Spring Issue 2011 - cfmeu

OUR 

FREEDOM IS 

BLACK 

BANNED 

FEDERAL 

GOVERNMENT 

FIFO 

INQUIRY 

APPRENTICESHIP 

SCHEME 

DISGRACE 

ABBOTT: 

MASTER 

OF 

FEAR 

457’S: 

FAIR GO 

FOR AUSSIE 

WORKERS!

C F M E U D I R E C T O R Y 

President 

Secretary 

Assistant Secretaries 

UNION OFFICERS 

Cam McCullough 

Kevin Reynolds 

Joe McDonald, Graham Pallot 

C O N T E N T S 

Secretary’s Address 2 

Editorial Comment 5 

Steve McCann OH&S Officer 0488 102 297 

Rod Reynolds 

Wage Claims 

Jack Nicholas 

Industrial Advocate 

Kevin Sneddon Industrial Advocate 

Shannon Walker Industrial Advocate 

Jill Hawkins 

IR/Legal Assistant 

Kelly Karolak 

IR/Legal Assistant 

Peta Arnold 

Office Manager 

Linda Pallot 

Accounts Officer 

Rob Mitchell 

Media & Communications 

0417 912 384 

Tammy Hall 

Reception 

Michelle Kavanagh Membership Officer 

ORGANISERS 

Mick Buchan 0419 812 861 

Graham Pallot 0419 812 865 

Brad Upton 

0488 770 857 (North West) 

Phil Kennedy 

0427 244 141 (North West) 

Troy Smart 

0419 812 871 (South West) 

Matt Waters 0419 812 875 

Mark Hudston 0419 812 864 

Vinnie Molina 0419 812 872 

Aaron Mackrell 0403 432 221 

Peter Joshua 0433 410 596 

Pat Heathcote 0459 135 033 

Seamus Byrne 0419 812 866 

Kevin Hau 0427 244 147 

Matt Balde 0405 081 874 

The Union Office is located at 

82 Royal Street East Perth WA 6004 

Open 7:00am – 5:00pm Monday to Friday 

PO Box 6681 East Perth WA 6892 

Telephone: (08) 9221 1055 

Facsimile: (08) 9221 1506 

E-Mail: cfmeuwa@cfmeuwa.com 

Website: www.cfmeuwa.com 

All rights reserved: The Construction Worker Journal is complied & published 

by the CFMEU publications department. All copyright belongs to the CFMEU. 

No part of the publication may be reproduced or copied in any means without 

the written permission of the publisher. 

Disclaimer: The information contained within this publication is for general 

construction workers only. While every care is taken to ensure accuracy of 

information, we accept no responsibility for any action taken as a 

consequence of the information contained in this publication. 

ISS 1833 0282 

Barnett government helps to create the skills shortage 6 

Make Perth the new H.Q. capital of Australia! 9 

1.5 million reasons why workers join the CFMEU 11 

REITH and Workchoices rear their ugly head! 13 

It’s time for the ABCC to go once and for all 15 

457 Update 17 

FIFO Inquiry 19 

North West Report 20 

Illegal Worker Update 23 

Member Legal Services 25 

Safety Watch 26 

Mould outbreak at Perth Arena 29 

Mates in Construction launches in WA 30 

Enquiry needed into Worksafe WA 33 

Member Financial Services 35 

John Holland case fails against CFMEU 37 

Safety Watch 39 

Safety Harmonisation 39 

Off Cuts 41 

Workmates rally around fire victim 43 

Travel insurance saves member $6000! 43 

City Round Up 45 

South Metropolitan Report 47 

Off Site Areas 49 

Northern Suburbs Round Up 49 

South West Report 51 

Mid West Report 53 

Goldfields Report 55 

Vale: Peter De Ruyter and Steve Alderson 57 

Union News 59 

Pete’s Page 60 

HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE JOURNAL 

Email : editor@cfmeuwa.com 

Construction Worker – Spring 2011 Page 1 

CFMEU

S E C R E TA R Y ’ S A D D R E S S 

With Kevin Reynolds 

BLACK 

How many times do we all find ourselves 

thinking we are fortunate that we don’t 

live in other countries where persecution 

and injustice reigns supreme? 

Every night Australian families go to 

bed thinking they live in a fair and just 

society which practices freedom of 

speech and the democratic human 

rights that go with it. 

We feel comfortable in the belief that 

if there are insidious wrongs and 

injustices being committed in our 

society that a voice will bring them 

to light. 

How wrong most Australians are. 

The Australian Building and 

Construction Commission (ABCC) 

recently flew in a top Queens 

Council (Q.C.) and legal assistants 

from interstate at enormous 

taxpayer’s expense to obtain a 

federal court order placing a ‘media 

black ban’ on the CFMEU WA. 

The CFMEU was black banned from 

commenting and reporting on a 

certain issue to the media. It was a 

legal assassination, killing our right 

to do our job and express our 

concerns freely. It’s oppressive at 

best and undemocratic at worst. 

Even in this article we cannot allude 

to what type of issues the ban 

relates too, in case a correlation can 

be drawn which could lead to 

identifying the source of the ban. We 

would then be in contravention of 

the ban resulting in massive fines 

and even a jail sentence. 

If we approached the media and 

they published or aired our concern 

with the issues under enforcement 

by the ban, they too would face 

similar punishment. 

At the peak of this issue, a well 

known national union official on a 

rare visit to Perth was ready to take 

up the issue. Normally the media 

would be queuing up for a comment 

but this official was bumped off one 

radio program after being booked to 

appear, and could not get on 

another. Press and television were 

conspicuous by their absence. 

Was it a mere coincidence? Or had 

Page 2 Construction Worker – Spring 2011

BANNED! 

the media been advised to leave 

well enough alone and not risk 

falling foul of the punishments 

associated with the ban? 

The issue at hand was nothing out 

of the ordinary. It revolved around 

what unions like ours do everyday. 

This, in essence makes the ban 

even more disturbing. 

Freedom of speech – to inform the 

media allowing them to report on 

issues of concern to Australia’s 

workforce, our members and the 

community at large – should be 

upheld as a democratic right. 

The ABCC has coercive powers akin 

to ASIO. No Australian citizen has 

any ‘right to silence’ if interrogated 

by their goons. 

It is our view that the media should 

be just as worried as we are about 

media black bans. In my near 40 

years as a union official I see this 

situation as a dangerous ‘thin end of 

the wedge’. 

It is high time the investigative 

media in this country got out the 

blow torch and scrutinized the 

stealthy, coercive powers of the 

Australian Building and 

Construction Commission and the 

draconian ways they enforce them. 

Not only in relation to enforcing 

media black bans but the damage 

and fear they have caused to 

people’s lives, especially in their 

maniacal targeting of Australia’s 

construction workforce. 

Surely, their deeds are worth 45 

minutes on 4 Corners? 

In the case of both Noel Washington 

and Ark Tribe they all but destroyed 

them and their families. To no avail, 

after the charges against them and 

months of dragging them through 

the courts came to nothing! It was 

McCarthyism at its worst. 

Taking a cynical view, the Greens in 

the federal parliament are soon to 

put forward a motion to disband the 

ABCC. Is this media black ban 

action and others taken recently by 

the ABCC, a way of justifying their 

existence in an attempt to give them 

greater validity? 

Most Australian’s are surprised to 

learn there is no freedom of speech 

provision in the Australian 

Constitution – but it is accepted as a 

fundamental right in our Australian 

democracy. 

Free speech is something that 

should not be regulated. 

We are of the opinion that the real 

story here is not only the black ban 

itself but the motivations behind it 

and where it can lead to, in further 

eroding our freedoms. 

As the vanguard of free speech in 

this country, we believe this is one 

issue the media should take a lead 

on, supported by the protestations 

of every Australian, in every house, 

on every street, from every town 

across this country. 

This union and its members will 

be keeping up the fight. It is one 

which cannot be lost on behalf 

of everyone who values the 

right to not only express issues 

freely, but just as important, the 

right of every person to hear 

them. 

KEVIN REYNOLDS 

State Secretary 

CFMEU C&G WA. 

Your comments about this story can be sent to editor@cfmeuwa.com 


CFMEU

E D I T O R I A L C O M M E N T 

Tony Abbott: Manufacturing fear 

There is no doubt that Tony Abbott 

is the current King of fear politics. 

He has learnt well from his neo-con 

masters in the USA. 

