Unity Issue 46, July 2009 - cfmeu

NITY
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE CONSTRUCTION FORESTRY MINING & ENERGY UNION (CONSTRUCTION & GENERAL DIVISION) NSW BRANCH JULY 2009
ONE LAW
FOR ALL
WATCHDOG KEEPS ITS
BULLY-BOY POWERS
Registered
by Australia
Post Publication
Print Post No:
243184/00011
Union & Proud

PRIDE OF PLACE
Rohan Tobler has received
an ACTU award for his work
with unemployed indigenous
Australians
UNITY 10
TRAINING
IN NAME OF THE FATHER
Rohan Tobler is not just following in his
dad’s footsteps, he is racing past him. In April,
Tobler won the Australian Council of Trade
Unions (ACTU) Aboriginal and Torres Strait
Islander Award for his efforts in helping young
Aboriginal people find employment in the
building and construction industry.
It is the same award presented to his father
at the CFMEU offices in early 2005.
In both cases the awards honour their work
in helping unemployed indigenous Australians
find work. Tobler, from Miller in Sydney’s South
West, is a co-ordinator at the Koori Job Ready
program based at the Yaama Dhiyaan Training
Centre in Darlington.
The Koori Job Ready Program gives students
a taste of different construction trades via an
eight-week course, and includes classes in first
aid, interview skills and budgeting skills.
Tobler recruits students for the course,
teaches subjects such as carpentry and concreting,
and helps participants find work when they
have finished the training.
Last year, 85 per cent of students found work
after completing the course.
“It’s not a matter of putting someone in any
old job,” Tobler says. “It’s about finding out what
‘My hope is one day
there will be
no need for
programs like this
and Aboriginal
people will have the
same opportunities
as everyone else.’
someone is interested in and helping them find
work in that area.”
Students come from all over NSW. Some are
as old as 56. Most have never had a full-time
job. Former students continued to be mentored
after they leave the program and are helped with
issues such as work, money and housing.
“We call it mentoring, but it’s more like
friendship,” Tobler says. “We try to help them
settle into their new job and to deal with some of
the other issues that brings about.”
Tobler also liaises with building companies
to get them to put in place Aboriginal employment
plans.
“My hope is one day there will be no need for
programs like this and Aboriginal people will
have the same opportunities as everyone else,”
Tobler says.
Outside of work, Rohan is Vice-Chair of the
Gandangara Local Aboriginal Lands Council
and he coaches troubled youth in the Green
Valley Area. He is also chair of the CFMEU
Reconciliation Committee.
In accepting the award, Tobler praised everyone
involved with the Koori Job Ready Program.
“It’s not really just for me, it’s for the whole program,
all the staff here and participants,” he
says.
His dad, former CFMEU organiser Les
Tobler, was the driving force in getting the
Koori Job Ready Program going. The Koori Job
Ready Program, initiated by the CFMEU in
2003, is now managed by the Redfern-Waterloo
Authority.

NEWCASTLE
CALL FOR
SAFETY
RETHINK
ON SITES
The Hunter region has been rocked by a
series of accidents since the start of the year that
have left two people dead.
The accidents have raised concern about the
induction of staff on building sites and adherence
to safety standards.
WorkCover is investigating both fatalities.
In the latest tragedy on May 14, 29-year-old
plasterer Tim Haynes was killed just weeks
before his wedding, while working in an unshored,
four-metre-deep plunge pool.
In the earlier incident in March, a 34-year-old
man with a young family from Campbelltown
was killed on an Abigroup site near Telarah
where a rail upgrade is taking place.
Three other men were injured in the accident,
which CFMEU Newcastle Organiser Peter
Harris desribed as one of the worst he had seen.
Haynes was working with his two employers
Alan and Scott Wadwell, of Wadwell Plastering,
on the East Maitland job when the accident happened.
CFMEU Newcastle Organiser Russell
Cunningham was told Haynes was not even
supposed to be at that site.
He had been working at a nearby building
site when he had run out of materials and was
summoned to the site by his employers who
were helping out a friend who was building the
pool for his horses.
Cunningham says the fatal accident is all the
more devastating because it was preventable.
He says it appears the trench was not correctly
supported and the site was an accident waiting
to happen.
“Regardless of the job employers need to
ensure the workplace is safe so that workers
know they will go home to their families each
night,” says Cunningham.”
In the Telarah incident, on March 24, a group
of workmen were upgrading a section of the coal
rail line about 11pm.
Harris says it appears the man was killed
when lengths of steel came loose from a crane
and fell on to his work crew. Another worker lost
his leg as a result of the accident. The dead man
was a labour hire worker.
“The CFMEU suspects there may have been
poor supervision of workers on the job,” CFMEU
Acting Secretary Mal Tulloch says.
“We also ask whether the labour hire workers
were properly trained and inducted to work on
the site.”
MR FIX-IT WINS OVER WORKERS
CFMEU Organiser Pomare Auimatagi
is getting quite a following at the Colongra gas
turbine project on the Central Coast.
Auimatagi has been building up CFMEU
membership on the site thanks to his roundthe-clock
efforts to fix safety issues at the site.
The job is one of the biggest on the coast,
employing almost 300 workers.
The problems came to a head in May when
24-volt and 50-volt cables at the site became
live despite assurances they were not connected
to any supply.
The workers on the site downed tools and
demanded their concerns about safety on the
site be addressed.
“When the 24-volt system arced out and
then the 50-volt system arced out the unity we
were trying to encourage came to the fore,”
says Auimatagi.
From May 7, Auimatagi was at the site every
day. After Alstoms asked WorkCover to inspect
the site, the workers agreed to return to work
on the Saturday to fix up some safety problems.
However at 11am on the Saturday a 415volt
system arced out while workers were under
the turbine. “We are just lucky that none of
these electrical shorts has been fatal – in each
case the workers were told the cables were not
live,” says Auimatagi.
WorkCover then shut the site down and
Alstoms put together a safety team which conducted
a full audit of the site on the Tuesday.
Pomare says 231 items were documented
that needed to be improved.
He says on the Wednesday workers
returned to work and fixed the problems
highlighted in the audit with production only
restarting once all safety issues had been
addressed.
“We’ve had some very close calls, but we’ve
had nothing but co-operation from the principal.”
He says Alstoms has been responsive to
the union’s concerns and retains a good relationship
with the CFMEU.
Auimatagi says it is rewarding to see new
members joining the union after his work at
the power station.
“It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s that pleasing
result with the workers showing they have so
much faith in the union,” he says.
WIDEFORM DEAL NARROWS THE GAP
Wideform workers in Newcastle are celebrating
after signing off on an Enterprise
Agreement that gives them the same hourly
rate as their Sydney-based workmates.
EA officer Warren Kelly says the deal,
negotiated over many months by Newcastle
Organiser Peter Harris and Acting State
Secretary Mal Tulloch among others, sets a
benchmark for the Hunter.
“This agreement applies to Newcastle
SAFE HANDS
Pomare Auimatagi
put in long hours to
ensure workers on the
Colongra project had a
safe site
workers and would be a benchmark in terms
of what we might expect other companies in
the region to sign up to,” says Kelly.
As part of the agreement, Wideform will
pay its Newcastle workers the same hourly
rate as its Sydney formworkers with productivity
allowances only slightly lower.
“It’s very close to what Sydney formworkers
are receiving and it’s a good outcome,”
says Kelly.
UNITY 11

UNITY 12
REGIONAL
SOME
PEOPLE
JUST
DON’T
LEARN
Despite all of the efforts of Bernie Banton
and the CFMEU to raise awareness about asbestos,
some people just don’t get it, says CFMEU
Northern NSW Organiser Jim Hutcheon.
He made the comments after members who
work for the North Coast Area Health Service
were exposed to asbestos on two occasions.
“Workers had raised the possibility of asbestos
in the workplace during maintenance operations
but had been told to continue working in
both instances,” Hutcheon says.
The workers, based at Coffs Harbour
Hospital, contacted Hutcheon who immediately
notified the health service management.
An investigation by an independent contractor
confirmed the presence of asbestos and even
showed asbestos dust in the workers’ ute.
“The fact it’s happened in 2009 after the
RAIN PUTS A
DAMPER ON PAY
The first half of this year has been marked
by the return of the traditional wet weather patterns
to the east coast.
There has been more than 1000mm above
the average rainfall already on parts of the
Mid North and North coasts, with more than
2000mm in total in some areas.
The three major Highway projects at
Ballina, Herron’s Creek (Port Macquarie) and
Bulahdelah have had major stoppages due to
heavy rain, with no work for up to four weeks’
straight on the Ballina Bypass Alliance project.
On three separate occasions there has
been minor to major flooding along the coast
with the centres of Grafton, Kempsey, Port
Macquarie and Taree all experiencing varying
degrees of inundation, with both Grafton and
Kempsey being evacuated.
On most days we have had constant moderate
rain outside, which means many workers
do not work and will not get paid again due to
wet weather.
This is in contrast to those workers covered
by a union agreement, who get wet days and
INSPIRED VISIT
With more than 700 fatalities in the Korean construction industry annually, a team of Korean unionists visited the
CFMEU to see how some Australian systems might benefit Korean workers. From left, former CFMEU organiser
Byung Jo Kang, Organiser Chikmann Koh, Acting State Secretary Mal Tulloch, Korean Construction Workers
Union president Baik Seok Feun and co-delegates Sang-Koo Cho and Gyu Beom Shim
extensive campaign waged by the CFMEU and
people like Bernie Banton should mean that the
health service management is taken to task over
it,” says Hutcheon.
“It’s bad enough that it is a public department,
let alone the NSW Health service; if it
were a private company they would be facing
major fines. It’s just not good enough.
“It goes a long way to showing how problems
many other entitlements. The difference is the
union, there again fighting for each other and
our families’ future rights, rights we have won
through struggle and hard work.
While there are more members in the city
than in regional NSW and workers in the bush
have no commitment to each other they will
continue to be underpaid. Only through their
own battles will they begin to understand there
is power in numbers.
The Rudd Government’s new Fair Work
are starting to arise through companies trying
to push work through because of cost cutting.”
The two incidents involved the Bellingen
hospital and a medical officers’ residence in
Dorrigo.
Hutcheon says the CFMEU is concerned to
ensure that other workers, as well as anyone
who was staying in the house and the general
public are not exposed.
Australia will not provide a magic-wand solutions,
but it does provide a renewed hope of
raising the rates and conditions of regional
workers through union-negotiated agreements.
You have the chance to come together and
demand that the union become your preferred
bargaining representative. With growing membership
we have the chance to change our
industrial circumstance for the better.
Jim Hutcheon, Northern NSW

RIGHTS PUSH
TRAINING, NOT LAY-OFFS IS BEST APPROACH
CFMEU organisers Rebel Hanlon and Rob Kera have been pounding the pavement around the Sydney CBD telling workers it is time to skill up.
“We’re demanding training, not lay-offs,” Hanlon told workers on the Bovis Lend Lease site at Sugar Dock. “Do not be tricked into thinking the sky is
falling in. Yes we are in a downturn, [but] there are jobs all over the centre of Sydney ready to go when this financial crisis ends,” he added pointing to
the Brewery site, a $400 million casino job and Westfields redevelopment in Pitt Street.
BLITZ ON SHAM ABN DEALS
The CFMEU has moved to crackdown on
dodgy operators in the formwork sector with a
blitz aimed at ensuring companies with union
Enterprise Agreements are not cheating the
system.
CFMEU NSW Industrial Co-ordinator Brian
Fitzpatrick says many companies with EAs are
winning jobs through low tenders that result in
them undercutting payments to workers.
He says companies are also using body hire
workers and insisting employees enter into
sham arrangements and work under an ABN.
“They are cheating the system and workers
are missing out on entitlements such as RDOs
and annual leave,” says Fitzpatrick.
“The union has put the sector on notice that
sham contracting, cash-in-hand-payments and
non-compliance with statutary obligations will
not be tolerated.”
The union has seen a proliferation in the use
of labour hire companies to engage workers.In
one instance only 23 of 125 workers were direct
employees with the rest from body hire firms.
“The union is very concerned that companies
are using cheap labor to undermine the
employment conditions of permanent employ-
‘They are cheating
the system and
workers are missing
out on entitlements
such as RDOs and
annual leave.’
ees,” says Fitzpatrick. The union has also discovered
evidence of sham subcontracting.
Fitzpatrick says people engaged as ABN
workers are not genuine independent contractors
and are paid at an hourly rate less than the
EA standard that does not include super.
He says under the award formworkers could
be earning up to $40 an hour.
The union has also had great success in
improving conditions and wages for bricklayers.
Assistant State Secretary Brian Parker
says there had been “a race to the bottom” in
terms of wages and conditions in the sector
during the Howard years. Many workers were
on sham arrangements with ABN numbers and
getting cash in hand.
“A number of companies did agreements
without the union and we’ve now been able to
turn that around,” he says. Since the campaign
began, the CFMEU has signed up all the major
bricklaying companies in NSW.
He says an important part of rebuilding
union strength in the sector is re-establishing a
strong delegate structure.
As each site has voted on an enterprise
agreement, the CFMEU has also encouraged
the workers to elect union delegates.
“And we are going to meet with the new
delegates on a regular basis to ensure the agreements
are being complied with.”
“This campaign is not just about wages,” says
Parker. “We are also highlighting the impact of
new technology on the sector and ensuring our
members are skilled to continue employment.”
He says workers have responded well to the
campaign: “They understand where the sector
went backwards and that it meant a number
of conditions disappeared and now the can see
they are getting it all back.”
UNITY 13

UNITY 14
LEGAL
COPIER
ALMOST
COSTS
PLAYER
HIS JOB
A painter, due to represent Australia in
American Football, almost lost his job because
he got “cranky” with a photocopier.
However thanks to the CFMEU, Sean White
can now head off on his representative duties
knowing he still has a job.
A Sydney Council gave White, team leader
of the painting and sign writing department,
his first and final warning for allegedly “using a
cranky tone of voice”, “kicking the printer/photocopier”
and swearing.
When efforts to resolve the matter by
CFMEU organisers John Prentice and Terry
Kesby proved fruitless, the union took White’s
case to the New South Wales Industrial
Relations Commission.
CFMEU Industrial Officer Radhika Raju
says the council’s allegations were baseless and
it had not followed the proper procedures in
dealing with the matter.
“Sean was only given one warning,” Raju
says. “Furthermore, the allegations were so
general and didn’t contain any dates or names
of people involved that Sean didn’t know how to
respond.”
When an employer wants to proceed with disciplinary
action they must follow the procedure
outlined in the Enterprise Bargaining Agreement
or Award that the worker is covered by.
“A worker should also be notified of what they
are been warned for and given time to respond
and adequate opportunities to improve,” Raju
says.
Kesby says it was disappointing the matter
After working for a few years in a good job
for a reputable company, Linda* wanted to use
her industry experience in a higher level position.
She accepted a job with a smaller firm on
a good rate of pay with promises of things to
come. However the reality was quite different.
Linda quickly found that her new boss
while paying her the agreed $27 per hour was
not paying her all of the agreed entitlements.
Her long hours of overtime were paid at the
flat rate, she was not paid for using her own car
had to go all the way to the commission for common
sense to prevail.
“Australia’s workforce would be very thin if
bosses sacked everyone who became frustrated
with a photocopier,” Kesby says.
White is relieved with the result, which
means can now concentrate on the upcoming
tour of England this year.
on extensive travel between jobs and she was
not allowed rostered days or any other basic
entitlements.
After approaching her boss many times
over his failure to pay correctly, Linda was
immediately sacked by the boss who said he
had suddenly run out of work. As a long-term
member of the CFMEU, Linda sought the
union’s help. A long battle commenced with
the employer who refused attempts to rationally
discuss the claim.
This cocky employer thought he had beaten
‘A worker should
also be notified of
what they are been
warned for and given
time to respond.’
REALITY BITES WHEN BOSS FAILS TO DELIVER
LOCAL HERO
Organiser Terry Kesby with
American Football representative
Sean White
the union down with his attempts to avoid his
legal obligations … that was until he received a
summons to attend court.
With Linda present at each court session,
Senior Claims Officer Keryn McWhinney ran
a successful case on her behalf resulting in
$4920 back pay.
Linda is now back working with a reputable
company and is committed to maintaining her
CFMEU membership as valuable protection
for the future.
* Not her real name.

