fight on the waterfront when he helped weld up the gates at the dock to stop scabs coming back out; playing Wiggles music very loudly outside work sites where bosses are refusing to do the right thing and distributing to the public phone numbers of bad bosses and busi-nesses trying to short-change workers.

And that is just on the work front. Within his community on any weekend

he is either walking or cycling somewhere in the name of charity. It is a tradition fostered by his father Bob, who this year was hon-oured with Blacktown City’s citizen award.

A rabid Sydney Swans fan that swears he hasn’t missed a home game in seasons, Hanlon knows what it means to do it tough.

In his second job out of school his employer went broke and workers had to organise a picket to get paid and he has worked with crane crews where crib facilities were appalling. “It’s an important grounding to come on as an organiser to work for these kind of people because it gives you a good understanding of what it’s like not to get paid,” he says.

While confrontation is no laughing matter, Hanlon’s wicked humour is often a winner. When Westpoint Construction went bust in 2006, Hanlon happily printed 5000 pamphlets with the receivers’ phone number on it and distributed them through the CBD. The receiver was inundated with calls from the public appalled at what was being done to the workers. The pressure worked and all entitlements were paid out.

For Hanlon, victory in this case was especially sweet. “This isn’t a game for us, it’s about getting back the money.”

And that’s where Hanlon and James Dean differ. The boy from Blacktown is a Rebel with a cause.

Ready to roll: Norths perform the Haka before their game.

‘If you believe in something with a passion ... you’ve got to lead from

the front.’

UNITY 40

THE PROFILE

Rebel with a cause