The use of fear and negativity is 

of course nothing new in 

politics. What is new is that 

purveyors of the type of fear 

that Tony Abbott is spreading 

are willing do so at any cost. 

Abbott is prepared to put self 

interest above all else. 

Whether you agree with the asylum 

issue or not, the fact is Abbott has 

cut his nose to spite his face. Abbott 

himself was born in the United 

Kingdom. He and his parents 

returned to Australia on the assisted 

passage scheme. 

Unfortunately, the unfounded fear of 

the ‘yellow peril’ has long cast a 

shadow over Australia. Hysteria is 

whipped up in spades by radio 

shock jocks and viral emails, most 

of which are scams originating from 

overseas. So much that there can 

now be no rationale debate. He has 

pitted friend against friend and 

neighbour against neighbour. This is 

what Abbott calls leadership. 

It’s divisive and built on a foundation 

of hate. 

This is same man who introduced 

what became the Australian 

Building and Construction 

Commission (ABCC) before the 

findings of the Cole Royal 

Commission were even completed 

and handed down. He was the 

architect of creating a different set 

of laws for building workers. 

What is perhaps more frightening is 

that Abbot was put in the job by a 

Liberal Party who thought Malcolm 

Turnbull was too moderate. Turnbull 

wasn’t considered extreme enough. 

Abbott, the ex journalist who used 

to write scathing attacks on the 

union movement for The Australian 

and Bulletin, is a master of using 

slogans and spin with little 

substance attached to them. So far 

he’s enjoyed an incredible free ride 

as a negative influence. Abbott the 

ex trainee priest known as the ‘Mad 

Monk’ has become Dr. NO, who 

sees nothing worthwhile in anything. 

He’s been able to avoid scrutiny of 

his policies largely by an anti-ALP 

media. 

Do you know what his polices are 

for health, education, employment, 

defence, industrial relations or 

family services? He’s adept of using 

issues such as carbon tax and 

asylum seekers to keep the 

spotlight off himself and his policies. 

It is hoped that in the next few 

months the ALP and others are able 

to shift the spotlight back onto 

Abbott and his crew. Whether we 

like it or not, at least we know what 

we are currently getting from the 

federal government. The same can’t 

be said of Abbott and the Liberal 

Party. 

Abbott has gained great political 

mileage out of the accusation that 

Gillard lied about having no carbon 

tax under her government. He will 

be held to the same account if he 

wins power and reintroduces any 

form of Workchoices. 

In the meantime we shouldn’t allow 

ourselves to be totally blind-sided 

by his fear and negativity. 


CFMEU

U N I O N N E W S 

With Mick Buchan 

Barnett government helps to 

WA needs more young apprentices 

to safeguard our skills based future. 

GROSS MISMANAGEMENT OF WA STATE GOVERNMENT APPRENTICE SCHEME 

• WA Auditor General points to negligent compliance failure 

• Contractor’s rorting the tender system; failing to comply with government policy on 

apprenticeship numbers. 

• Department of Treasury and Finance in dereliction of duty. 

• State government ignores compliance and rules of its own apprentice training policy to aid 

its case for importing foreign workers 

• WA kids missing out 

In March 2010 the WA state government implemented a new policy to ensure that there was a fixed quota of 

apprentices on all government contracted jobs. 

Training was considered to be vital to supplement WA’s skills shortage. Concurrent with this new policy at the time, the 

state government led by Colin Barnett began lobbying to have WA classed as a regional centre so it could fast track and 

gain access to far more foreign workers than ever before. This has now been achieved. 

WA already has the major proponent of foreign workers. WA has 10% of the national population and 20% of all foreign 

visa workers! A situation brought about by a lack of training over previous years. 

The government’s new policy to ensure contractors employ a fixed quota of apprentices on all government building 

contacts is called PRIORITY START, operated through the Dept of Training and Workforce Development. 


create the skills shortage. 

Below is a table which shows the quota requirement for 

apprentices to be employed on government agency 

projects. 

Estimated Value of the Minimum Apprentice 

Labour for a Contract 

Requirement 

$300,001 - $ 1 million 1 

$1,000,001 - $ 2 million 2 

$2,000,001 - $ 3 million 3 

$3,000,001 - $ 4 million 4 

$4,000,001 - $ 5 million 5 

$5,000 001 - $ 6 million 6 

$6,000,001 and above Continuation of ratio* 

* Projects with an estimated labour component in excess 

of $6 million will be assessed on a project by project basis 

by the relevant Government Agency using the above 

ratios as a guide 

The quota was also meant to be used by contractors as a 

guide to submit how many apprentices they would be 

employing when forwarding tenders for state government 

projects. 

Compliance of the PRIORITY START policy has been 

grossly mismanaged and has been nothing short of a total 

disaster with contractors not complying, little policing by 

the state government and government departments 

failing to adhere to the policy requirements. 

OFFICE OF THE AUDITOR GENERAL 

The Auditor General report into the PRIORITY START 

scheme details that out of 58 government agency 

contracts sampled, an audit found that only 3 met the 

quota requirements of the government’s policy. The 

office stated that it was difficult to single out any good 

performance from any of the government agencies 

sampled. 

They also reported that the Department of Treasury and 

Finance failed to report any of their contracts to the 

Department of Workforce and Training – of those 19 

contracts, 6 also failed to meet other requirements such 

as including the use of registered contractors and 

employing the correct number of apprentices. 

Colin Barnett and the state government have failed WA 

kids (and those seeking older age apprenticeships), by 

ignoring compliance of their own. 

To add insult to injury the government had been lobbying 

and has now been successful in opening the floodgates 

for foreign temporary workers to enter WA in – a situation 

caused in part by the government’s lack of commitment 

to provide training and apprenticeship opportunities for 

young kids. The Barnett government has helped to create 

the skills shortage they seek to fix with foreign workers. 

In short, with the state government and its departments 

ignoring their own policy and failing to police its 

compliance, the government has sold out the future of our 

kids to the interests of foreign visa workers. Workers who 

come here for 4 years, send all their money offshore and 

then disappear, leaving the vicious cycle of the skills 

shortage to continue. Increased apprentice opportunities 

will ensure WA has a permanent, locally based workforce 

for the years ahead. 

It is our view that contractors who fail to comply 

with apprenticeship quotas and are found to be 

rorting the system should be banned from 

tendering on government projects for at least 

3 years. 

INSULT TO INJURY - 

HIGH YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT 

To make matters worse, under the Barnett government, 

WA is now suffering double digit youth unemployment. 

The latest statistics show the jobless rate for 15 to 24- 

year-old workers is 9.8 per cent in WA and up to 12.3 per 

cent in the South West from Mandurah to Hopetoun. 

The southern corridor including Rockingham and 

Kwinana is the hardest hit within the metropolitan area, 

with 11.4 per cent youth unemployment. 

With these statistics, the Barnett government’s inaction 

over the PRIORITY START program makes it even more 

appalling. 

Give the kids who live here a fair go! 


CFMEU

U N I O N C O M M E N T 

With Joe McDonald 

Make Perth the new HQ capital of Australia! 

C2: New BHP HQ – There should be more Hi-Rise in Perth. 

Perth is extremely well 

positioned to attract 

other companies to 

follow BHP’s lead but 

there’s more that the 

state government can 

do to help make it 

happen, thus creating 

much needed jobs in 

the building and 

construction sector. 

Will the new BHP headquarters at 

City Square (C2) be a beacon for 

other national and South East Asian 

companies to follow suit and set up 

their Australian or SE Asian/Pacific 

regional Headquarters in the Perth 

CBD? 

The Perth CBD is ideally located to 

SE Asia with Perth being on the 

same time zone as Beijing and 

closer flying time to other Asian 

power houses than Sydney or 

Melbourne. It’s also closer to the 

North West mining region. These are 

all valid reasons why BHP has 

decided to shift most of their day to 

day operations to Perth from 

Melbourne. 

Perth is extremely well positioned to 

attract other companies to follow 

BHP’s lead but there’s more that the 

state government can do to help 

make it happen. 

The WA government would do well 

to consider an incentive package for 

companies to relocate their HQ to 

Perth, supported by a campaign 

road show to sell development in 

our CBD throughout Australia and 

the South East Asian region. Why 

not even the USA? Surely Chevron 

could have a greater hi-rise 

presence in the Perth CBD? 