OHS
CHECK
YOUR
TOP-UP,
WARNS
WADE
Walk into Wade Appleby’s home on
Saturday morning and everything seems normal,
with kids in sports gear ready for the weekend’s
events. But then you go to shake his hand
and Appleby almost apologetically has to turn
and offer up his left hand.
For the right-handed Appleby, his world
was turned upside down on March 19 when
his favoured arm was crushed while working
for Borgers on the desalination project at
Alexandria.
Although he is still dealing with the ramifications
of the accident, Appleby is determined
his story will help others.
At the time of the accident Appleby had
moved out of a full-time job and was loving
the flexibility and extra family time of being a
casual.
He was in constant demand and working for
several different companies.
Luckily, he was injured while working for
Borgers, who was paying top-up insurance for
him.
But Appleby has been caught in a maze of
bureaucracy – at one stage his workers’ compensation
payment was just $300 a week. With
help from the union solicitors he now receives
$600 a week and top-up of $50 a week.
“My problem is they only take into account
your hours with one employer,” he says. “I’m
earning a third of what I used to bring in.”
However the benefit of top-up is once the
workers’ compensation payments end, top-up
WADE AID
The western Sydney community has ensured
Wade Appleby and his family do not lose
their home. Wade Aid 09 was held recently
to raise funds for the family. Organised by
Appleby’s close friends, Michael and Megan
Beech, with the CFMEU’s backing, the trivia
night attracted a huge crowd including a
table from the CFMEU and Labor MP Julie
Owens. Among the companies that also
donated were Borger Cranes, May Cranes,
Sydney Cranes and workers at Dolphin Traffic
Services. Appleby was overwhelmed by the
generosity of friends, colleagues and local
businesses and thanks all those involved.
CASUAL WARNING
Wade Appleby says his workplace accident
has brought home the insecurity
of being a casual employee
will keep his payments going. Appleby says
the accident has brought home the dangers of
casual work.
“I never thought about insuring myself as I
knew I was covered by workers’ compensation
with each employer.” But he warns other casual
workers to consider taking out insurance for
themselves.
“As a casual, people don’t have to pay top-up
insurance,” he says. “I was lucky Borgers was
paying U-Plus for me.”
Appleby also has praise for the CFMEU.
“I was being hung out to dry by the system. I
spoke with the union and it opened doors to discussions
that hadn’t happened before.”
The union put him in touch with its solicitors
Taylor & Scott and put him on to Mend, the
union rehabilitation provider.
“I didn’t know my rights and they pointed
me in the right direction,” he says.
For Appleby the frustration of dealing with
red tape is only matched by the frustration of
rehabilitation.
He spends an hour and a half every day having
his arm manipulated, with morphine used
to dull the pain so physiotherapists can work on
him.
More debilitating almost than his injury is
the uncertainty.
The rare nature of his injury means no one
is able to tell him if, or when, he will be able to
use his arm again.
It has Appleby stuck in limbo and struggling
to deal with anxiety and depression.
“I want them to tell me I’ll be back at work by
a certain time or I want to be put in another role
somewhere else and not feel useless.
Reliant on his wife to drive him around,
Appleby admits to “struggling with a loss of
identity”.
“I used to play touch footy, go hunting and
camping and train.
“My world was so large and it’s become so
small.”
U-PLUS
INSURANCE
CHANGES
U-PLUS insurance has made a number of
changes to its policy that will give better coverage
to construction industry workers, according
to Coverforce chief executive Jim Angelis.
U-PLUS was established 15 years ago to
provide building and construction workers with
income protection insurance in the event of
injuries caused by a workplace accident.
Managed by Coverforce, in New South
Wales it also provides Workers Compensation
Top-up insurance.
Angelis says from June 1 the premium
charged to employers will rise $10 to $80 per
person/per month. However the benefits payable
under the policy have also improved:
• By increasing the maximum benefit limit
from $1300 per week to $2000 per week;
• By introducing benefits for partial incapacity;
and
• By providing employers the flexibility to
purchase enhancements to basic U-PLUS
cover.
The changes only apply to accidents after
June 1 this year.
The introduction of benefits for partial incapacity
is granted at the discretion of the insurer
and provides continuation of income protection
benefits to those workers who return to
work in a reduced capacity and suffer reduced
wages as a result.
The benefit payable is the difference
between the total incapacity benefit less the
income received from reduced duties.
Under union enterprise agreements, most
employers are required to provide top-up insurance.
Call the CFMEU Lidcombe office on 9749
0400 if you are unsure of your coverage.
UNITY 15

OHS
HARMONY
HITS OFF
NOTE FOR
WORKERS
UNITY 16
NSW building workers will pay the cost of a
push to standardise safety laws across Australia
– some with their lives.
The NSW Labor Government has conceded
safety in the workplace will be eroded under
the plan that was passed by all states, excluding
WA, and the federal government in May.
If adopted, under the national agreement
unions will no longer be able to prosecute for
safety breaches and the absolute obligation that
employers have to provide a safe workplace will
be watered down significantly.
Most devastating for families who have lost
loved ones due to workplace negligence, the special
laws passed in NSW, which include possible
jail time when workers are killed as a result of
employer recklessness, will be lost.
For widows Cheryl Romer and Andreia
Veigas, who campaign for better safety laws and
support the families of those killed in the workplace,
the proposed changes are a bitter blow.
“It’s hard to make sense of that loss and live
with the knowledge it could have been avoided
through better safety laws,” says Romer.
CFMEU Acting State Secretary Mal Tulloch
says the harmonisation plan is another blow to
building workers’ rights.
“The commitment from the Rudd
Government was to adopt best practice and that
isn’t happening,” says Tulloch. “In NSW the
proposed changes will significantly reduce the
safety laws.”
Studies show unionised work forces have
higher safety standards so the erosion of right
of entry will lead to a slackening in safety standards.
Tulloch says NSW has some of the toughest
safety laws in the country, but the Rudd
Government had caved into big business.
“Kevin Rudd won’t be the one that pays,”
says Tulloch. “It will be some poor worker who
falls and dies because the new laws have weakened
safety on site.”
The ACTU is leading a national campaign
against harmonisation. The planned changes
will be highlighted during a Trade Union
Forum to be held during the ALP National
Conference this month.
FAST FACT
Since the 1940s, unions in NSW have had the
power to prosecute employers in cases where
regulators have been unwilling or able to do
so. In the past 15 years there has been a 100 per
cent success rate in these cases with significant
improvements in OHS as a result.
LIFE SAVERS
Marcelo Rodriguez with Mirvac site manager
Graham Doust, (back) and Mirvac first aiders,
from left, Malcolm Willey, Mat Conroy,
John Tsaousidis and Adrian Cory
LIVING PROOF OF DEFIB’S NEED
The importance of the CFMEU campaign
for defibrillators to be on all building
sites has been highlighted after one
of the machines helped save a 56-year-old
Edensor Park man at a Sydney building site.
Carpenter Marcelo Rodriguez was working
with his son, Christian, at a Mirvac
Construction site at Rhodes when he experienced
irregular breathing and a poor pulse.
Equipped with an on-site defibrillator and
oxygen kit, the site’s first-aid team were able
to perform CPR on Rodriguez.
The defibrillator analysed the carpenter’s
condition and provided help and guidance
about the shock needed to stabilise his condition
until the ambulance arrived.
Rodriguez was taken to Concord
Hospital. “Response and operational training
by the Mirvac first-aid team had been
DEMAND TEST RESULTS
CFMEU members working with dangerous
chemicals are being put in long-term
danger by the failure of employers to ensure
they are receiving ongoing medical checks.
NSW Safety Co-ordinator for the CFMEU,
Rick Rech, says the issue is particularly
important for workers in areas such as paint
manufacture, site decontamination, asbestos
demolition and on sites where toxic chemicals
may have been sprayed.
Under OHS regulations companies are
obliged to have employees working with certain
chemicals tested and have a general practitioner
explain the results to the workers.
“We are finding the tests are being done,
but no follow-on consultation or advice about
the test results is forthcoming,” says Rech.
“The experience of asbestos fibre shows
practised many times in the past but this
time the situation was for real,” says Mirvac
project manager Glenn House.
“Comments from doctors praised the
quick actions of the Mirvac team and indicated
the use of the oxygen and the defibrillator
very likely saved the victim’s life.”
CFMEU Acting Secretary Mal Tulloch
says the incident highlights the need for
defibrillators on all building sites.
“Marcelo’s life was saved because of the
presence of a defibrillator on site – others
may not be so lucky,” he says. “Building
companies need to ensure they are prepared
if a worker suffers cardiac arrest and have a
functioning defibrillator on-site.”
Marcelo’s son Christian agrees. “If it
wasn’t for the defibrillator, my dad wouldn’t
be alive,” he says.
us working in some environments can have
long-term health implications.”
He says many companies have a slack attitude
toward testing because they are hiring
backpackers under dodgy ABNs.
“They are just exporting the problem as
these workers leave the country and no one
can track them down.”
In a recent case five people were taken to
hospital at Hurstville after they were overcome
by the fumes from by a cement curing aid. The
CFMEU has asked researchers at the University
of Western Sydney to investigate any health
issues the curing aid might exacerbate.
Rech says workers concerned about their
possible exposure to chemicals and a lack of
medical testing should contact the union’s
Lidcombe Counter Organiser on 9749 0400.

OHS
MEMO
DETAILS
SHODDY
SAFETY
RECORD
John Holland has admitted what the CFMEU
already knew – its safety record is appalling.
A memo written by John Holland divisional
general manager Brendan Petersen, leaked to
the union, brands the builder’s safety performance
across its structural mechanical process
division as “unsatisfactory and unacceptable”.
“In the last 12 months there have been 81
serious injuries .. and we have had 51 occasions
where incidents have occurred with high potential
for injury,” he writes.
“We also have sites that consistently allow
work activities to be undertaken in an uncontrolled
or unsafe manner, sites that don’t take
employee concerns about unsafe workplace conditions
seriously and sites that don’t report near
misses.”
Acting State Secretary Mal Tulloch says the
leaked memo is a vindication of the union’s concerns
about the company’s safety record.
It also raises concerns about Comcare’s ability
to regulate workplace safety on building
sites.
The union has called for a full audit of John
Holland’s operations by Comcare and is pushing
to have its licence revoked.
In 2007 John Holland was given the right
to self-insure under the federal government’s
workers’ compensation scheme as part of
former Liberal prime minister John Howard’s
attack on building unions.
By joining Comcare, John Holland was
able to exempt itself from NSW OHS laws with
union and WorkCover officials losing their
right of entry.
However Comcare has recently backed the
CFMEU’s right to enter the Kurnell desalination
plant site for safety reasons involving contractors
on the site.
In a letter to the union, Comcare manager
Merrilyn Chilvers says although the NSW right
of entry provisions do not apply to John Holland
activities, union officials can exercise their
rights under OHS laws to visit contractors on
the site.
Tulloch says this is a major breakthrough for
the CFMEU.
The union is now working on protocols with
John Holland to ensure union officials can
assess the safety standards employed by contractors
on the site.
DREAMING OF A QUIET NIGHT
A simple accident at work means Nathan
Fuller will never again get to appreciate the
sound of silence. The 32-year-old has tinnitus
after grouting cement entered his ear. Fuller
says although the grouting was hosed out, his
ear became infected and required surgery.
Tinnitus is a ringing or noise in the ear that
never stops, and has been called the “suicide
ear” because of the impact it has on sufferers.
Fuller knows all too well the mental strain
of the problem, having turned up at hospital
demanding drugs to make him sleep.
The Austinmer resident says the hardest
part of dealing with the problem is the sleep
deprivation as it is “like trying to sleep with a
cicada on your shoulder”.
The lack of sleep has also meant it is impossible
for him to return to work safely in his previous
role as a concrete stressor.
He says there is no medication available,
but he is having sessions with a psychologist to
help him train his brain to deal with the noise.
Fuller says despite receiving workers’
compensation payments his pay would have
been halved because much of his wages came
through overtime and allowances.
Having been unable to work for the past six
months, Fuller says he was lucky enough to
have Top-Up Insurance, which has ensured he
receives 85 per cent of his previous earnings.
He also praised the efforts of CFMEU
organiser Joe Ratana who has helped him navigate
the bureaucracy.
“My condition falls through the cracks of
legislation as workers’ compensation is based
on percentage of hearing loss and I haven’t lost
any hearing I just have this constant ringing,”
he says.
NO CURE
Nathan Fuller, at
Austinmer Beach,
hopes he can learn to
live with the constant
ringing in his ears
‘I keep being told …
it is something you
learn to live with
and put to the back
of your mind.’
As part of their campaign to ensure he gets
help, Ratana organised a meeting with local
State Labor MP Paul McLeay.
“I keep being told … it is something you
learn to live with and learn to put it to the back
of your mind,” he says.
“But when it is still such a problem for you
it is hard to believe that.”
HEARING CHECK
Tinnitus is a major problem for workers in
the construction industry as it can be caused
by prolonged exposure to excessive noise
such as heavy machinery. The CFMEU offers
a free hearing check service to financial
members aged over 40 and can organise
on-site hearing tests for groups of workers. If
you have worked in the industry for a lengthy
period, you may have suffered hearing loss
for which you may be entitled to receive workers’
compensation as well as the provision of
hearing aids.
For more information contact the Counter
Organiser on 9749 0400.
UNITY 17

UNITY 18
DAY OF MOURNING
HURT THAT
NEVER
ENDS FOR
FAMILIES
On a cold, clear morning at Reflection Park
in Darling Harbour, the families of workplace
death victims lined up to tie a remembrance
card to a sculpture. Some fought back tears,
some sobbed quietly as small children milled
about, dressed in Sunday best, not knowing
what the fuss was about.
This was the 14th annual International Day
of Mourning, to remember those who died in
workplace accidents – and help those who survived.
And this year, the line seemed to go on
forever.
The day began with a moving service led by
the Reverend Bill Crews and Father John Boyle
and an official launch by NSW Governor Marie
Bashir, and the widow of asbestos campaigner
Bernie Banton, Karen.
‘A lot of times I’ve
thought about those
eight hours and how
we went on with
our lives.’
Then the families rose from their seats and
stood in line to pay their respects.
Fifty-nine white cards were tied to the metal
poles of the Memory Lines sculpture, bearing photographs
and simple messages to lost loved ones.
• Terry Farrell, 1948-2006, The worst day of
our lives. Miss you always – us 8.
• To my dad, Peter Doughan.
• Luke Bandrowski – the love of our life.
• Grahame Moss – we’ll miss you and love
you always.
Among those attending were Frank and
Hetty Hughes, the parents of scaffolder Paul
Hughes, who fell to his death in Sydney’s CBD
in 2006. Their message read: Paul Hughes.
Forever in our heart he’ll stay – Mum and Dad.
Bashir told the mourners that occupational

