Summer Issue 2012 - cfmeu

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L E T T E R F R O M A M E M B E R Shorter rosters mean better productivity A shorter roster combined with a longer R&R is not only necessary for improving safety, but will change the culture of bad attitudes on site. The positive effect will also trickle back to the families of the workforce. It's well documented, but mostly ignored, that most accidents on site occur in the first and last weeks of the swing. When emotions are high and fatigue is peaking. If our swings were along the lines of 25&10 or 21&9 it would be seen as a necessary, humane change. It is true that the reason we work where we do is for the money and none of us want to be out if pocket, so we agree to sign letters of offer without any other options available. We sign up for the big bucks, but what no one seems to care about, is what we risk losing... Marriage/ partnerships fall apart, children grow distant, missed birthdays, weddings, funerals, graduations, holidays, anniversaries... This takes a big toll on people and plays a huge part in the long term negative effects experienced by vast numbers of workers. I am talking about physical and mental health issues. You will see this on just about every doorstep at any camp: men and women drinking night after night, stuck in a cycle of bad life style choices, mostly unhappy and sore and fed up. I personally find it ridiculous to continue ignoring the issues of depression, alcoholism and their side effects, under the excuse of "that's just construction" The solution does not lie with hiring an overseas workforce. At the end of the day we are all human and need a better work / life balance. If production is what they want then they need to provide adequate rest. Rank and File, North West member Old Digger rescued by Old Treasury crew We hear so much stuff in the news these days about how our elderly are harshly treated out there on the streets, so it’s nice to be able to report on a positive experience. 91 year former Army vet ‘Ray’ was in Perth on Holidays from Queensland. He was on his way to the Perth Central Railway Medical Centre for a check-up when he tripped and fell on the curbing outside the new Mirvac Treasury Building site in Hay Street. Ray suffered a badly cut arm and leg and severe bruising, not to mention being very shaken. Ray and Thornton in the first aid room Site Delegate Mal Peters and the boys went to his aid, picking him up, calming him down and patching him up in the first aid station. After a cup of tea and a chat, Ray was escorted to the Medical Centre where they said the CFMEU boys had done a wonderful job patching him up. Ray was so thankful he came back the next day to thank all the boys including Bales the site first aider. “It was blokes like Ray that fought for what we have today” says Mal Peters and it was a pleasure to be able to render him our assistance.” GOOD ONYA BOYS! Construction Worker – Summer 2012 Page 35 CFMEU
H O N O R A R Y M E M B E R S with Peta Arnold Honorary members celebrate at Xmas lunch Christmas 2012 saw the Honorary Members and their partners invited to the annual Christmas Lunch at the Hyde Park Hotel in North Perth. It was great to see so many turn up. Eddie Sanford was the first to arrive and he set the tone of the day with plenty of Christmas spirit around, with stories about the ‘old days’ on site. The longer the day went the more the stories of past glories got stretched. This year we had a hamper raffle with the main prize going to Kevin ‘flywire’ McGuire. Good on you Kev and to all the other door prize winners. NEW SOCIAL CLUB State Secretary, Mick Buchan announced that an Honorary Member’s Social Club will be formed in the New Year. A letter about the new club will be sent out in due course. Volunteers will be sought to help run it and already Brian Churchill and Alan Williams have offered to help – more news about this later. Thanks to everyone who came and made it a great day. See you all next Christmas! TRUE SONS OF THE SOUTHERN CROSS! Our Honorary members fought the hard fight. They were the ones who stood on the picket lines, sometimes for weeks on end. Their wives fought the battle around the kitchen table making ends meet as pay packets dried up in the pursuit of better pay and conditions. Their sacrifices and militant actions made the bosses sit up and take notice and won what all members enjoy today. Construction Worker – Summer 2012 Page 37 CFMEU
Page 1 and 2: You voted for what they fought for!
Page 3 and 4: S E C R E TA R Y ’ S A D D R E S
Page 5 and 6: U N I O N N E W S with Joe McDonald
Page 7 and 8: CBD / METRO PROJECTS THE WA Governm
Page 9 and 10: RESOURCE PROJECTS Project Value Emp
Page 11 and 12: UNION BUILDERS / SUBBIES TO CALL TO
Page 13 and 14: U N I O N N E W S with Mick Buchan
Page 15 and 16: U N I O N U P D AT E with Graham Pa
Page 17 and 18: S A F E T Y N E W S with Steve McCa
Page 19 and 20: U N I O N B E N E F I T S Huge savi
Page 23: F E AT U R E with Joe McDonald RICK
Page 27 and 28: S A F E T Y N E W S with Steve McCa
Page 29 and 30: A R O U N D T H E YA R D S with Aar
Page 31 and 32: N O R T H W E S T R E P O R T with
Page 33 and 34: From previous page When their rest
Page 35 and 36: Page 56 Construction Worker - Summe
Page 37 and 38: I N T E R N AT I O N A L N E W S wi

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