Subsidising relocation expenses, 

providing subsidies on utility costs 

and concessions on state 

government land costs, could be 

considered as extra incentives to 

persuade companies to set up 

operations in Western Australia. 

However, primary to all those things 

is the fact that Australia’s economic 

future is going to be jointly tied to 

both China and India and that it 

makes efficient and economic sense 

to operate closer to those markets. 

From the union’s point of view 

construction workers would 

certainly look forward to the extra 

jobs more HQ projects would 

create. No doubt the PCC would 

welcome the additional rates, and 

the WA government the extra state 

taxes. 

Perth needs to stop thinking of itself 

as the poor relation to the eastern 

states cities. It needs to think 

forward with a new confidence. 

Perth is at the centre of the new 

world economic power zone and is 

should capitalise on this in more 

ways than one. 


CFMEU


With Kevin Reynolds 

1.5 million reasons why workers join the CFMEU 

Since unions began in this country 

160 years ago they have been fined. 

It’s part and parcel of union life. It 

would be far easier to roll over and 

die but nothing worth fighting for is 

ever easy. 

Woodside has been successful in 

fining our union the massive amount 

of $1.5million as a result of the 

‘motelling dispute’. Around 3,000 

workers from all unions showed up 

at two separate meetings to voice 

their concerns, such was their utter 

fury and discontent over this 

particular issue. 

Woodside, without any negotiation, 

changed the workers permanent 

accommodation arrangements by 

introducing ‘motelling.’ 

No talk. No Discussion. Just take it 

or leave it. 

Workers who work away from home 

up to 10 months of the year wanted 

the psychological surety and feeling 

of permanency that came with them 

living in the same donga. 

It wasn’t just their home away from 

home – it WAS their home. 

Woodside showed no empathy for 

the social disconnection suffered by 

workers and instituted a system 

The workers had a fair 

grievance. What were 

we supposed to do? 

Just cop what the 

employer wants and 

ignore the workers? 

whereby workers would have to 

constantly change from shift to shift 

where they lived on-site. 

Interestingly, prior to the dispute 

Woodside reported a net profit in 

the first half of 2010 of $US901 

million ($995 million), up 39.5 per 

cent from $US646 million in the first 

half of 2009. Most, if not all of this 

profit was made before the 

motelling issue, so it could not be 

argued that it was needed as a cost 

saving measure. 

The workers had a fair grievance. 

What were we supposed to do? 

Just cop what the employer wants 

and ignore the workers! 

Several other unions were involved 

in this dispute, but they only 

targeted the CFMEU. Why? 

Because we take action, we’re not 

afraid to take on the bosses, and as 

a consequence we are victimised 

for being a highly effective union. 

Workers should have the right in a 

democratic society to withdraw their 

labour as a last resort in the face of 

unfair practices and procedures. 

The CFMEU makes no apology for 

the way it goes about its business of 

working for its members. 

Our union doesn’t represent the big 

end of town, special interest groups 

or any political party. It represents 

the members – the day it doesn’t it 

is dead. 

We are not a ‘pretend union’. We are 

an active union, we turn up, we 

listen, we act. That’s what real 

unions are meant to do. 

Our members will always know 

exactly where we stand and that’s 

with them and for them, through 

thick and thin, no matter what. 

We’ve been doing it since 1850 and 

we’ll be doing it for a long time yet. 

The only difference between a 

worker and a slave is the union. 

Our union doesn’t represent the big end of town, special 

interest groups or any political party, it represents the 

members – the day it doesn’t, it is dead. 


CFMEU

I N D U S T R I A L R E L AT I O N S 


REITH and Workchoices rear their ugly head! 

Direct from failing to win the Federal Liberal 

party presidency, Peter Reith is finding new 

audiences to espouse his vitriolic views about 

unions and workers rights. 

He’s touting his back to the future views on ‘Workchoices’ 

again, saying Libs both federally and here in WA should 

reintroduce the draconian laws he helped to form when he 

was Federal Minister of Workplace Relations. 

Recently he had a shot at Colin Barnett. He said it would 

be on the Premier’s head if WA’s ‘open-door policy for 

unions’ led to more industrial militancy on mine and 

building sites. 

Mr Reith said WA’s IR system was so over-regulated it 

was more restrictive than the Fair Work Act. It recognised 

only union collective agreements and did not give 

employees a mandated vote. 

Time has a funny way of fading the memory, so let’s not 

forget Reith’s contribution to politics in this country. 

Reith was a leading driver and antagonist of the Patricks 

dispute which was more about developing a strategic 

template to bust unionism in all its forms across Australia 

than about making the waterfront more efficient. 

He led the charge in the ‘children overboard’ controversy, 

in which the government made unsubstantiated claims 

that seafaring asylum seekers had thrown children 

overboard in a presumed ploy to secure rescue and 

passage to Australia. 

The Australian Senate Select Committee later found that 

no children had been thrown overboard and that the 

government had known this prior to the election. Beasley 

got more votes but Howard got back largely on the back 

of this scare campaign. The government was criticised for 

misleading the public and cynically "(exploiting) voters’ 

fears of a wave of illegal immigrants by demonizing 

asylum-seekers” 

Now he’s back in Australia after 6 years earning a fortune 

as a Banker in London, joining forces with that extreme 

right wing, union-hating think tank, the HR Nicholls 

Society, going around desperately trying to get draconian 

‘Workchoices’ back on the national agenda. 

The Grim Reither! 

With the likes of Reith lurking in the shadows, and 

supporters within the Federal Liberal party wanting a 

return to an even more extreme version of ‘Workchoices’, 

every union member needs to be as vigilant as ever. 

Make no mistake, if Tony Abbott wins power, 

‘Workchoices’ will be resurrected in a far more extreme 

guise than it was under John Howard. 

Abbot has had the luxury of not being scrutinised about 

his policies while he makes dummy runs in behind media 

grabbing issues like the carbon tax and the refugee 

problem. Sooner or later he’ll have to show what he really 

stands for – would you trust your wages and conditions 

with him and the likes of Peter Reith? 


CFMEU



It’s time for the ABCC to go 

once and for all 

If the federal government want to 

have a budget surplus they 

should scrap the ABCC and 

contribute the ABCC’s annual 

running costs towards it. 

The Australian Building and 

Construction Commission has 

admitted to a Senate inquiry the 

legal basis was unsound for more 

than 200 interrogations it carried out 

in the first five years of its existence. 

The ABCC is trying to widen its 

modus operandi and give itself new 

validity by trying to act as a poor 

man’s union by investigating sham 

contracting and going on sites to 

look at wage books. They wouldn’t 

have a clue what to look for and 

they don’t have the resources to do 

an effective job. They would 

become the ‘Worksafe of wage 

claims’, pretty much useless. 

CONSTRUCTION 

WORKERS HERE 

ALL THIS IS LEADING TO 

TIME RUNNING OUT 

FOR THE ABCC 

Soon legislation will be introduced 

into the federal parliament to 

determine the ABCC’s future. 

Labor is supporting a slightly 

watered down version of its current 

form but the change will in effect be 

in name only as they seek to change 

it from the ABCC to Fair Work 

Australia Inspectorate (nothing fair 

about it). The Greens on the other 

hand, are looking to abolish it and 

its coercive powers altogether – to 

have one law for all. The Liberals if 

they had their way would keep and 

give the ABCC even more powers. 

They would probably put Peter 

Reith in charge. 

The fact is the ABCC is a relic from 

Tony Abbott, John Howard and the 

HR Nichols Society – it should never 

have appeared on the Australian 

industrial landscape. 

Rudd, then Gillard and others in the 

ALP said they would abolish it but 

instead they tried to pull a shifty by 

watering it down. They didn’t have 

the guts to put it out of its misery. All 

they did was to further alienate their 

core constituency. 

This union and millions of workers 

and their families await the outcome 

of the ABCC in federal parliament 

during this spring session. The 

ballot box at the next federal 

election will decide if the right 

decision has been made. The ABCC 

should go once and for all, making 

one law for all. 


CFMEU

4 5 7 U P D AT E 

With Dave Noonan 

Enterprise Migration Agreements mustn’t cost Aussie jobs 

The Federal Government must do 

more to ensure that Enterprise 

Migration Agreements do not cost 

Australian jobs, the CFMEU says 

following the release of EMA 

guidelines. 