DAY OF MOURNING
REMEMBERING THE DEAD
Clockwise from right: Brian Parker, Tony Barry
and Karl Petera; Karen Banton at Reflection
Park; Elizabeth Raymond with a pic of her dad
Geoffrey Jardine; Wendy Lark and Aunty Muriel
van der Byl at the Construction Industry Dinner
and, facing page, a mother places dedication
cards on the Memory Lines statue, which
became a sea of photos, main pic.
health h lhand dsafety f “is an issue no one can take k
for granted”.
She pointed to the memory of former governor,
David Martin, who died of mesothelioma
three days after his retirement. She warned that
when the pursuit of “material gain takes priority
over human life” the consequences were dire.
As part of the remembrance service a
minute’s silence was held that was echoed
across worksites throughout Sydney.
At the Westfield site in Pitt Street workers
heard from Australian actor Tony Barry, who
worked with focus puller David Brostoff, who
was killed during the making of the movie
Midnight Spares.
“That brought home just how dangerous
workplaces can be. That death led to stricter
workplace safety laws.” Barry said the issue
of workplace safety gets little publicity, and it
deserves more attention.
Metropolitan demolisher Karl Petera said
after 10 years in the industry he had seen a lot of
near misses on jobs.
“Luckily, I haven’t been injured but you can’t
let your guard down for a minute.”
Later that night the annual Construction
Industry Dinner pulled a huge crowd with the
main address delivered by Elizabeth Raymond,
whose father, Geoffrey Jardine, died on July 3,
2002.
Raymond told the audience her father’s “preventable”
death meant he missed out meeting
his youngest grandchildren who were born
three and six weeks after his death.
UNVEILING
U
HOLROYD
H
MEMORIAL
M
The T new Workplace Tragedy Memorial
Plaque P at the former Goodlet and Smith
Brick pit site on Brickworks Drive,
Merrylands will provide a dignified place for
families to go to remember their loved ones
who have been injured or tragically killed at
work, and those who have died from exposure
to chemicals and asbestos.
At the recent unveiling ceremony
Holroyd City Mayor Greg Cummings said,
“Holroyd supported the request to establish
a memorial site because we support
those who have been affected by these
horrific incidents and we need to send a
clear message to employers that we will not
tolerate unsafe working conditions.”
Workplace Tragedy Family Support
Group Gr convenor Cheryl Romer, pictured above
left, with Cummings and the CFMEU’s Mal
Tulloch, said: “We believe our experience can
help others survive through the same grieving,
and also that we can make an active contribution
to workplace safety through our activities,
in honour of our loved ones who have died at
work.”
For contact information please see: www.workplacetragedy.com/contacts.htm.
Raymond said one of the ongoing issues that
haunted her was the eight-hour delay in notifying
her family that he had died.
“A lot of time I’ve thought about those eight
hours and how we went on with our lives,” she
says.
Raymond, who campaigns with the
Workplace Tragedy Family Support Group, took
a swipe at the industry practice of domino subcontracting
of work which allows developers to
ignore their obligations to workers on sites.
“No sub-contractor should be allowed
on a building site without a Green Card and
Worker’s Compensation Certificate of Currency
and superannuation for employees paid up,” she
says.
“We believe it can and must be done.”
UNITY 19

DAY OF MOURNING
REMEMBERING THE DEAD
Clockwise from right: Brian Parker, Tony Barry
and Karl Petera; Karen Banton at Reflection
Park; Elizabeth Raymond with a pic of her dad
Geoffrey Jardine; Wendy Lark and Aunty Muriel
van der Byl at the Construction Industry Dinner
and, facing page, a mother places dedication
cards on the Memory Lines statue, which
became a sea of photos, main pic.
health h lhand dsafety f “is an issue no one can take k
for granted”.
She pointed to the memory of former governor,
David Martin, who died of mesothelioma
three days after his retirement. She warned that
when the pursuit of “material gain takes priority
over human life” the consequences were dire.
As part of the remembrance service a
minute’s silence was held that was echoed
across worksites throughout Sydney.
At the Westfield site in Pitt Street workers
heard from Australian actor Tony Barry, who
worked with focus puller David Brostoff, who
was killed during the making of the movie
Midnight Spares.
“That brought home just how dangerous
workplaces can be. That death led to stricter
workplace safety laws.” Barry said the issue
of workplace safety gets little publicity, and it
deserves more attention.
Metropolitan demolisher Karl Petera said
after 10 years in the industry he had seen a lot of
near misses on jobs.
“Luckily, I haven’t been injured but you can’t
let your guard down for a minute.”
Later that night the annual Construction
Industry Dinner pulled a huge crowd with the
main address delivered by Elizabeth Raymond,
whose father, Geoffrey Jardine, died on July 3,
2002.
Raymond told the audience her father’s “preventable”
death meant he missed out meeting
his youngest grandchildren who were born
three and six weeks after his death.
UNVEILING
U
HOLROYD
H
MEMORIAL
M
The T new Workplace Tragedy Memorial
Plaque P at the former Goodlet and Smith
Brick pit site on Brickworks Drive,
Merrylands will provide a dignified place for
families to go to remember their loved ones
who have been injured or tragically killed at
work, and those who have died from exposure
to chemicals and asbestos.
At the recent unveiling ceremony
Holroyd City Mayor Greg Cummings said,
“Holroyd supported the request to establish
a memorial site because we support
those who have been affected by these
horrific incidents and we need to send a
clear message to employers that we will not
tolerate unsafe working conditions.”
Workplace Tragedy Family Support
Group Gr convenor Cheryl Romer, pictured above
left, with Cummings and the CFMEU’s Mal
Tulloch, said: “We believe our experience can
help others survive through the same grieving,
and also that we can make an active contribution
to workplace safety through our activities,
in honour of our loved ones who have died at
work.”
For contact information please see: www.workplacetragedy.com/contacts.htm.
Raymond said one of the ongoing issues that
haunted her was the eight-hour delay in notifying
her family that he had died.
“A lot of time I’ve thought about those eight
hours and how we went on with our lives,” she
says.
Raymond, who campaigns with the
Workplace Tragedy Family Support Group, took
a swipe at the industry practice of domino subcontracting
of work which allows developers to
ignore their obligations to workers on sites.
“No sub-contractor should be allowed
on a building site without a Green Card and
Worker’s Compensation Certificate of Currency
and superannuation for employees paid up,” she
says.
“We believe it can and must be done.”
UNITY 19

YOUR SITE
Just down the road from the Sydney
Olympics site, the former industrial wasteland
of Rhodes is being transformed into waterfront
residential living. At the heart of the redevelopment
are CFMEU members working on the
Village Quay project.
Unity went on site to visit the crew.
The delegate
Derek Wenderski has a tough job as CFMEU
delegate for Billbergia. Walking around the site
and meeting chief executive John Kinsella it is
obvious that everyone seems to get along.
However that industrial peace comes as a
result of some tough negotiating.
“What workers don’t know is there is a lot
of behind-the-scenes issues that just get sorted
out with active union involvement before they
become a problem,” says CFMEU Organiser
Mark Cunningham.
Wenderski agrees.
UNITY 20
“[John] listens to the problems and is willing
to work through them with us.”
“If you are being shafted by a bad boss you
are more likely to want to sign up.”
But he also believes a lot of guys don’t join
the union or can’t keep financial because they
are financially stressed.
However he points out that at just $10 a week
membership of the union is a no-brainer.
“When you think about it it’s a couple of coffees
or beers,” he says.
Wenderski says many of the blokes on site
are beginning to worry about their work prospects
as hold-ups in the decontamination of soil
at the adjacent site will delay the next Billbergia
job.
It is another good reason to join the union
he says.
“Our jobs aren’t that safe and if you are out of
work who’s going to help you and let you know
where the jobs are – the union.”
IN SAFE
HANDS
ON A
RHODES
SITE
The crane driver
Crane driver Daniel Farinaro is pretty happy to
step out of his cab and put his feet on solid ground.
He finds the solitude of crane driving a little quiet
and is always keen for a chance to play dogman
and mix it up with his mates on site.
For him the worst part of the job “is climbing
the crane every morning”.
The 26-year-old from Bosley Park was revelling
in the fact he had just recently bought his
first home when he spoke with Unity and had
been working at the Billbergia site for a little
more than a year.
As part of the job, workers on the site have
blood tests to check their dioxin levels. And
although Farinaro got the all-clear on the dioxin,
the tests showed his cholesterol was something
he needs to keep an eye on.
The formworker
On the final floor of the residential develop-

YOUR SITE
‘You leave your
family, and you want
to know if you’re
going home at the
end of the day.’
ment Stipo Blazan is not a man to mince words.
The 42-year-old, who started as a formworker 24
years ago, came to Australia from Croatia.
He enjoys the view across Homebush Bay
from atop the residential development and says
there is a good crew on the site. Blazan, who
now lives in Graystanes, is an ardent unionist
and says it is important that workers support the
union on site.
“It’s not an easy job, but if there are any problems
I tell [CFMEU delegate] Derek and he fixes
it straight away.” He also knows how easy it is for
workers who have English as a second language
to get ripped off and has had the union step in to
fix up superannuation problems.
The post-tensioner
John O’Sullivan should really be called tiny. The
28-year-old post-tensioner is an enormous physical
presence on the site, but is pretty thoughtful
about a construction worker’s lot.
He remains concerned about the role
the Australian Building and Construction
Commission plays in targeting building workers
and forcing them to dob on their workmates.
“It could happen to anyone.”
O’Sullivan, from APS Pre-Stressing at
Lillyfield, has been known to join a protest or two
and thinks the union is an important voice for
workers on the job site.
Living on the Central Coast, he does a lot
of travelling for work, but says he loves the life
ON THE JOB Clockwise from below: John O’Sullivan, Stipo
Blazan, Derek Wenderski, Kautai Teiote and Daniel Farinaro
walking the reo bars because it is never boring.
“You’re not doing the same thing everyday,
it’s not repetitive.”
And as to what irks him about work, he
laughs: “The steelers driving us crazy.”
The steelie
It takes a bit to get Kautai Teiote to talk, but once
he starts what the steelie says is worth listening
to. He’s been a steelie for nine years and for the
past six years has been working with Southside.
As someone who spends his day working at
heights and dodging cuts from reo bars, safety is
an issue close to his heart. It explains in part why
he is adamant that those who aren’t part of the
union should join. Teiote understands the role
the union plays in making sure corners aren’t
cut and lives put at risk.
“You leave your family at home in the morning
you want to know you’re going home at the
end of the day,” he says.
UNITY 21

SUPERANNUATION
RIGHT
COVER
When Cbus co-ordinator Bob
McWhinney asked workers on a Darling
Point site recently for a show of hands on
who knew their life insurance payout entitlement,
only one hand went up.
With about 90 workers present for the
meeting it was a pretty poor result, but
not one that surprised McWhinney. He
says few workers take advantage of their
entitlement to life insurance and total
and permanent disability (TPD) benefit
and many are under-insured. The meeting
was part of a blitz to ensure members
have adequate insurance through industry
superannuation provider, Cbus. McWhinney
says the majority of members have only four
units of cover, which entitles them to $200,000
death benefit and $100,000 TPD benefit.
“If I became disabled tomorrow and unable
to work how long would $100,000 last me?” he
asked. “Make sure you are at least adequately
covered.” CFMEU Organiser Rebel Hanlon says
the need for proper coverage was highlighted
by the recent death in his sleep of a 37-year-old,
father-of-three steel fixer. “I thought I would
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Dalma formworker
Joseph
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McWhinney
have to sort out another mess,” says Hanlon.
“[But] he had ticked the box for eight units of
coverage. Eight units isn’t going to bring back
a father or a husband, but it will give the family
$400,000 and peace of mind that they are not
going to lose their house.”
At least one worker acted on the message.
Dalma formworker Joseph Mu says the meeting
“was awesome”. “I started super when I first
started working, but now I’m shifting across to
Cbus.”
Construction workers will see another
year of negative returns on their superannuation
when the Cbus board announces its
returns in early August.
Cbus is expected to post an average return
on its Core Strategy Investment Choice option
(where 92 per cent of members are invested) of
about minus 12 per cent for the financial year.
This is in line with losses across all superannuation
funds of up to 14 per cent – the worst
losses since superannuation became compulsory
in 1992. The results are the fallout from the
global financial crisis.
Cbus co-ordinator Bob McWhinney says
workers should not to be shaken by the result.
“Superannuation is a long-term thing,” he says.
Despite this year’s result the Core option has
averaged a 9.2 per cent return since 1984. Cbus
co-ordinator Nick Fodor says there have been
some more positive results on the sharemarket
since the end of March.
Fodor says industry funds remain in the top
10 performers in the sector and continue to
outperform the retail sector. However anyone
worried about their super should speak with a
Cbus co-ordinator or Cbus financial planner.
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UNITY46

UNITY 24
AWARDS
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 applicable under
the awards.
Hundreds of companies pay in accordance
with the wage rates outlined in this CFMEU
EBA rates of pay sheet.
These rates and pay scales are included in
Classification
Rates payable from the first pay period on or after 1 March 2009
most union negotiated agreements.
In addition to these rates the union negotiates
extra company productivity allowances 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.
Per Hour Per Day
7.2 Hours
Rates applicable from 1 March 2009
0.8 RDO
Accrual
WHAT ABOUT SITE ALLOWANCES?
Per 36
Hours
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).
Time & a
Half
Double
Time
CW1 21.90 157.68 17.52 788.40 32.85 43.80
CW2 22.89 164.81 18.31 824.04 34.34 45.78
CW3 (Non Trade) 23.85 171.72 19.08 858.60 35.78 47.70
CW3 (Trade) 24.67 177.62 19.74 888.12 37.01 49.34
CW4 25.89 186.41 20.71 932.04 38.84 51.78
CW5 27.10 195.12 21.68 975.60 40.65 54.20
CW6 28.33 203.98 22.66 1019.88 42.50 56.66
CW7 29.59 213.05 23.67 1065.24 44.39 59.18
CW8 30.83 221.98 24.66 1109.88 46.25 61.66
Classification
Per Hour Per Day
7.2 Hours
Rates applicable from 1 October 2009
0.8 RDO
Accrual
Per 36
Hours
Time & a
Half
Double
Time
CW1 22.43 161.50 17.94 807.48 33.65 44.86
CW2 23.45 168.84 18.76 844.20 35.18 46.90
CW3 (Non Trade) 24.43 175.90 19.54 879.48 36.65 48.86
CW3 (Trade) 25.27 181.94 20.22 909.72 37.91 50.54
CW4 26.52 190.94 21.22 954.72 39.78 53.04
CW5 27.76 199.87 22.21 999.36 41.64 55.52
CW6 29.02 208.94 23.22 1044.72 43.53 58.04
CW7 30.31 218.23 24.25 1091.16 45.47 60.62
CW8 31.58 227.38 25.26 1136.88 47.37 63.16
The CFMEU had negotiated the following site allowance matrix with major employers. The Rudd Government still maintains the Howard-introduced
prohibition on site allowances. The new Federal Government is giving priority to basic legislative changes that benefit all workers, i.e. abolishing
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-negotiation
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.