CFMEU Construction National 

Secretary Dave Noonan said that 

while the union accepted that EMAs 

may be necessary in some 

circumstances, the onus should be 

on companies to prove that they are 

needed and for there to be greater 

enforcement and scrutiny of these 

agreements. 

“Our union supports the growth of 

construction jobs principally 

through skills training and 

development for Australians and 

through a non-discriminatory 

migration program with a focus on 

skills that are needed for the long 

term. Because EMAs fall outside 

these areas they must have strong 

safeguards to ensure that Australian 

jobs are protected. As currently 

written these EMA guidelines are 

not sufficient to secure our 

support,” Noonan said. 

“The guidelines are deficient in 

several areas. Companies aren’t 

required to undertake labour market 

testing to prove that they have tried 

and failed to recruit Australian 

workers for their projects. Instead 

there is a paper based analysis 

requirement for semi-skilled 

workers but nothing required of 

companies to show that a need 

exists for 457 visa skilled workers. 

“There is also a disturbing lack of 

disclosure of the numbers, 

It’s the fault of employers and middlemen who 

exploit guest workers and of the government 

for not ensuring proper compliance 

classifications and skills that 

companies have applied for, 

meaning the Australian community 

will never know how many overseas 

workers have been sought by a 

company and how many they have 

had approved. 

“Most concerning however is the 

lack of protection for Australian 

workers in relation to redundancy. 

Under these guidelines companies 

would be able to make any of their 

Australian workforce redundant 

while still retaining 457 visa workers 

brought over on EMAs, and even 

other foreign workers on Working 

Holiday Visas. This is a significant 

risk to Australian workers on 

projects where employers have 

engaged workers on EMAs. 

“Until these deficiencies are 

rectified, there is the potential for 

employers to use EMAs to cut 

wages and conditions for 

employees on these projects and 

they present a serious risk to 

Australian construction jobs," 

Noonan said. 

“It is a major concern that the 

number of 457 visas rose by 40 per 

cent in the last year, despite the 

slowdown in the economy. 

“Even though 457 visa holders 

should legally be awarded the same 

pay and conditions as Australians, 

in reality they are unlikely to 

complain if they get short-changed. 

“These are people who owe their 

temporary visa and prospect of 

future residency to their employer, 

so they’ll keep quiet about being 

underpaid or about dangerous 

conditions. 

“This can’t be blamed on the guest 

workers. It’s the fault of employers 

and middlemen who exploit them 

and of the government for not 

ensuring proper compliance," 

Noonan said. 


CFMEU

F I F O I N Q U I R Y 

With Brad Upton 

Federal Government scrutinises FIFO impact! 

There is no doubt that Fly-in Fly-out 

(FIFO) arrangements have an 

enormous impact on workers and 

their families back on the home 

front. Relationship breakdowns are 

common. Workers often can’t be 

there when they are needed by their 

family, mobile phone access is 

restricted on jobs, mental anguish is 

commonplace and even suicide is 

not uncommon. 

Workers without families find it hard 

to establish relationships and often 

endure social disconnection 

problems stemming from loneliness. 

Productivity can suffer. Staff 

turnover can be high – not a good 

thing in the midst of a skills 

shortage. It’s one thing to get 

workers, it’s harder to retain them. 

Nicole Ashby, the director of 

website fifofamilies.com, says that 

loneliness and isolation are the 

primary issues for the partner who 

stays at home (the majority of whom 

are women), as well as for the 

partner who works away. "You are 

effectively in a sole parenting role for 

as much as half or even threequarters 

of the year with sole 

responsibility for the children 24/7." 

Initially it sounds an attractive offer 

to work for good money on a project 

like Barrow Island. In the race to be 

a part of WA’s economic boom the 

roster of working 26 days on and 9 

days off sounds okay – but after a 

while the practical realities set in for 

many workers who start to 

experience the problems and issues 

mentioned above. 

The House of Representatives 

The Gorgon project: A massive FIFO workforce. 

Standing Committee on Regional 

Australia has launched an inquiry 

into the experience of Fly-in, Fly-out 

(FIFO) and Drive-in, Drive-out 

(DIDO) workers in regional Australia. 

The Minister for Regional Australia, 

Regional Development and Local 

Government, the Hon. Simon Crean, 

has asked the Committee to look 

into a range of issues, including the 

impact of FIFO/DIDO on individuals, 

communities and companies 

“The Committee recognises that the 

use of fly-in/fly-out and drivein/drive-out 

workforces in the 

mining sector raises a number of 

significant challenges and 

opportunities for individuals and 

their families, communities and 

employers,” Committee Chair Tony 

Windsor said, “we are interested in 

exploring all of those issues and 

hope to also hear from mining 

companies who are utilising 

FIFO/DIDO for their employees.” 

FIFO is changing the entire 

landscape of family dynamics in 

Australia according to CFMEU NW 

Organiser Brad Upton. 

“We understand there’s minerals 

and gas to be mined but you can’t 

have a FIFO system which 

undermines family structures to the 

point where workers became 

disenchanted, unproductive and 

unhappy in their day to day work 

life. It’s not good for site morale. It’s 

a fluid situation which needs to be 

monitored and fine tuned.” 

“We have workers building 

Australia’s future but who’s building 

the workers future?” says Upton. 

The CFMEU nationally will be 

making submissions to the Standing 

committee and we look forward to 

the findings. 

If you are impacted by FIFO call 

Brad Upton on 0488 770 857 


CFMEU

N O R T H W E S T R E P O R T 

With Phil Kennedy & Brad Upton 

It’s been a tragic couple of months for 

work place accidents, fatalities and 

serious injuries on construction and 

maintenance projects in the North West. 

June saw the death of 28-year-old 

Shaun McBride, a scaffolder 

working for Celtic Scaffolding. 

Shaun was scaffolding under load 

out on the jetty at Rio Tinto’s East 

intercourse island operations. 

The scaffolding collapsed below 

him taking him to the bottom of the 

ocean. He was retrieved many hours 

later. 

Early July saw another tragic fatality 

when 27-year-old Jordan Mattiott- 

Statham was crushed. 

A mobile crane at BHP’s Finucane 

Island operations in Port Headland 

fell and landed on him. 

Another worker had his legs 

crushed when doing maintenance 

work at FMG’s Herb Elliott Port 

operations. 

It should also be noted that on the 

same day in an unrelated incident a 

fly-in fly-out worker working for Abi 

Group took his own life at Club 

Hamilton Camp in Port Hedland. 

On 13th July in Karratha, 

Finbar–Hanssen Pty Ltd rigger 

Robert Serjeant, working for 

Construct Labour Solutions, was 

killed when a soak well lid being 

moved by tower crane released 

without warning, striking and 

landing on him. 

Finbar apartments in Karratha - 

scene of a fatality. 

You can’t imagine the shock with 

many young workers on site. All the 

workers live and work together on 

site and looked to Rob as a mentor. 

Others worked alongside Rob for 

years. 

Kevin Reynolds arranged for Mick 

Buchan to fly up and assist. After a 

site meeting and debrief, work 

ceased and Mick and I carried out a 

safety walk through the whole site. 

Meanwhile arrangements were made 

for Sergio (WACIRF Counsellor) to 

attend the site and assist workers. 

Sergio stayed for the weekend. 

Rectification work commenced on 

the safety items raised over the next 

few days. 

Another significant incident occurred 

at Cape Preston. It was Saturday 

afternoon when a controlled blast 

went wrong. Fortunately no one was 

in the area at the time. Mind you I 

reckon Joe from DTMT would have 

lost it. With rocks the size of 

footballs damaging plenty of his 

plant and equipment in the 

construction areas. 

Recently, at Christmas Creek, a 

Franna had been tagged out as not 

safe to operate. A decision was 

made by a supervisor to remove the 

tag and bring the Franna back into 

service. 

We became aware of the issue on 

Sunday. It was quickly resolved and 

the Franna was locked out until the 

following week, when a service 

mechanic fixed the problem. 

This is an example to how accidents 


occur. Some people seem to forget 

at times how high risk our industry 

is. If a piece of plant or equipment is 

tagged out, you don’t operate it until 

its fixed. It’s that simple. 

If you have any issues on your site 

don’t hesitate to text, phone or email 

myself or Brad Upton. Remember a 

safe site is a union site. 

On 16 August a 27-year-old worker 

was fatally injured at the Brockman 

2 mine near Tom Price. 

The man was changing a hydraulic 

cylinder on a front-end loader at the 

time of the incident. Brad Upton 

attended the mine site to investigate. 

In early May 2011 in a yard in 

Newman where cranes are 

operated, a man had a set of 32m 

chains hit him in the head while 

using a Manitou to lift the chains out 

of a lifting box on the back of a truck. 

He was severely injured. 

The AMWU has joined us in 

Jeff Hibbert with Mick Buchan left and 

Organisers Brad Upton and Phil Kennedy. 

conducting monthly members 

meetings. We had a great turn out 

for Jeff Hibbert’s life time 

membership. Jeff is in his 70s and 

he has been in the union since he 

was 14 and he has never ever been 

late with his union dues. 

Mick Buchan came up from Perth to 

give Jeff his lifetime certificate, all 

the boys really enjoyed meeting 

Mick. Thanks Mick and Aussie for 

flying up and to every one for making 

it a such big turn out. 

Jeff is in his 70s 

and he has been 

in the union since 

he was only 14 

and he has never 

been late with his 

union dues! 

We are getting good feed back from 

all the members that all the unions 

are working together, the CFMEU 

and AMWU have got Cape Preston 

on the radar, the workers from 

Program Maintenance and Neilson 

are trying to get an agreement up so 

all we can say to all the members is: 

If you stick together, then you will 

win together. 

If you don’t fight, you lose! 

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for all course details and more. 


CFMEU

ILLEGAL WORKER UPDATE 


After intense lobbying from this 

union and others, something is 

finally afoot to financially castrate 

shonky employers involved with 

illegal visa workers. 

The CFMEU has called on the Federal Government to 

adopt the recommendations of its own Howells Report 

and toughen laws to deter and penalise employers who 

illegally employ overseas workers and undermine the job 

security of Australian workers. 

CFMEU National Secretary Construction Dave Noonan 

said reports the Government would accept in principle all 

the recommendations of the Report showed it was 

committed to cracking down on the employers of people 

working illegally in Australia. 

He said it was crucial that the Government move swiftly to 

introduce the legislation to implement all the Howells 

Report’s recommendations early in 2012. 

“We will continue to lobby the Government for tougher 

penalties for employers and labour suppliers who illegally 

employ overseas workers, to protect the jobs, pay and 

conditions of Australian workers,” Mr Noonan said. 

“The Howell Report and its recommendation of a 

maximum $10,000 fine and strict liability for employers 

can not be ignored. Strict liability will stop employers 

being able to plead ignorance as an excuse for breaking 

the law. 

“Awareness and education programs are no deterrent to 

employers and labour suppliers who deliberately flout our 

laws in the name of profit. 

“They exploit vulnerable foreign workers, while driving 

down pay and conditions and making it hard for 

employers who do the right thing to compete.” 

The Immigration Department’s own figures show that 16 

per cent of people working illegally in Australia are 

employed in construction, an estimated total of 16,000 

employees. 

“We know there are people employed illegally on building 

sites across Australia. We are concerned that these 

workers are often unable to speak out against 

exploitation, and that they are being used to drive down 

wages and conditions,” Mr Noonan said. 

Employers: 

$10,000 

fine 

for each 

illegal visa 

worker! 

The report finds that the Immigration Department has 

investigated at least ten instances of deliberate and 

systematic abuse of overseas residents working illegally 

by employers. 

“It is obvious that the current penalties are simply laughed 

off by these employers,” Mr Noonan said. 

“The previous Government left us with an immigration 

system riddled with loopholes that has allowed employers 

to exploit overseas workers. 

“They failed to act on this issue despite a report 

recommending the law be changed. The Government 

must make its key targets the small minority of 

unscrupulous employers and labour suppliers that illegally 

employ overseas workers. We look forward to making this 

point to Minister Bowen during consultations.” 

Our view is to let Unions have greater instant access 

to sites and wage records to enforce laws such as this 

– we wait with interest to see what happens. 


CFMEU

M E M B E R L E G A L S E R V I C E S 

With Karina Hafford 

Claim your fair entitlement if 

injured in a motor vehicle accident 

If CFMEU WA members or an immediate member of 

their family are involved in a motor vehicle 

accident, Slater and Gordon, your union lawyers 

may be able to help you to get the financial 

compensation that you are entitled too. 

Did you know that you may be able to claim for 

compensation if you are injured in a motor vehicle crash 

or a close relative has been fatally injured and you were 

financially dependant on that person? 

Regardless of whether you are the driver or passenger, 

you may be able to access benefits under the Insurance 

Commission of Western Australia (ICWA) scheme. 

Receiving an injury doesn’t mean you can automatically 

claim compensation. You may not be able to claim if you 

were totally at fault, or the person at fault either drives a 

vehicle registered in another state or is not the owner or 

driver of a car (such as a pedestrian or cyclist). 

If you are unsure whether the circumstances of an 

accident are covered by the ICWA system, you should 

seek legal advice as soon as possible after your accident. 

When a person sustains injuries in a transport accident, 

the law requires that a claim is lodged as soon as 

practicable with the ICWA. If more than 3 years elapse 

from the date of the accident then it is very unlikely that 

the ICWA will accept your claim. Even if you are not sure 

whether your injuries are long term or permanent, you 

should protect your rights and lodge a claim with the 

ICWA, listing every injury that you have sustained. 

Different limitation periods apply for accident victims 

under 18 years of age. 

Injured people with an accepted ICWA claim might be 

able to claim for: 

• reasonable and necessary hospital, medical and 

rehabilitation expenses 

• lost wages and superannuation 

• an allowance towards any decreased capacity to earn 

an income 

• future treatment expenses 

• an allowance for any pain and suffering and 

inconvenience experienced by you as a result of your 

injuries (including any ongoing disability) 

• travelling expenses 

• an allowance for any homecare services you may 

require as a result of your injuries. 

If the injury caused from the motor vehicle accident was 

sustained during the course of your employment, you may 

be entitled to compensation under the WorkCover 

system. Again, it is recommended that you seek legal 

advice for further details. 

For further information CFMEU WA members should 

contact the Union office on 9221 1055 for a referral to 

Slater and Gordon- your preferred union lawyers. 

As a financial CFMEU WA member your initial 

consultation is free. 


CFMEU

S A F E T Y W AT C H 

With Steve McCann 

$250,000 fine over death of pre-apprentice 

A Wangara host employer has been 

fined $250,000 over the death of a 

pre-apprentice supplied by a labour 

hire company in November 2008. 

Quadtilla Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to failing 

to provide a safe workplace under a 

labour hire arrangement and, by that 

failure, causing the death of an employee. 

They were fined in the Perth Magistrates 

Court. 

Quadtilla is a cabinetmaking and finishing 

company, manufacturing wood and 

fibreboard furniture and fit-outs. The 

company stored sheets of material of 

various sizes and weights at its premises 

in stacks leaning against walls. 

When a sheet was needed, one or two 

workers would stand in front of the stack 

while a third worker tilted each sheet onto 

the worker or workers in front of the stack. 

When the required sheet was found, it was 

dragged out from between the other 

sheets, and the workers at the front of the 

stack used their body weight to push the 

sheets back up and onto the wall. 

In November 2008, a worker was selecting 

a sheet from a stack and the sheets 

leaning forward became too heavy for the 

workers holding them up. 

The sheets – estimated to have weighed 

more than 969kg – fell onto and crushed a 

17-year-old pre-apprentice who had been 

working at the premises for about six 

weeks. 

Just eight months before this incident, a 

22-year-old apprentice had died in similar 

circumstances at a workshop in Malaga. 

In March 2007, a worker was killed when a 

slab of stone fell on him in the similar 

circumstances. 

Steve McCann says: 

REPORT UNSAFE SITES NOW 

If you are working in unsafe conditions let us 

know and we’ll fix it- don’t put up with it one 

second longer than you have to – it could cost 

your life or the life of a workmate. 

Call or text me on 0488 102 297 

Email smccann@cfmeuwa.com 

and BE CFMEU SAFE! 


Non EBA sites. Non safe. Non productive. 

On my travels these days, I have the opportunity to visit 

numerous site across the CBD and in some instances 

regional areas. One thing that is glaringly obvious to me is 

that the sites that have an EBA builder running them, are 

by far the cleanest and safest. 

In some instance I have stood in disbelief watching one of 

these ‘2 bob’ outfits knowingly and openly place their 

workers at serious risk of injury or worse. Without 

hesitation or a second thought. 