AWARDS
STATE BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AWARD
Rates payable from the first pay period on or after 16 October 2008
CLASSIFICATION
Per
hour
Time
and a half
Double
time
Per
38 hours
Accrual of
0.4 hours
Carpenter, stonemason,
bridge & wharf carpenter
19.62 29.43 39.24 745.56 7.85 74.21
Bricklayer, tilelayer hard floor coverer 19.41 29.12 38.82 737.58 7.76 73.42
Plasterer, floorlayer 19.49 29.24 38.98 740.62 7.80 73.72
Roof tiler, state ridge/roof fixer 19.28 28.92 38.56 732.64 7.71 72.71
Stonemason machinist 18.32 27.48 36.64 696.16 7.33 69.37
Carver (stoneworker) 20.20 30.30 40.40 767.60 8.08 76.36
Marker/setter out, lettercutter 19.62 29.43 39.24 745.56 7.85 74.21
Special class trade 20.20 30.30 40.40 767.60 8.08 76.13
Quarryperson 18.32 27.48 36.64 696.16 7.33 69.37
Signwriter 19.08 28.62 38.16 725.04 7.63 71.96
Painter 18.49 27.74 36.98 702.62 7.40 70.00
Refractory bricklayer 21.47 32.21 42.94 815.86 8.59 80.86
Refractory bricklayer’s assistant 18.72 28.08 37.44 711.36 7.49 70.86
Group 1
Rigger, dogman 18.32 27.48 36.64 696.16 7.33 69.37
Group 2
Scaffolder, powder monkey, hoist winch
driver, foundation shaftsperson, steel
fixer including tackwelder,
concrete finisher
17.80 26.70 35.60 676.40 6.97 67.44
Group 3 17.42 26.13 34.84 661.96 6.97 66.03
Pro rata annual
leave plus loading
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: $16.50
Where an employer requests a worker to transfer from one site to another
site during working hours with his/her own vehicle, an extra $0.89 per
kilometre must paid.
Where a worker using his/her car to a job outside the required work
boundaries in the award an extra $0.47 per kilometre must be paid.
The fares allowance must be paid on all days worked plus rostered days
off.
LEADING HANDS ALLOWANCES PER
HR
In charge of 1 person $0.41
In charge of 2–5 persons $0.90
In 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: $11.90
UNITY 25

UNITY 26
AWARDS
NATIONAL BUILDING & CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY AWARD
Rates payable from the first pay period on or after 1 October 2008.
CLASSIFICATION
Per
hour
FARES ALLOWANCE PER DAY: $16.50
Where an employer requests a worker to transfer from one site to another
site during working hours with his/her own vehicle, an extra $0.89 per kilometre
must paid.
Where a worker using his/her car to a job outside the required work boundaries
in the award an extra $0.47 per kilometre must be paid.
The fares allowance must be paid on all days worked plus rostered days off.
LEADING HANDS ALLOWANCES PER HR
In charge of 1 person $0.46
In charge of 2–5 persons $1.02
In charge of 6–10 persons $1.30
In charge of 11 persons or more $1.73
The applicable leading hand rate should be added to the hourly rates and applies for
all purposes of the award.
MEAL ALLOWANCE: $11.90
Time and a
half
Double
time
Per 38
hours
Accrual of
0.4 hours
Carpenter, stonemason,
bridge & wharf carpenter
18.87 28.31 37.74 692.74 7.55 69.03
Bricklayer, tilelayer hard floor coverer 18.66 27.99 37.32 685.14 7.46 68.29
Plasterer, floorlayer 18.74 28.11 37.48 688.18 7.50 68.59
Roof tiler, state ridge/roof fixer 18.53 27.80 37.06 680.58 7.41 67.61
Stonemason machinist 18.87 28.31 37.74 667.28 7.55 66.54
Carver (stoneworker) 20.00 30.00 40.00 735.68 8.00 73.24
Marker/setter out, lettercutter 19.43 29.15 38.86 714.02 7.77 69.91
Special class trade 20.00 30.00 40.00 735.68 8.00 72.04
Quarryperson 18.17 27.26 36.34 667.28 7.27 65.34
Signwriter 18.90 28.35 37.80 694.64 7.56 68.02
Painter 18.33 27.50 36.66 673.36 7.33 65.93
Refractory bricklayer 21.41 32.12 42.86 789.26 8.56 77.28
Refractory bricklayer’s assistant 18.72 28.08 37.44 686.28 7.49 67.20
Group 1
Rigger, dogger 18.17 27.26 36.34 667.28 7.27 66.54
Group 2
Scaffolder, powder monkey, hoist winch
driver, foundation shaftsperson, steel
fixer including tackwelder, concrete finisher
17.66 26.49 35.32 647.90 7.06 64.64
Group 3 17.29 25.94 34.58 633.84 6.92 63.27
Pro rata annual
leave plus loading
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.

AWARDS
NATIONAL JOINERY & BUILDING
TRADES PRODUCTS AWARDS
CLASSIFICATION Level Per hour
LEADING HAND ALLOWANCES PER WEEK
In charge of 1 person $15.30 In charge of 2–5 people $33.60
In charge of 6–10 people $43.00 In charge of 11 or more people $57.20
MOBILE CRANE HIRING AWARD
Time an a
half
Double
Time
Rates payable from the first pay period on or after 1 Oct 2008
Accrual of
0.4 hours
Carpenter/joiner 6 18.64 27.96 37.28 7.46 67.07
Joiner special class 5 18.06 27.13 36.18 7.24 67.07
Joiner 4 16.72 25.08 33.44 6.99 65.03
Assembler A 3 16.17 24.26 32.34 6.45 60.02
3 15.97 23.95 31.94 6.23 57.99
Assembler B 2 15.37 23.05 30.74 5.92 55.05
CLASSIFICATION
Operator of mobile crane with a max. lifting capacity of:
Per
hour
Time and
a half
Pro rata annual leave
plus leave loading
Rates payable from the first pay period on or after 1 Oct 2008
Double
time
Per 38
hours
Accrual
of 0.4
hours
Up to 20 tonnes 18.44 27.66 36.88 679.10 7.38 56.59
21-40 tonnes 18.79 28.19 37.58 692.30 7.52 57.69
41-80 tonnes 19.13 28.70 38.26 705.20 7.65 58.77
81-100 tonnes 19.34 29.01 38.68 713.10 7.74 59.43
Thereafter for each additional 20 tonnes lifting capacity an additional $10.64 per week is applicable
Dogger 18.44 27.66 36.88 679.10 7.38 56.59
Dogger/rigger 19.13 28.70 38.26 705.20 7.65 58.77
Where more than one crane is engaged on any one lift the following additional payments are payable:
2 cranes=$2.70 per day; 3 cranes = $5.35 per day; 4 cranes =$8.00 per day; over 4 cranes = $10.70 per day
Operator – special purposes crane: GCI including mobile
tower crane GCI 500 series
18.58 27.87 37.16 684.60 7.43 63.81
Mobile hydraulic platform trainee: Undergoing training consistent
with agreed national standards
17.16 25.74 34.32 630.40 6.86 58.94
Boom length rating: up to 11 metres (including trainee) 17.22 25.83 34.44 632.80 6.89 59.14
11-17 metres 17.74 26.61 35.48 652.50 7.10 60.93
17-23 metres 18.03 27.05 36.06 663.70 7.21 61.92
23-28 metres & platform equipped with underbridge unit 18.44 27.66 36.88 679.10 7.38 63.33
Where the boom length rating is in excess of 28 metres an additional $1.03 per metre per week shall be paid.
EXTRA ALLOWANCES
Pile driving allowance $13.10 per day Demolition allowance $1.80 per hour
Wet work allowance $0.54 per hour Dirt work allowance $0.54 per hour
Car allowance $0.89 per kilometre Overnight allowance $12.30 per night
Meal allowance $11.90 Fares and travel $23.40 per day
Pro-rata
Annual
leave plus
loading
UNITY 27

UNITY 28
AWARDS
STATE GLASSWORKERS AWARD
CLASSIFICATION Level
STATE APPRENTICES
Per
hour
Time &
a half
Double
time
Per day
7.6hrs
Accrual of
0.4 hours
Tool allowance is incorporated into the above rates; however travelling allowances are paid in addition to the rates above.
Meal allowance - $11.90 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
APPRENTICE ALERT
If 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.
Per 38
hours
Experienced glass worker
and complex computer operator
7 20.87 31.31 41.74 158.61 8.35 793.06
Experienced cutter/glazier 6 20.25 30.38 40.50 153.90 8.10 769.50
Glass cutter and glazier, furnace operator,
quality control, senior windscreen fitter
5 19.58 29.37 39.16 148.81 7.83 744.04
Forklift driver (licence), Truck driver (HIAB),
Windscreen fitter, experienced glass workers
4 18.97 28.46 37.94 144.17 7.59 720.86
Stores/warehousing, Furnace loader/unloader,
Truck driving, Crane overhead
3 18.03 27.05 36.06 137.03 7.21 685.14
Glass handler – repetition work 2 17.74 26.61 35.48 134.82 7.10 674.12
Induction training 1 17.09 25.64 34.18 129.88 6.84 649.42
This does not include the Construction Work Allowance $24.40 per week or the Tool Allowance of $6.20 per week as of 16.10.08
Annual leave is accrued at 2.923 hours per week. These rates include the special loading of $91.30 payable for all purposes
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.
Junior Trainee Apprentices – Building & Constructions
Carpenter/Joiner/Stonemason
Hourly
Rate
Weekly
Gross
Bricklayer/
Tilelayer
Hourly
Rate
Weekly
Gross
Plasterer Painter Roof Tiler
Hourly
Rate
Weekly
Gross
Hourly
Rate
Weekly
Gross
Hourly
Rate
Weekly
Gross
1st Year 9.59 364.40 9.39 356.90 9.47 359.90 9.07 344.80 9.27 352.10
2nd Year 12.71 483.10 12.52 475.60 12.59 478.60 12.20 463.50 12.39 470.80
3rd Year 15.62 596.70 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
Junior Indentured Apprentices – Building & Constructions
Carpenter/Joiner/Stonemason
Hourly
Rate
FARES ALLOWANCE (for above)
1st Year $15.30
2nd Year $15.80
3rd Year $15.90
4th Year $16.10
Weekly
Gross
Bricklayer/
Tilelayer
Hourly
Rate
Weekly
Gross
Plasterer Painter Roof Tiler
Hourly
Rate
Weekly
Gross
Hourly
Rate
Weekly
Gross
Hourly
Rate
Weekly
Gross
1st Year 8.71 330.90 8.51 323.40 8.59 326.40 8.19 311.30 8.38 318.60
2nd Year 11.63 442.00 11.43 434.50 11.51 437.50 11.12 422.40 11.31 429.70
3rd Year 14.53 552.10 14.33 544.60 14.41 547.60 14.01 532.50 14.21 539.80
4th Year 16.55 629.00 16.36 621.50 16.43 624.50 16.04 609.40 16.23 616.70
These allowances apply to
all apprentices except for
Civil Engineering (Bridge
and Wharf) Carpenter
apprentices who will
receive $15.40 per day.
Civil Engineering (Bridge & Wharf) Carpenter
Hourly Rate Weekly Gross Fares Allowance Per Day
1st Year 9.76 370.70 15.40
2nd Year 12.73 483.90 15.40
3rd Year 15.20 577.60 15.40
4th Year 17.48 664.10 15.40

MULTILINGUAL
Arabic Chinese
Croatian
CFMEU
.
« »
CFMEU
»
Australian Building and Construction «
.Commission
. “”
«» «»
« »
.ABCC
«»
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.
.
.
.
» « »
» «
Darling Harbour Convention Centre «
CFMEU
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Pridružite se borbi za pravdu
Članovi CFMEU-a imaju pravo ako osjećaju da bi laburistička
vlada trebala učiniti puno više na ispunjavanju svojih predizbornih
obećanja o pravednijim zakonima o radu.
Tijekom predizborne kampanje za savezne izbore 2007. godine
tadašnja glasnogovornica opozicije, zadužena za radnu politiku,
Julia Gillard, rekla je članovima CFMEU-a da se Laburistička
Partija obvezuje da se riješi Howardovog ‘psa čuvara’ u građevinskoj
industriji – Australske građevinske i konstrukcione komisije
(ABCC).
To obećanje je bilo jedno od pokretača u kampanji sindikata,
kako bi osiguralo da se Howard skine s vlasti.
Međutim, po preuzimanju vlasti, Gillard i Rudd-ova vlada su opet
izdvojili građevinske radnike sa specijalnim građevinskim sektorom
koji će zadržati mnoge od prisilnih prava ABCC-a. Istodobno,
Ruddova laburistička vlada zagovara izjednačenje zakona o zaštiti
na radu. Građevinski radnici NSW-a, koji su zaštićeni najstrožim
pravilima o zaštiti na radu, mogli bi time puno izgubiti.
Prošle godine 50 radnika je izgubilo živote radeći na gradilištima
širom Australije. U mnogim slučajevima došlo je do pogibija zato što
poslodavci ne snabdjevaju propisnu zaštitu. Građevinska industrija
treba jake sindikate i stroge zakone o zaštiti na radu. Ne stroge
zakone koji će ohrabriti poslodavce da iskorištavaju građevinske
radnike.
Ovaj mjesec sindikalni pokret će održati Konferenciju o
radničkim pravima u Darling Harbour-u, istog dana kad se otvara
Nacionalna konferencija Australske Laburističke Partije u zgradi
Convention Centre u Darling Harbour-u.
Bit će tamo više od 1000 delegata iz udruženih sindikata,
uključujući i iz CFMEU-a, da pošalje jasnu poruku da prisilne
mjere nemaju mjesta u demokratskom društvu.
Farsi
CFMEU
.
Julia Gillard
CFMEU
–
. – ABCC
.
Rudd
.
Rudd
NSW .
.
.
.
.
Darling Harbour
Darling Harbour Convention Centre
.
CFMEU
.
UNITY 29

EDITORIAL
JOIN THE
FIGHT
FOR
JUSTICE
CFMEU members have a right to feel
that the Labor Government needs to do
much more to deliver on its election promise
for fairer workplace laws.
During the 2007 federal election campaign
the then Opposition Workplaces
spokeswoman Julia Gillard told CFMEU
members Labor was committed to getting
rid of Howard’s construction industry
watchdog – the Australian Building and
Construction Commission.
That promise was one of the motivators
in the union campaigning to ensure
Howard was booted out of office.
In office however, Gillard and the Rudd
Government have again singled out building
workers with a specialist construction
division that will retain many of the ABCC’s
coercive powers.
At the same time the Rudd Labor
Government is also leading the push to
FEEDBACK
harmonise safety laws. NSW construction
workers, who are protected by the country’s
toughest OHS code, have much to lose
under this move.
Last year, 50 workers lost their lives on
building sites across Australia. In a lot of
cases deaths occur because employers are
failing to provide proper safety. The industry
needs strong unions and strong safety
laws. Not strong laws that encourage bosses
to exploit construction workers.
This month the union movement
will hold a Workers Rights Conference at
Darling Harbour on July 31, the opening
day of the ALP National Conference at the
Darling Harbour Convention Centre.
More than 1000 delegates from affiliated
unions, including the CFMEU, will be there
to send a clear message that coercive powers
have no place in a democratic society.
Mal Tulloch, Acting State Secretary
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
DISCLAIMER: Advertising by a company in Unity does not in any way constitute
endorsement by the CFMEU of the practices of any employer/company.
CONTENTS
July 2009
Issue 46
Enterprise Agreements 4-5
Your Union 6-7
Bin the ABCC 8-9
Training 10
Newcastle 11
Regional 12
Rights blitz 13
Legal 14
OHS 15-17
Day of Mourning 18-19
Your Site 20-21
Superannuation 22
Awards 24-28
Multilingual 29-31
Obituary 36
Community 37
World 38
Drugs & Alcohol 39
The profile 40
UNITY
Writing, editing and photography
Bleedin’ Heart Media
Mal Tulloch, Rita Mallia
Design
Rodney Lochner 0414 716 306
Cover photo
Paul Jones
Printing and distribution
Print&Mail Pty Ltd 02 9519 8268
Advertising
Summit Advertising 03 9329 7571
UNITY 3