The photographs that I have taken at some of these sites 

would be enough to prosecute the builder. Worksafe 

Inspectors would have a field day, if there was one 

available. (A big ask these days). 

A GREAT EXAMPLE IS THE PHOTO ABOVE 

2 blokes on an open edge, the pallet of glass not secured 

to the forks, bouncing all over the place, area below not 

bunted off and, the icing on the cake, is that the site 

supervisor is standing watching this directing traffic 

without a traffic control ticket. (This mob was just chosen 

above an EBA builder for an upcoming project.......a 

message to the client: GOOD LUCK!!) 

But as stated by a Worksafe director recently “the unions 

must provide us with proof that these serious breaches 

are taking place before we will attend”. 

So amazingly we have to do the ground work for these 

muppets before they consider our claims to be genuine. 

Not surprising that the industry views that department as 

an absolute joke. 

So it is down to the union to provide and maintain safe 

workplaces and the first step in achieving this is signing 

an EBA. 

The advantages of having an EBA are fairly straight 

forward: 

1. There will be a safety representative on site to 

ensure that all work practices are being carried out 

in a safe manner and in accordance with the 

companies’ policies and procedures. 

2. The site will be clean and organised. 

3. All safety issues will be dealt with in a timely and 

organised manner. 

4. LTI/MTI’s will be significantly lower than an non 

EBA site 

5. Workers will be receiving the going EBA rate and in 

turn producing a superior product at the end of the 

day. 

6. Projects will be almost certainly being delivered on 

time and on budget. 

So if there are any builders wondering what the benefits 

of being EBA are, then look no further than this article and 

then contact the office and we will do the rest. 


CFMEU


With Matt Waters & Peter Joshua 

Mould outbreak at Perth Arena 

There has been a serious mould 

outbreak at the Perth Arena 

complex – it is believed that internal 

paneling and acoustic panels had to 

be replaced after mould was 

discovered. 

CFMEU Western Australia Assistant 

Secretary, Joe McDonald, said the 

union had notified officials of the 

risk to workers. 

"Perth Arena has been beset with 

numerous problems during 

construction, and this latest 

problem with mould could see 

panels being replaced and delaying 

the building process and cost 

further," Mr McDonald said. 

"The arena is alleged to have had 

problems with water leakage and 

seepage from its underground car 

park, which may have contributed to 

this problem." 

The project to build the state-of-theart 

indoor sports and entertainment 

venue was originally slated to cost 

$160 million, but has blown out to 

an estimated $500 million plus. 

The project was announced in 2005 

and was due to be completed in 

January 2009. 

WA Premier Colin Barnett did not 

hide his frustration at the latest 

news, saying the mould was likely a 

result of a wet winter. 

"This is a project which has 

been dogged by problems 

and this is just yet another 

one," Mr Barnett said. 

"I just wait and hope and 

pray this thing will be finally 

built and finished." 

SAFETY HAZARD 

Mould panelsfrom 

Perth Arena. 

WORKSAFE INEFFECTIVE: 

As one of the workers on the site was heard to comment; if it wasn’t so old there 

wouldn’t be any mould!” 

Mr Barnett should also seriously take a look at the complete ineptitude of 

Worksafe WA says McDonald. When Worksafe WA was alerted to problems of 

mould at the site they didn’t even bother to investigate. (See story related to this 

issue about Worksafe.) 


CFMEU



Mates in Construction 

Statistics show that suicide mortality rates from the 

Construction Industry are an alarming 75% higher than average 

Australian male rates. According to internal figures from CBUS, 

from 1998-2004, the rate of possible suicides among their 

membership is 43 per 100,000. This is a staggering contrast 

from the national suicide mortality rate in Australia in 2002 

of 11.8 deaths per 100,000 (De Leo & Heller, AISRAP 2004). 

In Queensland suicide rates are even higher for young 

construction workers, between the ages of 15 and 24, 

where the rates were 60 in every 100,000 workers. 

These statistics reflect a similar situation in the WA 

construction industry. There have been 10 suicide related 

deaths in the WA construction industry so far this year. 

Kevin Reynolds opens the 

program launch 

The WA Construction Industry 

Redundancy Fund (WACIRF) has for 

the past five years, been funding a 

grief counselling service provided 

by Converge International. 

Even though the service reached 

many people, the Board believed 

that there must be a way of 

enhancing the service. For the past 

twelve months, investigations into 

how to provide a better service have 

been undertaken. 

In June of this year, a number of 

Directors and the CEO of the Fund 

visited Queensland and observed 

how Mates in Construction was 

carried out in that state. 

They returned and reported that the 

scheme was widely accepted in the 

Queensland Construction Industry. 

In four years, approximately 15,000 

building workers have undertaken 

General Awareness Training and no 

less than 117 sites are accredited 

MIC sites. 

The WACIRF Board decided it 

would sponsor a like system in WA 

and on Friday the 9th September, 

the system was officially launched 

at the Fiona Stanley Hospital 

Building Site. 

Kevin Reynolds introduced Murray 

Rzepecki, the CEO of WACIRF, who 

made the announcement and 

launched the scheme. 

The WACIRF Board appreciated the 

support and assistance the Union 

have given the scheme and also 

thanked Brookfield Multiplex and in 

particular, Jon Stone, the Project 

Director and his staff for offering the 

site as the pilot site for the scheme. 

Murray Rzepecki from 

WACIRF gives his total support 

As you read this article, the wheels 

are turning to create the necessary 

legal entities and recruit staff to 

deliver the service on a number of 

Perth Building Sites. 

It is envisaged that all major building 

companies and other key 

stakeholders in the building and 

construction industry will come on 

board in a combined effort to 

introduce the program on all sites. 

Special thanks must also go to Joe 

Dziadulewicz, Mick Buchan, Terry 

O’Brien, Rob Lee and Ian Hawkins. 

Mates in Construction (MIC) is an 

educative program designed to train 


launches in WA. 

people on construction sites on 

several levels – from helping identify 

‘at risk’ signs of suicide to providing 

more direct counselling for people 

who may be in a highly threatening 

situation. 

At the launch, Mick Buchan said 

“It’s all about mates looking after 

each other – being able to identify 

signs of abnormal behaviour and 

knowing what to do.” 

“It could be as simple as just making 

yourself available for a chat, asking 

someone if they are okay – a 

problem shared, is a problem 

halved. The MIC program has been 

voted the best suicide prevention 

program in Australia and we are 

proud to be a part of its introduction 

into WA.” 

Mick Buchan 

CFMEU and 

James Moore 

from ME bank 

lend their 

support. 

The workers listen intently 

to the launch of MIC 


CFMEU



ENQUIRY NEEDED 

Into Worksafe WA 

The reporting of mould at the Perth Arena Entertainment complex 

highlighted another problem that is all too prevalent within the 

construction industry. The complete indifference by Worksafe WA 

in responding to safety based complaints made by this union and 

others. 

When the story broke about a safety hazard – mould – at Perth Arena, the 

media was told directly by Worksafe WA that they would not investigate Perth Arena based on the CFMEU’s 

complaint unless the union provided Worksafe with evidence or a worker made a direct complaint... 

Hello! 

Worksafe is an investigative unit that 

has the right to enter worksites to 

carry out their own investigations, 

collect evidence based on 

complaints, act on them and 

prosecute if need be. 

All too often they turn up after the 

serious and sometimes fatal 

consequences of a safety procedure 

gone wrong. They are reactive not 

proactive or preventative. 

Questions need to be asked of the 

Minister responsible for Worksafe, 

Simon O’Brien; Why Worksafe WA 

would not investigate this site. Do 

they have a directive from the top 

not to create a disturbance which 

may cause delays to a government 

project which is already way behind 

schedule? Is the government 

themselves only interested in a race 

to the finish line, and in the process, 

putting workers safety at risk? 

This union has countless records 

which show Worksafe WA did NOT 

turn up to investigate complaints 

made by this union. 

Simon O’Brien – 

Minister for Worstsafe? 

IF they do turn up, response times 

are far too long. This further adds to 

the frustration felt within the 

construction industry. 

As a consequence Worksafe WA 

continues to suffer a lack of respect 

and credibility from those which it is 

supposed to serve. 

If they don’t work for the interest of 

workers and their safety, who do 

they work for? 

We call on the Minister for 

Commerce, Simon O’Brien, to hold 

an investigative enquiry into the 

internal workings of Worksafe WA. 

They are a complete waste of tax 

payers money. 

PROOF: 

Why didn’t 

Worksafe collect 

the evidence? 


CFMEU

MEMBER FINANCIAL SERVICES 

With James Mo ore 

CFMEU members: Forget 

which bank, switch banks... 

HERE’S WHY…. 

From day one, ME Bank’s goal has been to give CFMEU 

members better value banking and real service with a nononsense 

approach to borrowing, with products that are 

simple, straightforward and offer value-for-money to 

Australians. All with low fees or no fees, low interest rates 

and higher returns built in for union members. 

In keeping with our commitment we are pleased to 

announce the launch of the new EveryDay Transaction 

Account with Debit MasterCard ® . Shop in-store, online, 

over the phone and overseas – all using your own money. 

With the convenience of Tap & Go with MasterCard 

PayPass, ATM* and EFTPOS, free direct debits and direct 

credits, you can access your money 24/7. Plus, every time 

you press ‘Credit’ your transactions will be protected by 

MasterCard’s security features. 

As a CFMEU member, ME Bank will waive the monthly 

account keeping fee when you deposit at least $500 

per month – like your salary. We will even help you 

switch your bank. 

You can even choose the colour of your Debit MasterCard 

- Lime, Metallic and the limited edition PINK card which 

supports the National Breast Cancer Foundation’s 

research projects. 

The PINK Debit MasterCard is only available from April to 

June and September to November each year, and each 

time you make a purchase using your PINK card, ME 

Bank will donate 1 cent to the National Breast Cancer 

Foundation. 

This is the first time Australians have been given the 

opportunity to help raise funds for research into a disease 

which sees more than 10,000 people diagnosed every 

year. Over the next three years, ME Bank expects over 

$300,000 in donations via the PINK Debit MasterCard. 

With an EveryDay Transaction Account you can spend 

more time doing the things you love and less time doing 

your everyday banking. 

To find out more, visit mebank.com.au/everyday 

*15 free ATM transactions per month, subsequent transactions will incur a 

$1.50 fee. Withdraw cash with your Debit MasterCard at any ME Bank, 

Westpac, St.George and Bank SA ATM (except ATM’s at BP stations). Fees 

and charges apply. Terms and conditions available on request. Please consider 

if this product is appropriate for you. 

Members Equity Bank Pty Limited ABN 56 070 887 679. 

For assistance please call James Moore on 0438 766 327 or email address james.moore@mebank.com.au 


CFMEU



John Holland case fails against CFMEU 

FAILED! 

Leighton’s subsidiary, John 

Holland Constructions has failed 

in its case against the CFMEU for 

inciting and causing strike action 

at its Worsley operation south of 

WA following the dangerous 

collapse of a giant crane boom in 

January 2010. 

Holland’s had charged the union 

under the BCII Act which carries 

maximum penalties to the union of 

up to $110,000 and $22,000 for each 

union official involved. CFMEU 

Assistant Secretary Graham Pallot 

and Organiser Troy Smart were both 

charged for inciting the strike. The 

workers had genuine fears for safety 

procedures resulting from the 

accident, which led to a volatile 

situation. The union and its officers 

had to travel to the site to hold a 

meeting advising the workers not to 

strike, according to CFMEU State 

Secretary Kevin Reynolds. “Our 

advice to the workers was to go 

back to work and go through the 

normal safety and dispute 

procedures. Around 51 workers 

walked off the job and Holland’s 

thought they would get a free kick 

under the BCII Act by blaming the 

union and going for maximum 

penalties. Holland couldn’t even 

prove that any of those 51 workers 

were at the meeting.” 

Joe McDonald with ACTU President Ged Kearney on a recent visit to Perth. 

Justice Barker said he was satisfied that the union had not acted to incite or 

vote up a strike action. Holland’s also withdrew a damages claim against the 

union resulting from an article in the Collie Mail. 

POLICE DROP CHARGES AGAINST McDONALD. AGAIN. 

Joe McDonald has had charges dropped in accordance with failing to obey a 

police move on notice at Queens Riverside Apartment complex on 4 July 2011. 

A statement issued from the consultant state prosecutor, Brent Meertens says; 

Having carefully considered the evidence, I have reached the view that 

there are no reasonable prospects of conviction and the charge of failing 

to obey an order given by an officer will be discontinued. 

McDonald says: that police ‘move on notices’ are now being handed out like 

confetti. 

There’s more than an element of the old Section 54b law that applies to move 

on notices, in relation to using these notices to stop people gathering to meet 

in the course of trying to carry out their job. 

This is the second move on notice in as many months which have been 

dropped against McDonald. 


CFMEU

S A F E T Y W AT C H 

With Steve McCann 

GLASS SHATTERS WORKERS LEG: 

BOSS COPS $15,000 FINE! 

A company that installs aluminium 

and glass facades in buildings has 

been fined $15,000 after a labour 

hire worker's leg was fractured by 

glass panels. 

Access Alum Australia was fined in 

the Perth Magistrates Court after 

pleading guilty to failing to provide a 

safe workplace under a labour hire 

arrangement. 

In July 2009, Access Alum Australia 

hired workers to install aluminium 

and glass facades at the Sky 

Apartment complex in Perth. 

The glass was delivered to the site 

in a large wooden crate containing 

30 glass panels, each weighing 

about 56kg. 

The wooden crate was standing 

vertically and when it was opened, 

the front of the crate and the panels 

fell forward, pinning one of the 

labourers underneath them and 

fracturing his left femur. 

This should serve as a warning to 

labour hire companies to ensure 

that workplaces are safe for the 

workers to be sent to them. 

Steve McCann says: 

REPORT UNSAFE SITES NOW 

If you are working in unsafe 

conditions let us know and we’ll 

fix it – don’t put up with it one 

second longer than you have to. It 

could cost your life or the life of a 

workmate. 

Call or text me on 0488 102 297 

Email smccann@cfmeuwa.com 

and BE CFMEU SAFE! 

S A F E T Y H A R M O N I S AT I O N 


Gillard makes safety weaker in WA 

The Gillard government is allowing Western 

Australia to be exempt in five areas of the 

Harmonisation of National Occupational Health 

and Safety Law. 

Those areas are; 

• Maximum penalties for serious breached of workplace 

laws in WA will be less than those in every other state. 

Under the Harmonised laws, the maximum penalty 

which can apply to an employer will increase to 

$3 million; while in WA the most an employer can be 

fined will be about half that amount. 

• No third party right to prosecute. Under WA law, if 

WorkSafe choose not to pursue an employer, then it’s 

case closed. 

• No right of entry under Occupational Health and Safety 

Law, provisions will remain under the state Industrial 

Relations Act 

Glasses 

are on but 

she’s blind 

to better 

WA safety. 

• WA will be the only state where properly trained Health 

and Safety Representatives will not be able to direct 

work to stop when they see a serious and imminent 

safety problem. 

• Protection against discrimination for raising health and 

safety issues with your employer will be significantly 

weaker in WA than in every other state. 


CFMEU

O F F C U T S 


Keeping member’s up to date with news 

from around the country... 

LEIGHTON’S SAY TOO MANY 

DEATHS. 

Here’s one for your file. Stephen 

Sasse, head of Organisational 

Strategy at Leighton’s has come out 

in print and said that there are too 

many deaths on Construction sites. 

Our death rate is almost twice that 

of the UK and trending up. We don’t 

suppose the advent of the ABCC 

has had anything to do with that 

figure? 

ARE YOU MISSING OUT ON 

THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS? 

William Hodge worked for the same 

bricklaying company six days a 

week for 11 years, yet did not see a 

cent in superannuation. The 37- 

year-old brickie's labourer, who 

claimed he was sacked when he 

raised the issue with his employer, 

DMW Bricklaying Services, also 

missed out on other entitlements 

including holiday pay, sick pay, 

overtime and penalty rates. Through 

the Construction, Forestry, Mining 

and Energy Union, Mr Hodge, a 

Campbelltown father of three, 

claimed about $70,000 in unpaid 

superannuation from DMW Brick 

laying Services and its director, 

Darren Mathew Williams, which 

employed him under an Australian 

Business Number. 

If you’re getting ripped off 

contact our office on 9221 1055. 