UNITY 30
MULTILINGUAL
Greek
Προσχωρήστε στον αγώνα για δικαιοσύνη
Τα μέλη του CFMEU δικαιούνται να αισθάνονται ότι η Εργατική Κυβέρνηση
πρέπει να κάνει περισσότερες προσπάθειες για να εκπληρώσει την
προεκλογική της υπόσχεση για δικαιότερους νόμους όρων εργασίας.
Στη διάρκεια του προεκλογικού αγώνα η τότε σκιώδεις υπουργός
εργασίας Τζούλια Γκίλαρντ-Julia Gillard είπε στα μέλη του CFMEU ότι
το Εργατικό κόμμα θα καταργήσει τον επιτηρητή του Χάουαρντ-την
Αυστραλιανή Επιτροπή Οικοδομικού Κλάδου.
Αυτή η υπόσχεση ήταν ένα από τα κίνητρα του συνδικαλιστικού αγώνα
για την εξασφάλιση της πτώσης του Χάουαρντ.
Αλλά, η Γκίλαρντ, σαν υπουργός και η Κυβέρνηση Ράντ έβαλαν
ξανά στο στόχαστρο τους εργάτες του οικοδομικού κλάδου, με μια ειδική
επιτροπή οικοδόμησης που θα διατηρήσει πολλές από τις καταπιεστικές
δικαιοδοσίες της ΑΕΟΚ (ABCC).
Παράλληλα, η Εργατική Κυβέρνηση του Ράντ πρωτοστατεί στο
κίνημα εναρμόνισης των νόμων ασφαλών εργασιακών συνθηκών. Οι
εργάτες του οικοδομικού κλάδου ΝΝΟ, που προστατεύονται από τους πιο
αποτελεσματικούς νόμους ασφαλών εργασιακών συνθηκών (OHS code),
θα χάσουν πολλά νε αυτό το κίνημα.
Τον περασμένο χρόνο, 50 εργάτες έχασαν τη ζωή τους σε εργοτάξια σε
όλη την Αυστραλία. Στις περισσότερες περιπτώσεις ο θάνατος προέρχεται
γιατί οι εργοδότες δεν διαθέτουν σωστή ασφάλεια. Ο οικοδομικός κλάδος
χρειάζεται δυνατά συνδικάτα και αποτελεσματικούς νόμους ασφάλισης
και όχι νόμους που ενθαρρύνουν εργοδότες να εκμεταλλεύονται τους
εργάτες.
Αυτό το μήνα το συνδικαλιστικό κίνημα οργανώνει μια Διάσκεψη
για τα Δικαιώματα των Εργατών (Workers Rights Conference), στο
Ντάρλινγκ Χάρμπουρ (Darling Harbour) την ημέρα έναρξης των
εργασιών της Εθνικής Διάσκεψης του Εργατικού Κόμματος (ALP
National Conference) στο Κέντρο Διασκέψεων του Ντάρλινγκ Χάρμπουρ
(Darling Harbour Convention Centre).
Περισσότεροι από 1000 αντιπρόσωποι από αδελφά συνδικάτα
περιλαμβανομένου και του CFMEU, θα δώσουν το παρόν για να στείλουν
ένα ευκρινές μήνυμα ότι οι καταπιεστικές δικαιοδοσίες δεν έχουν θέση σε
μια δημοκρατική κοινωνία.
Korean
Italian
Macedonian
Unitevi alla lotta per la giustizia
Gli iscritti al CFMEU hanno giustamente l’impressione che il governo
laburista debba fare molto di più per mantenere la promessa elettorale
di leggi più eque in materia di giustizia sul posto di lavoro.
Durante la campagna per le elezioni federali del 2007, Julia
Gillard, all’epoca portavoce dell’Opposizione per i rapporti sul
lavoro, disse agli iscritti al CFMEU che il Partito Laburista era
deciso ad eliminare l’organo di vigilanza di Howard per il settore
delle costruzioni – cioè la Australian Building and Construction
Commission o ABCC.
Quella promessa fu uno dei fattori motivanti della campagna del
sindacato volta a mandare a casa Howard e il suo governo.
Una volta eletti, però, Gillard e il governo Rudd hanno ancora
una volta discriminato a danno dei lavoratori dell’edilizia creando una
divisione specializzata per il settore delle costruzioni che conserverà
molti dei poteri coercitivi della ABCC.
Nel contempo il governo laburista di Rudd si sta anche adoperando
per armonizzare le leggi in materia di sicurezza. I lavoratori edili e
delle costruzioni nel NSW, che attualmente godono della tutela del
più rigoroso codice in materia di igiene e sicurezza sul lavoro di tutto
il paese, hanno molto da perdere da questa mossa.
Lo scorso anno, 50 lavoratori hanno perso la vita lavorando nei
cantieri edili in tutta l’Australia. In molti casi i decessi si verificano
perché i datori di lavoro non rispettano l’obbligo di allestire adeguate
misure di sicurezza. Il settore delle costruzioni ha bisogno di un forte
sindacato e di rigorose leggi in materia di sicurezza. E non di leggi che
incoraggiano i datori di lavoro a sfruttare i lavoratori dell’edilizia.
Questo mese il movimento sindacale terrà una conferenza sui
diritti dei lavoratori a Darling Harbour in concomitanza con la
giornata d’apertura del congresso nazionale del Partito Laburista
presso il Darling Harbour Convention Centre.
Oltre 1000 delegati dei sindacati affiliati, tra cui il CFMEU,
saranno presenti per inviare un chiaro messaggio che i poteri coercitivi
non hanno diritto di cittadinanza in una società democratica.
Придружете се во борбата за правда
Членовите на CFMEU имаат право да чувствуваат дека Лабуристичката
влада треба да направи многу повеќе за да го исполни ветувањето што
го даде на изборите за воведување на поправедни закони за работни
односи.
Во текот на сојузната изборна кампања во 2007 г., тогашниот
портпарол на опозицијата за работни односи, Julia Gillard, им рече
на членовите на CFMEU дека Лабуристичката партија се обврзува да
се ослободи од контролорот на градежната индустрија што го воведе
Howard – Австралиската комисија за градежна индустрија (Australian
Building and Construction Commission).
Ова ветување беше еден од мотивирачките фактори во кампањата
на синдикатот да обезбеди Howard да биде исфрлен од функција.
Меѓутоа, сега на функција, Gillard и владата на Rudd повторно ги
издвојуваат градежните работници со воведувањето на специјализиран
оддел за градежништвото кој ќе задржи многу од принудните мерки на
ABCC-комисијата.
Истовремено, Лабуристичката влада на Rudd исто така е предводник
во вршењето притисок за усогласување на законите за безбедност на
работното место. Градежните работници во Нов Јужен Велс, кои се
заштитетни со најстрorите OHS-закони, ќе претрпат голема загуба со
овој чекор.
Минатата година, 50 работници ги изгубија животите работејќи
на градилиштата во Австралија. Во многу случаи, животите се губат
заради тоа што работодавците не овозможуваат соодветна безбедност
на работното место. На градежната индустрија и се потребни моќни
синдикати и строги закони за безбедност на работното место. А не
строги закони кои ги поттикнуваат шефовите да ги експлоатираат
градежните работници.
Овој месец, синдикалното движење ќе одржи Конференција за
правата на работниците (Workers Rights Conference) во Darling Harbour
на денот на отварањето на Националната конференција на
австралиската лабуристичка партија која ќе се одржи во Конгресниот
центар во Darling Harbour.
Ќе присуствуваат над 1000 делегати од придружните синдикати,
вклучувајќи делегати од CFMEU, за да испратат јасна порака дека во
едно демократско општество нема место за принудни сили.

MULTILINGUAL
Portuguese
Junte-se à luta pela justiça
Os sócios do CFMEU têm o direito de sentir que o Governo Trabalhista
precisa fazer muito mais para cumprir as promessas eleitorais sobre leis
mais justas nos locais de trabalho.
Durante a campanha eleitoral federal de 2007, a então porta-voz da
Oposição sobre Locais de Trabalho, Julia Gillard, informou os sócios do
CFMEU que o Partido Trabalhista prometia livrar-se do bufos do governo
de Howard na indústria da construção – a Comissão Australiana da
Construção Civil (Australian Building and Construction Commission).
Essa promessa foi uma das motivações da campanha sindical para
assegurar que se tirava Howard do poder.
Agora que estão eles no poder, Gillard e o Governo de Rudd
discriminaram mais uma vez os trabalhadores da construção com uma
divisão especializada para a construção, que vai reter muitos dos poderes
coercivos da ABCC.
Ao mesmo tempo, o Governo Trabalhista de Rudd também lidera
o esforço para harmonizar leis sobre segurança. Os trabalhadores da
construção civil em NSW, que estão protegidos por um dos códigos
mais severos de Saúde e Segurança no Trabalho (OHS), são quem tem
mais a perder ao abrigo desta mudança.
No ano passado, 50 trabalhadores perderam a vida a trabalhar em
estaleiros de obra por toda a Austrália. Em muitos casos, as mortes
ocorrem porque os empregadores não proporcionam a segurança
apropriada. A indústria da construção precisa de sindicatos fortes e de
leis de segurança fortes. Mas não precisa de leis fortes que encorajem
os patrões a explorar os trabalhadores.
Este mês o movimento sindical realizará uma Conferência sobre
Direitos Laborais (Workers Rights Conference) em Darling Harbour,
no dia de abertura da Conferência Nacional do Partido Trabalhista
Australiano (ALP National Conference) no centro de Convenções de
Darling Harbour (Darling Harbour Convention Centre).
Estarão presentes mais de 1000 delegados de sindicatos afiliados,
incluindo o CFMEU, que nesse dia enviarão uma mensagem clara,
indicando que poderes coercivos não têm lugar numa sociedade
democrática.
Únase a la lucha por la justicia
Los miembros del CFMEU tienen derecho a sentir que el Gobierno
Laborista debe hacer mucho más para cumplir con la promesa electoral
de imponer leyes laborales más justas.
Durante la campaña electoral de las elecciones federales de ,
la entonces portavoz de la oposición sobre asuntos laborales, Julia
Gillard, dijo a los miembros del CFMEU que el partido laborista estaba
comprometido a deshacerse del organismo guardián de la industria
establecido por Howard – la Comisión de la Industria de la Construcción
(Australian Building and Construction Commission- ABCC).
Esa promesa fue uno de los motivos que llevó a la campaña sindical
para asegurar que se echara a Howard del gobierno.
Sin embargo, una vez en el poder, Gillard y el gobierno de Rudd una
vez más señalaron en particular a los trabajadores de la construcción
mediante una división especializada de la construcción que mantendrá
muchos de los poderes coercitivos de la ABCC.
Al mismo tiempo el Gobierno Laborista de Rudd sigue liderando la
ofensiva para armonizar las leyes de seguridad. Los trabajadores de la
construcción de NSW, que están protegidos por el código más estricto
de seguridad y salud en el trabajo (OHS) tienen mucho que perder con
esta medida.
El año pasado 50 trabajadores fallecieron cuando trabajaban en obras
en toda Australia. En muchos casos las muertes se debieron a que los
patrones no están proporcionado la seguridad adecuada. La industria
de la construcción necesita sindicatos fuertes y leyes de seguridad
estrictas. La falta de leyes estrictas alentará a los jefes a explotar a los
trabajadores de la construcción.
Este mes el movimiento sindical celebrará una Conferencia sobre los
Derechos de los Trabajadores (Workers Rights Conference) en Darling
Harbour en el día de la apertura de la Conferencia Nacional del ALP
en el centro de Convenciones de Darling Harbour.
Más de 1000 delegados de sindicatos afiliados, incluyendo el
CFMEU, estarán presentes para enviar un mensaje claro de que los
poderes coercitivos no caben en una sociedad democrática.
Serbian
Spanish Vietnamese
Придружите се борби за правду
Чланови CFMEU-a имају право ако сматрају да би лабуристичка
влада требала да уради много више на испуњавању предизборних
обећања о праведнијим законима о раду.
Током предизборне кампање за савезне изборе 2007. године
тадашњи портпарол опозиције, задужена за радну политику,
Џулиа Гилард, казала је члановима CFMEU-a да се Лабуристичка
партија обавезује да ће се отарасити Хауардовог ‘пса чувара’
у грађевинској индустрији – Аустралијске грађевинске и
конструкционе комисије (ABCC).
То обећање је било једно од потицаја у кампањи синдиката
да се осигура да се Хауард скине са власти.
Међутим, после преузимања власти, Гилард и Радова влада
су поново издвојили грађевинске раднике са специјалним
грађевинским сектором који ће задржати многе од присилних
моћи ABCC-a. Истодобно, Радова лабуристичка влада заговара
изједначење закона о заштити на раду. Грађевински радници
Новог Јужног Велса, који су заштићени најстрожим прописима
о заштити на раду, могли би тиме много изгубити.
Прошле године 50 радника је изгубило животе радећи на
градилиштима широм Аустралије. У многим случајевима дошло
је до погибија зато што послодавци не обезбеђују прописну
заштиту. Грађевинска индустрија треба јаке синдикате и строге
законе о заштити на раду. Не строге законе који ће охрабрити
послодавце да искориштавају грађевинске раднике.
Овај месец синдикални покрет одржава Конференцију о
радничким правима у Darling Harbour-у истог дана када се
отвара Национална конференција Аустралијске Лабуристичке
Партије у згради Сonvention Centre у Darling Harbour-у.
Биће тамо више од 1000 делегата из придружених
синдиката, укључујући и из CFMEU-a, да пошаље јасну поруку
да присилне мере немају места у демократском друштву.
am gia cuộc đấu tranh cho công lý
Hội viên CFMEU có quyền mong muốn chánh phủ Lao Động cần phải
cố gắng hơn nữa để thực hiện lời hứa trong lúc bầu cử là lập đạo luật
công bằng hơn tại nơi làm việc.
Trong chiến dịch tranh cử liên bang năm 2007, phát ngôn nhân đối
lập về Lao Động, Julia Gillard, tuyên bố với hội viên CFMEU là Đảng Lao
Động quyết tâm hủy bỏ cơ quan giám sát kỹ nghệ xây dựng do chánh
phủ Howard lập ra – Ủy Ban Kiến Tạo và Xây Dựng Úc (ABCC).
Lời hứa này là một động lực kích thích Nghiệp đoàn tham gia chiến
dịch tranh cử để bảo đảm sự thất cử của chánh phủ Howard.
Khi lên cầm quyền, Gillard và chánh phủ the Rudd lại đối xử với
phân biệt công nhân ngành xây dựng và ủy ban xây dựng đặc biệt này
vẫn còn giữ những quyền hạn ép buộc công nhân phải bị thẩm vấn
trước ủy ban ABCC.
Cùng một lúc, chánh phủ Lao động Rudd cũng tiến hành việc thiết
lập luật lệ hòa hợp về an toàn lao động. Công nhân ngành Xây Dựng ở
NSW hiện được bảo vệ bởi luật lệ về an toàn nghề nghiệp (OHS) chặt chẽ
nhất, cũng sẽ là những người bị thiệt thòi nhiều nhất với luật lệ mới.
Năm ngoái có 50 công nhân đã bị thiệt mạng tại các công trường
xây dựng trên toàn nước Úc. Nhiều trường hợp tử vong xảy ra vì chủ
nhân không cung cấp những biện pháp an toàn thích ứng. Kỹ nghệ
xây dựng cần những nghiệp đoàn xây dựng mạnh và những luật lệ an
toàn chặt chẽ, không phải là những thứ luật lệ mạnh để chủ nhân bốc
lột công nhân xây dựng.
Trong tháng này Nghiệp Đoàn sẽ tổ chức một buổi hội thảo về
Quyền Lợi Của Công Nhân tại Darling Harbour vào ngày khai mạc
của Hội Nghị Toàn Quốc Đảng Lao Động tại Trung tâm Hội Nghị
Darling Harbour Convention Centre.
Cớ hơn 1000 đại biểu thuộc các nghiệp đoàn liên hệ, gồm cả
nghiệp đoàn CFMEU, sẽ có mặt ở đó để gởi thông điệp rõ ràng là các
quyền hạn ép buộc công nhân không có chỗ đứng trong một xã hội
dân chủ.
UNITY 31

UNITY 32
Committed to Safety
The health and safety of our people is of the
highest priority and will not be compromised.
At Thiess, our objective is a workplace free of
incidents and injuries.
To achieve this we ensure our own safety and
that of our fellow workers through an absolute
commitment to safe work practices and a
healthy work environment. We also seek the
personal commitment of all employees,
subcontractors, suppliers and consultants to
healthy and safe workplace practices.
Thiess Pty Ltd (ABN 87 010 221 486)
Level 5, 26 College Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000
www.thiess.com.au
UNITY46
9 Enterprise Drive
Glendenning NSW 2761
Phone: 02 9832 3455
Fax: 02 9832 7455
Email:
info@superiorformwork.com.au
• Civil • Industrial • Commercial
• Residential
UNITY46
UNITY46 UNITY46

Hunter Valley Training Company
Hunter Valley Training Company employs and trains more
Apprentices than any other organisation in NSW.
Our skilled Apprentices and Trainees are employed through us
and placed with Host Employers. They’re work-ready and
productive from day one. No matter what your business size, we
take care of all the administrative work.
For short or long-term contracts and industry-specic training
contact Hunter Valley Training Company.
telephone (02) 4932 4222
email admin@hvtc.com.au
website www.hvtc.com.au
Sponsored in Support of Safety in the Workplace
F & F Formwork
Pty Ltd
INDUSTRIAL COMMERCIAL
RESIDENTIAL
27 Renwick Street, Leichhardt, NSW 2040
Ph: (02) 9550 0333
Fax: (02) 9569 8284 Mobile: 0419 242 800
UNITY46
Civic
Concrete
Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 2116
Taren Point, NSW 2229
Ph: (02) 9576 2266
Fax: (02) 9576 2266
UNITY46
BBS Interiors Pty Ltd
Unit 27, 43-51 College Street
Gladesville, NSW 2111
Ph: (02) 9879 3600
Fax: 9879 3400
Email: bbsint@ozemail.com.au
Perle Pty Limited
Level 4, 9 - 13 Young Street
Sydney NSW 2000
Ph: (02) 9252 4411
Fax: (02) 9252 4422
Email: info@perle.com.au
Website: www.perle.com.au
UNITY46
METRO SITE
SECURITY
COMPANY PTY
LIMITED
P.O. Box 3103
Rhodes, NSW 2138
Ph/Fax: (02) 9739 9769
Mobile: 0418 608 363
UNITY46
AW EDWARDS
Incorporating
Rintoul
A.W. EDWARDS
PTY LIMITED
Builders & Contractors
131 Sailors Bay Road, PO Box 99
Northbridge, NSW 1560
Phone (02) 9958 1474
Fax (02) 9958 6208
Email: nsw@awedwards.com.au
Web: www.awedwards.com.au UNITY46
XIN YUN PTY LTD
“STEELFIXERS”
PHONE & FAX
(02) 9587 8008 UNITY46
Supporting CFMEU Safety
Brighton Australia
Pty Ltd
65 The Grand Parade, Brighton Le Sands, NSW 2216
Phone: (02) 9599 1611
Fax: (02) 9599 1766 UNITY46
Hunter Valley
Training
Company
Pty Ltd
Boss NSW
Pty Ltd
Unit 1, 14 Garema Circuit
Kingsgrove, NSW 2208
UNITY46
P&J Connolly Pty Ltd
Window Fixing
Lic No.191580C
Specialising in
Façade Installations
www.pjconnolly.com.au
0437 977 087
UNITY46
Ph: 02 9758 4447
Fax: 02 9758 5559
Mobile: 0422 131 004
Email: fred@bossnsw.com.au UNITY46
GIVE
BLOOD
UNITY46 UNITY46 UNITY46 UNITY46
UNITY 33

UNITY 34
Inner West
Demolition Pty Ltd
Suite 23, 532-536 Canterbury Road
Campsie, NSW 2194
Ph: (02) 9787 5111
Fax: (02) 9787 5011
Mobile: 0418 822 262 UNITY46
Statewide
Concrete Industries
• CONCRETE PUMP HIRE • PLACE & FINISH
COMMERCIAL - INDUSTRIAL - DOMESTIC
2 x 31 Metre Boom Pumps Line Pumps for Hire
ALL AREAS
9623 2638
AFTER HOURS OR EMERGENCY 0418 247 984
PO Box 807 St Marys 1790 UNITY46
NEW SOUTH WALES
TILING SERVICES PTY LTD
Professionals in Planning and Co-ordinating your
specialist 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 7442
UNITY46
FERN FORM
CONSTRUCTIONS
PTY LTD
Specialising in:
★ Formwork ★ Concrete
★ Steel Fixing
Ph: 0414 843 295
Fax: (02) 9558 3658
Email: fernformcon@gmail.com UNITY46
Sun Scaffolds Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 450
Gosford, NSW 2250
Mobile: 0415 290 083
Fax: 02 4351 0466
UNITY46
construction
interiors
refurbishment
technologies
mechanical
Sydney
Melbourne
Brisbane
www.fdcbuilding.com.au
UNITY46
Patch Master
Pty Ltd
265 Newbridge Road
Chipping Norton , NSW 2170
Mobile: 0400 333 221
Fax: (02) 9601 6650 UNITY46
GLEDHILL
CONSTRUCTIONS PTY LTD
Commercial – Industrial
Institutional – Heritage
13 Leeds Street, Rhodes
Ph: 9743 0344
Fax: 9743 0455
Email: builders@gledhill.com.au UNITY46
Wallis Constructions
(Project Management)
Pty Ltd
ABN 67 091 658 052
Civil Contractors & Project Management
28 Woodfield Boulevarde
PO Box 2246, Taren Point, NSW 2229
Ph: (02) 9531 2866
Fax: (02) 9531 2966
Email: headoffice@wallisconstructions.com.au
United Painters of
Australia Pty Ltd
39 Zappia Place
Edensor Park, NSW 2176
Ph: (02) 9753 4981 Fax: (02) 9610 0038
Mobile: 0410 479 569
unitedpaintersofaustralia@hotmail.com UNITY46
PLASTRIX PTY LTD
P.O. BOX 200, KINGSGROVE, NSW 2167
MOBILE: 0431 132 817
FAX: 02 9588 2617
UNITY46
W&RHayes
Pty Ltd
200 Bargo River Road, Couridjah, NSW 2571
Email: wirlhayes@hotmail.com
Phone: (02) 4683 1534
Mobile: 0418 241 791
Fax: (02) 4683 1538 UNITY46
Bigway
Interiors
Commercial Fitout and
Joinery Contractors
Ph: (02) 9757 1177
Fax: (02) 9757 2838
12 Elizabeth Street, Wetherill Park, NSW 2164
Supporting the CFMEU
PEBBLECRETE IN-SITU PTY LTD
MANUFACTURE TERAZZO TILES
SUPPLY AND FIX
238 Wood Park Road, Smithfiled, NSW 2164
Phone: (02) 9604 3100
Fax: (02) 9725 2607
UNITY46
Meridian Construction
Services Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 80, Banksia, NSW 2216
Ph: (02) 9599 0399
Fax: (02) 9599 0388
Mob: 0418 233 007 UNITY46
EVS GROUP
AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
‘Labour for hire,
security services, traffic control’
P.O. Box 479
Hornsby, NSW 2077
Proud to be associated with the CFMEU
A R T Constructions
Constructions
Pty Ltd
“Major Civil and Commercial
Projects Undertaken”
Ph: (02) 4975 5676
GLENMORE
BUILDING
Traffic Control & Management
RTA, Council and Police Approvals & Permits
RTA Accredited Traffic Controllers & Supervisors
Site Inspections, Auditing, Reporting & Consulting
Traffic Control & Management Plans as to AS1742.3
24 Hours 7 Days, Emergency & Incident Response Units
Sydney Office:
Units 3, 11 Weld Street, Prestons, NSW, 2170
MOB: 0439 253 763 PH: (02) 8783 5048 FAX: (02) 8783 5041
EMAIL: shaun@completetraffic.com.au UNITY46
Ph: 1300 786 677
EMAIL: PLASTRIX@TPG.COM.AU Fax: (02) 9477 6859
UNITY46 UNITY46
UNITY46
SUPPORTING
THE BUILDING
TRADES DRUG
AND ALCOHOL
SAFETY AND
REHABILITATION
PROGRAM
UNITY46
DJD
Brick &
Blocklaying
P/L
Brick & Block Laying
Contractors
28 Meta Street
Caringbah, NSW 2229
Ph: (02) 9540 3855
Fax: (02) 9540 4190
UNITY46
UNITY46
UNITY46
Supporting the CFMEU
Waterway
Construction Group
Maritime Construction Specialists
P.O. Box 290, Annandale, NSW 2038
Ph: (02) 9555 2211
Fax: (02) 9555 1144 UNITY46
GIVE
BLOOD
Range of Services
UNITY46
• Builder’s Cleaning
• Brick & Pressure Washing
• Mechanical Sweepers & Scrubbers
• Concrete Sealing
• Linemarking
• Traffic Control Plans & Approvals
• Traffic Control
• Asphalting
• Kerb & Gutters Works
Phone: (02) 9605 2333
Email: peter@clearwaterservices.com.au
Web: www.clearwaterservices.com.au
UNITY46

Atlas Cranes Pty Ltd
47 Kembla Street, Croydon Park, NSW 2133
Mobile: 0416 227 517 Phone: (02) 9715 7531 (After Hours)
Australian Prestressing Services Pty Ltd
36 Lonsdale Street, Lillyfield, NSW 2040
Phone: (02) 9569 5522 Fax: (02) 9569 9471
Bar Tech Steel Reinforcement Pty Ltd
75 Guedecourt Avenue, Earlwood, NSW 2206
Mobile: 0419 207 010
Beaumont Construction Services Pty Ltd
CONCRETORS
P.O. Box 7698, Baulkham Hills, NSW 1755
Mobile: 0407 464 314
BKH Contractors Group Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 3491, Dural, NSW 2158
Phone: (02) 9679 0655 Fax: (02) 9679 0766
Email: info@bkhgroup.com.au
Brickmen Constructions Australia Pty Ltd
18 Freda Place, Hammondville, NSW 2170
Phone: (02) 9600 8353 Fax: (02) 9600 8246
Email: admin@brickmen.com.au
CBS (Pty) Pty Ltd
3 Randell Avenue, Lilli Pilli, NSW 2229
Phone: (02) 9501 4288 Fax: (02) 9501 4388
Citywide Glass & Aluminium
Mobile: 0412 229 235
Crosslift Pty Limited
Precast Concrete Installers
146E Samuel Marsden Road, Orchard Hills, NSW 2748
Mobile: 0400 110 553 Fax: (02) 9623 3350
Cubic Interiors Pty Ltd
Level 1/93 Norton Street, Leichhardt, NSW 2040
Phone: (02) 8585 1344 Fax: (02) 8585 1345
Foxville Projects Group Pty Ltd
8/369 Victoria Street, Wetherill Park, NSW 2164
Phone: (02) 9604 6882 Fax: (02) 9609 2886 Mob: 0419 287 394
Gerry’s Glass Service Pty Ltd
20 Moore Street, Leichhardt, NSW 2040
Phone: (02) 9660 7722 Fax: (02) 9660 7733`
ICM (NSW) Property Services Pty Ltd
2/18 Macleay Street, Potts Point, NSW 2011
Phone: (02) 9326 9942
Inten Constructions Pty Ltd
Unit 3/5-11 Mellor Street, West Ryde, NSW 2066
Phone: 1800 046 836 Fax: 1800 146 836
Email: cstewart@inten.com.au
Website: www.inten.com.au
JM Concreting (Aust) Pty Ltd
68 Beresford Avenue, Greenacre, NSW 2190
Phone: (02) 9709 8778 Fax: (02) 9709 8772
Email: jmcaust@bigpond.net.au
Lyon Formwork Pty Ltd
24 Holbeche Road, Arndell Park, NSW 2148
Phone: (02) 9672 3555 Fax: (02) 9672 3544
Morrow Equipment Company L.L.C.
TOWER CRANES
P.O. Box 533, Caringbah, NSW 2229
Phone: (02) 9525 7741 Fax: (02) 9525 0278
Website www.morrow.com
National Projects Pty Ltd
Mobile: 0410 430 351
NuLine Building Group Pty Ltd
4/504 Victoria Street, Wetherill Park, NSW 2164
Phone: (02) 9609 2230 Fax: (02) 9609 2239
Email: michael@nuline.net.au
Penrith Rigging Service Pty Ltd
138 Wilson Road, Hinchinbrook, NSW 2168
Mobile: 0418 278 197 Fax: (02) 9608 0191
Raftarail
Unit 2, 16 Durgadin Drive, Albion Park, NSW 2527
Phone: (02) 4256 9940 Fax: (02) 4256 5640
Robert Mann Pty Ltd
Unit 4/461-463 The Boulevarde, Kirrawee, NSW 2252
Phone: (02) 9542 2284
Skyrise Installations Pty Ltd
Phone: (02) 4647 5073
Southside Reinforcing Pty Ltd
6 Pelican Place, Woronora Heights, NSW 2233
Mob: 0418 461 584
Timbermass Constructions Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 318, Pendle Hill, NSW 2145
Phone: (02) 9688 3414 Fax: (02) 9688 8484
Email: timbermass@bigpond.com
Total Construction Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 212, Strathfield, NSW 2137
Phone: (02) 9417 4744 Fax: (02) 9746 9588 Mob: 0414 888 894
Website: www.totalconstruction.com.au
Traino Group Pty Ltd
COMMERCIAL CONCRETING
13/25 Alfred Road, Chipping Norton, NSW 2170
Phone: (02) 9723 1700 Fax: (02) 9723 1711
Tresamber Pty Ltd
Proud to support the CFMEU
Mob: 0402 072 720
Trojan Access Services Pty Ltd
95 Walters Road, Blacktown, NSW 2148
Phone/Fax: (02) 9622 6059 Mobile: 0402 628 737
Topdeck Scaffolding Pty Ltd
P.O. Box 586, Mona Vale, NSW 1660
Office: (02) 9979 5914 Fax: (02) 9979 5714
Email: office@topdeckscaffolding.com.au
Website: www.topdeckscaffolding.com.au
Vanguard Security Agency Pty Ltd
Level 31, ABN Amro Tower, 88 Philip Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 9011 7171 Fax: (02) 8572 9976
Email: info@vsecurity.com.au
UNITY 35

UNITY 36
OBITUARY
PETER LOSES FIGHT
PETER SMITH
UNION ACTIVIST
The union movement has lost one
of its stalwarts with the death of former
Westform worker Peter Smith, age 53.
Peter, brother of CFMEU Organiser
Phil Smith, died on May 10, his wife
Ann’s birthday, after losing a six-year
battle with leukaemia.
The formwork carpenter came late to
the industry, migrating with his family in
1988 from Widness in the north-west of
England.He initially worked as a brickie’s
labourer while studying at night to
qualify as a carpenter at the tender age
of 40.
His late entry into the industry did not
stop Peter from becoming active and he
soon took on delegate’s roles and sat on a
number of safety committees.
According to Phil, in doing so Peter
Lucas Operations
Pty Limited
www.lucas.com.au
Construction • Civil
• Property Services
PH: 9490 4000
was following a family tradition with
their father an active union member
in the UK. One of the highlights of
Peter’s career in the industry was the
12 years he spent working alongside
son Simon, who also became a formworker.
He was forced to retire in
November last year. The regard with
which he was held by his Westform
mates was on show in February when
a fundraiser was held to raise money to
help with his expenses.
“I know Peter would want to thank
everyone who was involved in that,”
says Phil.
He is survived by wife Ann, children n
Simon and Claire and grandsons Travis is
and Reece.
UNITY46

COMMUNITY
PLAN TO
SKILL UP
INMATES
The CFMEU has thrown its support behind
a program to help inmates find employment
once they “do their time”.
Corrective Services Industry Offender
Employment Support director Jeremy Hildreth
says under the proposed scheme offenders
would be trained as building workers by Comet
and BWAC. Hildreth says remote area community
housing projects being pushed under the
Rudd Government’s stimulus package are ideal
targets for the scheme.
With almost a quarter of inmates in NSW
Indigenous Australians the scheme will also
help reconnect many of these offenders with
their communities, he says.
Under the scheme inmates would manufacture
housing components in the jails; help build
the houses in the communities; and maintain
them once they were completed.
“We wanted to make a connection between
the work they do in jail and their communities,”
he says. “There is a strong sense this scheme
will provide respect and dignity to participants.”
Critical to the scheme’s development has
been CFMEU Organiser Brad Parker, who is
the CFMEU representative on the Correctional
Industries Consultative Council.
According to Hildreth, Parker has been
instrumental in winning over union officials,
employers and employer bodies to throw their
support behind the project.
Parker says the scheme is not about taking
jobs away from business and workers.
“These schemes are based in remote
Aboriginal communities where the tender process
just doesn’t work. The idea is making a virtue
out of a situation and setting up Indigenous
inmates for later employment.”
Hildreth says unemployment is a key factor
in re-offending for many inmates.
Under this scheme inmates would get realworld
experience and on release from jail could
have jobs to go by being hired to help maintain
the houses in the communities.
Also those trained would be a pool of skilled
labour to be drawn on once released from jail.
“The construction industry has been
through a severe skills shortage which is likely
to re-emerge as a problem as all the infrastructure
projects kick in, so it benefits the industry
too,” say Hildreth.
The proposal has been put to the relevant
ministers, who have shown an interest in the
idea.
BUSHFIRE APPEAL BRINGS OUT THE BEST
Workers on the Westfield job in Pitt Street are the kind of blokes you can turn to with a problem.
The site raised a massive $18,560 toward the appeal helping those who lost their homes and families
in the devastating Victorian bushfires earlier this year. The lead was taken by CFMEU delegate
John Burns, who rallied workers and contractors on the site to donate, with Westfield matching the
donations. Nationally the CFMEU has raised more than $1 million for the appeal.
PRACTICAL HELP PUTS MATT IN SAFE SEAT
Matt Kennedy and his eight-month-old daughter Sarai are popular figures around Rhodes. As Matt
points out: “I’m the only stay-at-home dad in a wheelchair.” However the wheelchair is also Matt’s
main problem, with workers on the Mirvac site next door to his apartment building noticing him
having problems wheeling around, including having a series of accidents. Rather than offer their
condolences, workers on the site, Mirvac and the CFMEU joined forces to buy Matt a new wheelchair,
with Amarco site construction workers also helping out. Matt was overwhelmed by the
generosity: “They’re very compassionate guys and have good hearts.”
UNITY 37

UNITY 38
WORLD
FOREIGN
WORKERS
PAY PRICE
OF CRISIS
Just at things were starting to look up
for the army of migrant workers working in the
Middle East, the global recession looks set to
make their lives even harder.
Working conditions for Indian, Pakistani
and other migrant labourers who endured the
searing heat of the United Arab Emirates were
on the rise.
The Arab nation, run by an extended powerful
royal family, had started to be stung by
Western outrage over the appalling conditions
its migrant workers endured, with shockingly
high levels of injuries and deaths.
Many of the multinationals who make millions
building in the Gulf were setting out to
improve workplace safety and improve the
living conditions of the migrant workers from
developing nations, who were often crowded
together in the heat.
However, the downturn has put pressure on
builders to reduce costs, leaving migrant workers
to pay the price.
Join us for a stimulating evening focusing on
climate change and nuclear winter.
There will be time for the panel to answer questions
from the audience and complementary
refreshments will be served.
Public meeting held on Thursday, August
6 from 6:30pm-8pm at the Federation
Auditorium, Reservoir Street, Surry Hills.
SAFETY SUCCESS
The crane crew on Laing O’Rourke’s Al Zeina project celebrate reaching five million man hours without lost time
injury. The whole project reached 10 million. Former CFMEU Organiser Brett Gay is in the front row, left
Australian Brett Gay, who was a crane driver
for Multiplex and a CFMEU delegate but now
works for Laing O’Rourke in Abu Dhabi, said
the downturn had put many projects at risk.
“The credit crunch is likely to make life a lot
harder for many workers here,” he told Unity
on a recent visit.
“Working conditions here are very mixed.
You see world-class safety on one job, and next
door you can see an absolute death trap.”
HIROSHIMA COMMEMORATION 2009
Speakers
Steve Star – A world authority on nuclear
weapons and nuclear winter. He is a senior
scientist with Physicians for Social
Responsibility, the US Branch of International
Physicians for Social Responsibility (IPPNW).
His website is http://www.nucleardarkness.org
Sue Wareham – NSW President of the Medical
Association for the Prevention of War (MAPW),
Gay moved with his wife and three kids to
Abu Dhabi about three years ago and said it
was a great experience.
“The scale of jobs here is massive. There’s
a real can-do attitude which is very refreshing
after Australia, and many opportunities.”
So what does Gay miss most about
Australia: “The clear, blue skies – and the
Penrith Panthers. Camel racing is just not the
same.”
an affiliate of IPPNW/ Sue has a long history of
campaigning against nuclear weapons.
John Hallam – Currently representing people
for Nuclear Disarmament (PND). John will
be speaking on his recent work in the United
Nations.
For further information contact Radhika
Raju, Industrial Officer and member of the
Hiroshima Day Committee on 9749 0400.

DRUGS & ALCOHOL
CLUBBING TOGETHER
FOR FOUNDATION HOUSE
The Construction and Industry Drug and
Alcohol Foundation recently held a very successful
charity golf day to raise funds for the
Foundation and the operations of Foundation
House.
The event was held on an RDO to give everyone
a chance to attend, and about 120 workers,
union delegates and employers played 18 holes at
the Camden Valley Way Golf Course.
This was followed by lunch, raffles and a
comedian.
Players paid $100 for the day which included
18 holes of golf, a hot breakfast, golf cart, sandwiches
and drinks during round, a hot lunch and
the comedy show.
Companies sponsored individual holes, raffle
tickets were sold and altogether a whopping
$29,800 was raised.
This was a huge effort in these tough economic
times and the Foundation’s Co-ordinator
Trevor Sharp, and CFMEU Assistant Secretary
Brian Parker thanked each and every sponsor for
their support.
Special thanks were also given to Mark Foster
from the Thiess Royal North Shore Hospital
project, who came up with the idea of holding
the golf day, and the Drug and Alcohol Program’s
Tom Simpson who worked tirelessly to help make
the day the success it was.
The money raised will go towards the annual
expenses of providing the treatment services of
Foundation House, which have recently been
expanded to include gambling treatment as well
as its existing drug and alcohol services.
The day was so successful it will now become
an annual event.
So if you missed out this year, keep an eye out
in future editions of Unity or ring the drug and
alcohol program after Christmas on 9555 7852 to
register your interest.
Under Construction
“Just Not at Work, Mate”
Keep your eyes out soon for the updated version
of the highly successful Not at Work, Mate training
film which is now titled “Just Not at Work,
Mate”. Originally made in 1994, it has now been
updated to include more information on areas
such as drug use and gambling addiction.
Though more modern in its content and
presentation, the film’s basic message is still
the same: What you do in your own time is your
business, “Just Not at Work Mate”.
It also includes information on the running
of, and the services available at, the new
Foundation House, which now caters for alcohol,
drug and gambling problems.
Funding for the remake was provided by
the Building Trades Group of Unions Drug
and Alcohol Committee, the Commonwealth
Department of Health and Ageing and
the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation
Foundation.
The Program will soon be showing the
updated training film on sites.
If you would like to arrange a showing at
your job, or want any more information on the
program or the services of Foundation House,
phone 9555 7852.
UNITY 39

UNITY 4
ENTERPRISE AGREEMENTS
Officers in the CFMEU’s EBA Department
have been working flat out to finalise agreements
and secure building workers improved
wages and conditions.
This is more important given the tough
economic times.
On July 1 the new Fair Work laws came
into operation. Their introduction means
former Prime Minister John Howard’s attacks
on workers’ rights and conditions have finally
been buried.
The CFMEU has renewed its national
enterprise agreement with Bovis Lend Lease.
The NSW Assistant Secretary, Brian Parker,
said that the landmark agreement covered
workers around the country and was unique in
Australia.
“This has been a very successful and popular
EBA. It allows workers to move around the
country and know in advance they will get good
pay and conditions.”
The most recent agreement lasts for three
years and provides for a 15 per cent pay boost,
as well as good superannuation, ACIRT, top-up
insurance and even employee shares.
“This agreement sets the standards nationally.
The outcome is that these workers are the
best paid in Australia,” says Parker.
Parker says negotiations for the agree-
EBA officer Warren Kelly says the demise
of Howard’s regime is a victory for all those
who participated in the protests against the
unfair laws.
He says the changes are for the better
and the CFMEU will use the new legislation to
get the best possible outcomes for building
workers.
“It is a step forward, but it is a whole new
system that will take employers and unions a
while to get familiar with,” he says.
ment involved more than 20 people from the
company and CFMEU branches right around
Australia.
Negotiations started late last year. Company
delegates from NSW Peter Genovese and
Gordon Cameron were on the negotiating
committee.
“All the blokes were happy with the outcome.
In this economic climate, we achieved a
good result for ourselves and for other workers
in the industry,” Genovese says.
He says the 7th national agreement was
endorsed unanimously by workers on sites in
Sydney. Importantly, he said the agreement
provided for a national consultative committee
of delegates. “This means we can get together
with other workers from other states and identify
the key issues on pay and conditions.
WAR CRY
CFMEU members were at the forefront
of community protests against
John Howard’s unjust workplace laws
FAIR WORK MEANS FAIR BIT OF WORK FOR UNION
Under the Fair Work Act some previously
banned content will again be allowed into
agreements, such as better delegates’ rights.
For CFMEU members much depends
on what happens with the Building and
Construction Industry Code and Guidelines.
The Code still prohibits some things from
being in agreements.
The Government has announced it will be
making changes, but as yet has not released
the details.
NATIONAL DEAL WITH BOVIS
“Unity is strength. This delivers in every
state across the country.”
Parker says the agreement showed how
employers and unions could sit down together
and agree on changes for the benefit of both
the company and the workers.
EBA CHANGE
As of July 1, enterprise bargaining
agreements or EBAs will
undergo a name change. Under
the Fair Work Act, negotiated
deals will be known as Enterprise
Agreements or EAs.

DRUGS & ALCOHOL
CLUBBING TOGETHER
FOR FOUNDATION HOUSE
The Construction and Industry Drug and
Alcohol Foundation recently held a very successful
charity golf day to raise funds for the
Foundation and the operations of Foundation
House.
The event was held on an RDO to give everyone
a chance to attend, and about 120 workers,
union delegates and employers played 18 holes at
the Camden Valley Way Golf Course.
This was followed by lunch, raffles and a
comedian.
Players paid $100 for the day which included
18 holes of golf, a hot breakfast, golf cart, sandwiches
and drinks during round, a hot lunch and
the comedy show.
Companies sponsored individual holes, raffle
tickets were sold and altogether a whopping
$29,800 was raised.
This was a huge effort in these tough economic
times and the Foundation’s Co-ordinator
Trevor Sharp, and CFMEU Assistant Secretary
Brian Parker thanked each and every sponsor for
their support.
Special thanks were also given to Mark Foster
from the Thiess Royal North Shore Hospital
project, who came up with the idea of holding
the golf day, and the Drug and Alcohol Program’s
Tom Simpson who worked tirelessly to help make
the day the success it was.
The money raised will go towards the annual
expenses of providing the treatment services of
Foundation House, which have recently been
expanded to include gambling treatment as well
as its existing drug and alcohol services.
The day was so successful it will now become
an annual event.
So if you missed out this year, keep an eye out
in future editions of Unity or ring the drug and
alcohol program after Christmas on 9555 7852 to
register your interest.
Under Construction
“Just Not at Work, Mate”
Keep your eyes out soon for the updated version
of the highly successful Not at Work, Mate training
film which is now titled “Just Not at Work,
Mate”. Originally made in 1994, it has now been
updated to include more information on areas
such as drug use and gambling addiction.
Though more modern in its content and
presentation, the film’s basic message is still
the same: What you do in your own time is your
business, “Just Not at Work Mate”.
It also includes information on the running
of, and the services available at, the new
Foundation House, which now caters for alcohol,
drug and gambling problems.
Funding for the remake was provided by
the Building Trades Group of Unions Drug
and Alcohol Committee, the Commonwealth
Department of Health and Ageing and
the Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation
Foundation.
The Program will soon be showing the
updated training film on sites.
If you would like to arrange a showing at
your job, or want any more information on the
program or the services of Foundation House,
phone 9555 7852.
UNITY 39

ENTERPRISE AGREEMENTS
A FIGHT FOR RIGHTS
Peter Carr has had some dark days because
of the financial stress his fight with Thiess
Services is having on his family.
Andrew Jones is struggling to keep his Como
home, with a newborn, a four-year-old and a
stay-at-home wife all dependant on him.
CFMEU co-delegate Peter Rikonen has had
the wonder of the birth of his second child (due
at the start of July) dampened by sudden unemployment.
And delegate Nigel Gould is going nowhere
until he has his colleagues back on the job.
The four CFMEU members are manning
a community protest outside the site where
Thiess Services is decontaminating soil on the
former Union Carbide site at Rhodes.
The four union members were made redundant
on June 9 at the end of their shifts after
management told them there was not enough
work on the site.
It probably is no coincidence the workers,
with the CFMEU’s support, were midway
through attempting to negotiate a new
enterprise bargaining agreement with Thiess
Services.
Thiess was pursuing a non-union agreement
which would have required workers to
Workers at Abergeldie weren’t afraid to
say no when the boss came up with an offer
and their solidarity has paid off.
The workers were among the last to vote
on their enterprise agreement ahead of the
June 30 deadline when the Fair Work Act took
effect.
The last-minute vote came after the civil
take annual leave in the event of equipment failure
and removed rostered days off.
The pay-off for the workers if they signed the
deal was a lousy one per cent pay rise.
Acting State Secretary Mal Tulloch says it is
evident the company was trying to rush through
its sub-standard agreement before new workplace
laws came into effect on July 1.
“Thiess is determined to be the last company
to use WorkChoices,” Tulloch says.
The CFMEU has since discovered the sacked
workers have been replaced by backpackers.
Carr is angered by the action as he bought
two new cars worth more than $70,000 just two
days before the axe fell.
“The manager knew I was buying the cars
because I was talking to him about it,” says Carr.
“And he knew I was to be made redundant.”
Jones is annoyed that the company only
sacked him after he had completed a full shift.
He also has concerns about the lack of information
the company has shared with him over
medical tests he was meant to receive that track
the level of the poison dioxin in his system while
working at the site.
“I’ve had one blood test in 18 months and
haven’t received any results,” he says.
sector building workers rejected a company
offer as too low. The main issue for many of
the workers was the poor living-away-fromhome
allowance, a big factor as much of the
company’s work is in country areas.
After long negotiations by Acting State
Secretary Mal Tulloch, the workers have now
received a living away allowance that is “a
The men are determined to stick it out
until they are offered their jobs back and in the
meantime are pursuing unfair dismissal action
through the union’s lawyers.
Their protest has struck a chord with workers
across Sydney throwing cash into a bucket
to keep them going and veteran picket protester
Barry Hemsworth joining them as a morale
boost.
Gosford City Council has raised the matter
with local management of Thiess Services,
which is the waste contractor for the Central
Coast council.
Community members and church groups in
the area have also joined the protest. They have
also gained extensive media coverage.
What you can do
Call Thiess general manager Doug Moss and
politely ask for the men to be reinstated.
Phone: 9881 9700
Email: feedback@theiss.com.au
Call local federal government MP John Murphy
and ask the government to intervene to stop
substandard agreements.
Phone: 9745 4433
Email: John.Murphy.MP@aph.gov.au
WORKERS FIND SOMETIMES IT PAYS TO SAY NO
STANDING STRONG
Nigel Gould, Barry Hemsworth,
Andrew Jones, CFMEU Organiser
Mark Cunningham and Peter Carr
lot better than the award”, says CFMEU EA
officer Warren Kelly.
The final vote took place about 4pm on
June 30 with workers meeting at Regents Park
in Sydney, Newcastle and the ACT.
The agreement is a joint deal with the
Australian Manufacturing Workers Union,
which also has members in the company.
UNITY 5

UNITY 6
YOUR UNION
SWEET
WORDS
RAISE
FUNDS
“Golly gosh, that’s not on boys.”
This isn’t the kind of language normally
associated with Assistant State Secretary Brian
Parker.
However, in a bid to raise funds for the
Schizophrenia Research Institute the big guy
with the colourful way with words swore off
swearing for a week.
Parker freely admits it was quite hard to
substitute “golly” and “gosh” for the stronger
stream of language that is sometimes used on
sites.
“The language of construction sites can be
pretty rough, but the guys seemed to take my
new approach in their stride,” says Parker.
But it appears Parker liked the cold-turkey
approach enough to consider repeating the fundraiser
next year.
The hardest part of the seven-day effort, says
Parker, was avoiding the attempts to make him
stray off the path of righteous language.
“I was getting a lot of calls trying to trip me
up – but I kept my cool.”
NIGEL’S 15 MINUTES OF FAME
The man at the centre of the Thiess dispute
at Rhodes was once known as the most honest
man in Brisbane. In 2004 Nigel Gould was
working for Thiess as a plant operator at the
Ferny Grove rubbish transfer station and one
Sunday helped an elderly couple move an airconditioning
unit at the dump site.
After they walked away he noticed a leather
bag full of $100 notes – with estimates that at
least $20,000 was inside. When he looked up,
Nigel could see the couple in the distance frantically
searching for the bag.
Nigel didn’t hesitate – he returned the
money straight away. When an onlooker tipped
off local media to the good Samaritan he
became something of a celebrity.
In comments to the local newspaper The
Courier Mail, Nigel said he never considered
invoking the “finders keepers” convention.
“What you own is yours,” he said. “Money’s
not a big thing to me. As long as the family’s
FAST FACTS ON ILLNESS
• Schizophrenia is the third leading cause of
disability in young people;
• 30 per cent attempt suicide, five per cent die;
• Schizophrenia can arise in any family;
• One in every 100 young people will develop
schizophrenia; and
• There is no cure and current treatments are
not enough.
okay and the Big Fella upstairs is looking after
us I’m fine”.
His down-to-earth philosophy sparked a
massive response with letters, gifts and phone
calls from strangers and even a presentation
from Brisbane City Council. Thiess also jumped
on the publicity campaign throwing in their
own award and highlighting what a good bloke
Nigel was.
How times change!
Pulling power of Unity
Apprentice Wayne Munt is learning the chickpulling
power of media fame.
Having twice appeared in Unity, most
recently in the special Apprentices edition, he
was out having a few drinks the other night
when approached by a group of women.
“Aren’t you the bloke that was in that union
magazine,” they asked. He sure was and as to
what happened next – Wayne isn’t saying.
The Schizophrenia Research Institute
The Schizophrenia Research Institute is
the only national medical research institute
solely dedicated to discovering the ways to
prevent and cure schizophrenia.
For more information, visit
http://www.schizophreniaresearch.org.au
STAY ACTIVE
Just because you hang up your tools, doesn’t
mean you cannot be active in the union.
The Retired Members Group meets on
the fourth Tuesday of each month (excepting
November) and continue to be involved in
union activism.
Come along to the meetings from 10am to
midday in the Stan Sharkey/Tom McDonald
rooms on the ground floor of the CFMEU’s
head office at 12 Railway Street, Lidcombe.
Dates for the rest of the year are:
Tuesday, July 28
Tuesday, August 25
Tuesday, September 22
Tuesday, October 27
Thursday, November 26.
For more information contact the CFMEU
on 9749 0400.
HALO, HALO
An angelic addition
to assistant secretary
Brian Parker

YOUR UNION
COUNTER
POINT
Each Unity we will highlight the most asked
questions of our Lidcombe Counter
Organiser Brad Parker.
All answers are based on the National
Building & Construction Industry Award.
Q If my boss tells me he has to put me off
because of a lack of work, how much notice
does he have to give me?
A Under the Award a tradesperson
or labourer is considered a daily-hire
employee and receives one day’s notice or
one day’s pay in lieu of notice.
Under the Award for materials handling
classifications e.g. plant operator, loaders
etc. you are considered a weekly hire
employee and receive a minimum of one
week’s notice or more based on length of
service. Workers over 45 years generally
receive an extra week’s notice on top of the
minimum requirement. You might have different
entitlements if you are covered by an
enterprise agreement.
Q Do I get any annual leave while on
workers’ comp?
A Yes, if covered by construction industry
awards, annual leave accrues for the first
26 weeks and while you remain employed
and on worker’s compensation payments.
Q When do I get excess fares and travel
paid?
A You receive your normal daily fares
allowance to the metropolitan boundary.
The Sydney metropolitan boundaries are:
the Hawkesbury River, the Nepean River
or to the south, the Cataract Creek south
of Waterfall. If you are directed by your
employer to travel to a job beyond the
boundary you receive:
• Travel time from the boundary to the job
& return to the boundary - at your on-site
hourly rate, plus
• 47 cents/km travelled from the boundary
to the job and return to the boundary.
Q How many sick days a year am I allowed?
A You get 12 personal leave days. Two days
are allocated to use as bereavement leave,
10 days are allocated to use as sick leave, of
which five can be used as carer’s leave.
Sick leave accrues at one day in the first
month of employment, after that you are
credited with one sick day on the first of
every month (for the next nine months).
DOCTORS IN THE HOUSE
CFMEU Organiser Joe Ratana, centre, with young Cuban students who plan to become doctors
MARCHING INTO
CUBAN HISTORY
A no-show by a Cuban bus gave members of
the NSW CFMEU delegation to May Day celebrations
in Cuba an unforgettable experience.
Organiser Joe Ratana, delegate Denis
McNamara and senior wage claims officer
Keryn McWhinney travelled to Cuba to celebrate
the 50th anniversary of the overthrow of
the Batista dictatorship by Fidel Castro.
They joined unionists and activists from
around the globe as invited guests to the main
parade at the capital’s Plaza de la Revolucion,
led by President Raul Castro.
As part of the celebrations, VIPs were to be
ferried to the plaza by bus.
However according to Ratana when their
bus failed to show the trio joined more than
one million Cubans marching to the plaza.
“It’s a really happy atmosphere,” says
Ratana, “everyone was laughing and enjoying
themselves.”
As part of the delegation’s duties they also
visited the William Soler Hospital for Children
in Havana, where they presented a cheque for
$3300, which union aid agency APHEDA will
match.
Ratana says the hospital visit was an incredible
experience as the CFMEU officials got to
meet with young students who were training
to be doctors.
Although the hospital has modern technology
such as incubators, Ratana says you can see
the impact of the US blockade on the facility.
He says when the hospital first opened its
RAFFLE WIN
As part of the delegation’s efforts to raise
funds for the children’s hospital the union
held a fundraiser called Solidarity with
Cuba. The raffle was drawn on May Day with
Sam Daher taking out the first prize of a
box of Cuban cigars – 25 Montecristo No.2.
Second prize of a $250 shopping voucher
went to Nick Mardesic, with Will Karavelas
receiving the third prize of assorted wine,
whiskey and other spirits.
doors in 1964 they lost 640 children a year.
Now they have reduced the mortality rate to
just 28 a year.
“It’s a sign of their dedication that the head
doctor we spoke to said even that number was
too many,” says Ratana.
UNITY 7

UNITY 8
BIN THE ABCC
RIGGER
FACES
JAIL ON
RUDD’S
WATCH
South Australian rigger Ark Tribe
has made history. He is the first rank and
file CFMEU member to be charged for refusing
to attend an Australian Building and
Construction Commission interview.
On June 9 he entered the Elizabeth
Magistrates Court in Adelaide through a guard
of honour formed by fellow unionists and
workmates for an initial hearing on his matter
which was adjourned to August 11.
CFMEU Victorian senior vice-president
Noel Washington was the first person charged
with refusing to attend an ABCC interview, but
the case against him was dropped just ahead
of his trial.
The charges against Tribe come out of an
ongoing safety dispute on a Flinders University
site, where he was working as a rigger. When
a CFMEU organiser attempted to meet with
workers to discuss their concerns he was
refused entry and police called.
On May 31 the workers were locked out of
the job and in response they signed a petition
demanding a safety committee and union
involvement.
After management continued to ignore
their claims, the union asked SafeWork SA
NO EVIDENCE
TO SUPPORT
WILCOX
FINDINGS
to visit the site and prohibition notices were
issued, forcing the safety concerns to be fixed.
As far as Ark and his workmates were concerned
the matter was closed. But then the
ABCC came calling. It began hauling workers
in to answer questions, but at no time asked
the employer to front it and be questioned.
For Ark his summons was a line in the sand
he was not prepared to cross.
“If I’ve done something wrong I’m prepared
to cop it,” he says. “But I won’t be treated
unfairly. I’m prepared to go to court where I
can be represented by the lawyer of my choice.
I believe I have a right to a fair hearing.”
Former federal court judge Murray
Wilcox was asked in June 2008 to brief the
Rudd Government on the dismantling of
the Australian Building and Construction
Commission.
His findings, released in April this year, recommend
that a specialist construction division
be retained because of “industrial unlawfulness”.
The union strongly rejects this finding.
He says the specialist division is justified if
it improves productivity or industrial harmony
yet he provides only anecdotal evidence to back
that claim. Wilcox also backed keeping the legal
power to haul building workers into forced interrogations
for at least another five years.
The outcome
The Government has introduced a Bill into
Parliament that sets up a specialist division
Ark faces six months’ jail if found guilty.
And although the ABCC was John Howard’s
watchdog, it will be under a Labor Government
led by Kevin Rudd that an Australian worker
will be put behind bars under undemocratic
and unjust laws that single out construction
workers.
Shame.
What You Can Do
Support Ark Tribe by visiting the Rights on
Site website at www.rightsonsite.org
Join the campaign action by talking to your site
delegate or Organiser for the latest news.
to be established within Fair Work Australia
from 2010.
The new body will still be able to compel
workers to give evidence in investigations
– but businesses can apply to have the laws
“switched off” for their project.
Workers who are summoned to give evidence
will also now have all their costs met and
any witness interrogations will now need to
be video-taped and given to the Ombudsman
who will be asked to report on the hearings.
The Bill has not yet passed Parliament. The
Union is continuing the campaign against the
retention of this body.
The response
“The so-called ‘industrial harmony’ brought
about by the ABCC and heralded by Justice
Wilcox comes at the expense of the lives of
ARK UP
Ark Tribe has taken
a stand against the
ABCC and faces jail
for his refusal to be
questioned

BIN THE ABCC
FAIR
WORK
NOT A
FAIR GO
FOR US
When Julia Gillard visited workers at the
De Martin and Gasparini site at Homebush
during the 2007 federal election campaign she
had strong words to say against John Howard’s
industry watchdog, the ABCC.
Amid cheers and surrounded by smiling
construction workers, she left little doubt that
under a Rudd Labor Government the ABCC
would be dismantled and the unjust coercive
powers targeted at building workers gone.
Yet two years later, an ordinary construction
worker faces the prospect of six months’
jail because Gillard and Prime Minister Kevin
Rudd have let down CFMEU members.
Not only have they allowed the ABCC to
continue its attacks on workers’ rights, the new
body set to replace the commission will again
have a specialist construction division that
retains many coercive powers.
Acting State Secretary Mal Tulloch says
building workers have every reason to feel let
down by the federal Labor Government.
“There is no evidence at all for the need for
a specialist group with coercive powers,” says
Tulloch.
construction workers. We have deteriorating
safety on construction site across Australia.”
CFMEU National Secretary Dave Noonan
“It is unacceptable for a Labor Government
to maintain discriminatory laws, including
the use of the over-the-top coercive powers,
against one group of workers. Unions will
continue to fight and campaign for equal
rights for construction workers.”
ACTU president Jeff Lawrence
What you can do
Join the Rights On Site campaign at http://
www.cfmeu-construction-nsw.com/taabolabcc.htm
Email the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd by going
to http://www.pm.gov.au/
Email the Workplace Relations Minister Julia
“[The ABCC] was set up by Howard to destroy
trade unions in the building industry. The Rudd
Government is ensuring it can continue to carry
on its undemocratic activities.”
Tulloch says the CFMEU opposes funding
for the ABCC and funding for any new specialist
construction division within the new body,
Fair Work Australia.
“The money saved on attacking building
workers is a good way of putting more beds in
hospitals and more computers in schools,” says
Tulloch.
“In the last budget the Government allocated
$35 million to the ABCC. This is disgraceful.”
The CFMEU in NSW has been writing to
every Labor Party branch and sending officials
and organisers to talk at branch meetings.
Tulloch says the response has been positive with
more than 50 branches meeting with CFMEU
officials.
“People know these laws are wrong and
should be abolished.
“We’ve been surprised by the level of support
in areas that aren’t traditionally aligned with the
labour movement.”
Gillard at julia.gillard.mp@aph.gov.au
Fax the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on (02)
6273 4100
Fax the Workplace Relations Minister Julia
Gillard on (02) 6273 4115
Talk to your friends and workmates and
ensure they understand this attack on building
and construction workers. Move the
motion below at your workplace;
“This meeting condemns the Wilcox Report
for its support for the continuation of a different
and inferior set of industrial rights for
construction workers than for other Australian
workers.
The Report once again focuses on union
conduct and does not address the single biggest
issue of unlawful behaviour in the industry,
namely the breach of health and safety laws
by employers which results in needless deaths
HOW TIMES CHANGE
Workers protest against the continued
funding of the ABCC as Deputy Prime
Minister Julia Gillard speaks at the
ACTU conference earlier this year and
below, surrounded by workers on the
campaign trail at Homebush in 2007.
MAKE YOUR
VOICE HEARD
The ACTU and Unions NSW will be hosting a
Workers Rights Conference at Darling Harbour
Convention Centre on July 31 as part of the ALP
National Conference. The conference will be
supported by 1000 workplace delegates from
unions, including the CFMEU. The CFMEU will
be demanding the abolition of the ABCC and
this conference will highlight that the ABCC and
coercive powers have no place in our society.
and injuries in our industry every week.
The Report has failed to recognise the blatant
anti-union political role played by the ABCC for
the last 3 years that has given the major corporate
employers an unfair advantage in industrial
disputes, at taxpayers’ expense. It has
also ignored the findings of the International
Labour Organisation which has condemned
these unjust laws no less than six times.
These laws are worse than Workchoices.
Whilst ever they remain, the Rudd Government
has not fulfilled its promise to the Australian
people to bring fairness back into our workplaces.
Our campaign for workplace justice will
continue until these disgraceful laws are buried
once and for all.”
Contact the union and get an organiser on
your site to make sure it is safe.
UNITY 9