ABCC LEAVES FOUL TASTE IN 

MOUTH 

A federal magistrate has rubbished 

an Australian Building and 

Construction Commission 

case, brought against two 

union officials for swearing, as 

a “waste of public funds”. 

NSW CFMEU State Secretary, 

Mal Tulloch slammed the whole 

charade. “The judge confirmed what 

we’ve always known, that the ABCC 

is an absolute waste of taxpayer’s 

money. They have been given 

millions to try and change the 

culture of the building industry and 

the best they can do is to ping two 

of our union officials for swearing. 

It’s a disgrace and the government 

should abolish it now.” 

Who the f___ am I to disagree? 

APPRENTICESHIP WAGES 

Apprentice carpenters, electricians 

and plumbers surviving on povertylevel 

wages have won the Gillard 

Government’s backing for a boost 

to their pay. Workplace Relations 

Minister Chris Evans admitted the 

low wages paid to first and 

SOLIDARITY WITH OUR QUEENSLAND BROTHERS. 

second-year apprentices were a 

"barrier" to encouraging young 

people to take up a skilled trade. 

The Government would make a 

"very strong submission" to Fair 

Work Australia when the industrial 

umpire started an inquiry into 

apprenticeship wages, he said. 

Employers are expected to resist. 

Our comment: It would be better 

if the federal government canned 

the ABCC and put some of their 

huge annual budget towards 

paying apprentices more and 

creating more training 

opportunities. 

WA workers show there support for QLD brothers and sisters 

Laing O’Rourke in QLD withdrew from negotiations on new EBA – so we 

decided to rally outside their Perth office and give them the message to 

negotiate in good faith. We’ll see a lot more national solidarity in support of 

various sate issues in the future. 


CFMEU

Local 

assistance 

when you 

need it 

At Cbus, we want our members to have someone they can speak to face 

to face, to answer any questions and explain the ins and outs of super. 

Allan Hughes is based in our Perth office and is here to answer any 

questions you may have about your Cbus membership. 

Contact Allan: 

Call 9463 3942 or 

0419 939 071 

You can also arrange for Allan to 

come and visit you on site. 

Cbus’ Trustee: United Super Pty Ltd ABN 46 006 261 623 

AFSL 233792 Cbus ABN 75 493 363 262. 

Read the Cbus Product Disclosure Statement to decide whether Cbus is right for you.



Workmates rally 

around fire victim 

CBD CFMEU Organiser Matt Watters, left, 

with a grateful Paul Milton. 

Travel insurance saves 

member $6000! 

CFMEU member David Cunningham, a carpenter on Raine Square, flew 

back to Scotland for a holiday earlier this year and was happy to learn 

that as a financial member he got free travel insurance. Little did he know 

then, how lucky he was going to be. While in Scotland his wife Jacqueline 

stumbled on a kerb and dislocated her knee, just before they were to fly 

back to Perth. The hospital said her leg had to be in an extended position 

on the long journey home. The only way to ensure this, was for Jacqueline 

to fly Business class, giving her leg the room needed. The extra cost of a 

business class seat was $6000, all of which was covered by the free 

CFMEU Travel Insurance. 

Right: David Cunningham – Member Travel Insurance saves him $6000! 

One of the great things about being a CFMEU 

member is that when things get tough or life 

deals you a bad hand, our members are always 

willing to step in to help. Such was the case 

with Paul Milton a carpenter on the Raine 

Square job in the city. 

Paul’s home was broken into by burglars and 

just for good measure they set fire to his house 

before they left. Paul and his family, including 

two young kids – a baby boy just 20 months 

and a 5 year old boy lost everything. 

When the crew on Raine Square found out, 

they immediately whipped into action and 

raised a total of $4,500 to help Paul and his 

family get back on their feet. 

Paul was overwhelmed by the generosity of his 

fellow union members and crew. He would 

especially like to say thanks to Global Hi-Tech, 

Yuanda, Peter Spencer, Peter Ballard, Ben 

Matthews, Clint Reynolds and all the boys on 

Raine Square who chipped in. THANK YOU! 

BE PAID UP AND PROUD Join the CFMEU now! 

SEE OUR WEBSITE FOR GREAT MEMBER BENEFITS www.cfmeuwa.com 

CHECK OUT OUR FREE TRAVEL INSURANCE AND MORE. 


CFMEU

C I T Y R O U N D U P 

With Matt Waters and Peter Joshua 

C2 and city work reaching new heights 

Alan Williams and the crew doing a great job. 

C2 has reached new heights with 

the tower completed when the 

Universal rigging crew erected a 

33M steel structure to the top of the 

47 storey high building (look out 

Dubai, Perth’s on the map!) 

On the heritage side, with the old 

West Australian building in the 

Terrace, delegate Alan Williams is 

doing a fantastic job making the old 

look new. The whole crew at C2 has 

done a sensational job getting it to 

this stage. 

With still no news on the finalisation 

of the Melbourne Hotel, Cooper and 

Oxley are almost finished at the 

Mercedes College site after they 

came in half way though and picked 

up the pieces from a company called 

Sizer. 

With the end of the year rapidly 

approaching, things are looking up 

for workers around town with future 

work including Holland’s sinking of 

the railway. The first steps of 

construction sees demobilisation of 

the old pedestrian footbridge. 

Jamac have started a 4-storey office 

block in West Perth where Crown 

will be doing the formwork. 

Preserving the past – 

old media relics moved 

to Osborne Park 

Just down the road at Parliament 

Place PACT are doing a 4-storey 

office complex with GFWA 

undertaking the piling and Anchor 

Formwork and Leslie Concrete 

taking on the structure. 

Savcor Finn has started work on the 

old State Library with ScaffWest and 

Wroxton re-doing all the old 

brickwork. 

Over in Northbridge on Pier Street, 

Broad is starting demolition to make 

way for Leighton’s new HQ, a job 

worth in excess of $80 million. 

On Wellington Street, Brajkovich 

Demolition have taken a massive 

chunk out of the old Perth 

Entertainment Centre, with demo to 

be completed by the end of 

November. This will provide 5.6 

hectares of land for residential and 

retail development once the rail line is 

sunk. 

So all in all, there’s plenty of work 

happening in the foreseeable future. 

Perth Arena has had problems with 

mould (see story this issue). 

Stay strong, paid up and proud. 

All the way with the new EBA! 


CFMEU

SOUTH METROPOLITAN REPORT 

With Mark Hudston 

Thanks to the union, workers have 

top class amenities like these 

today at Fiona Stanley Hospital 

Fiona Stanley Hospital is 

changing to more of a 

finishing trades site as most 

of the building works are 

approaching completion. 

CASC, D&Z and Form 700 have all 

started lay offs and New Wave has 

moved some workers to other sites. 

The ceiling and wall companies are 

building up with Ceilcon having 

about 130 workers on site (ceiling 

and wall fixers, flushers looking for 

work should try Ceilcon, WACI’s or 

Nuceil). Global Windows have laid 

some workers off as Block A comes 

closer to an end. The new amenities 

at Camp 3 would have to be the 

best I have ever come across with 3 

canteens now open. 

The members on site now, around 

800, are eager to get stuck into the 

next round of EBA’s due in 

November. The delegates on site 

are presently pursuing discussions 

and negotiations with all the 

companies on behalf of the 

members. Like all Perth suburbs a 

lot of jobs are coming to an end and 

the south west suburbs are no 

different. The only new site of any 

size due to start around Christmas 

will be the CSBP site, if all the 

rumours are to be believed. 

Down on the strip, CSI are working 

at the Port end of the Carina Iron 

Ore site and have tried to have a 

agreement voted up (put forward by 

the company). I am eager to see if 

the workers on site vote it down. 

When I last had discussions with our 

members on site the indication was 

that they weren’t copping the 

companies line. As one of the 

workers said “the rates aren’t even 

close to what I got on the last union 

agreement” and after checking I 

agree. They were a lot lower than 

the last site he was on (Kwinana 

Power Station). 

AMC looks full, with a lot of work 

being done for the Gorgon project at 

the Henderson site. Leighton’s 

members are telling me that the 

money is now better since Leighton’s 

saw the light and started to pay a 

travel allowance on site. They have 

also increased the hours. Now all the 

members are looking for is a pay out 

of their sick days not taken, 

severance and PIP when they leave. 

Leighton’s barge crew bound for 

Gorgon have had their own 

problems, but some of the issues 

have been fixed after meetings at 

the ship and dock. 

Any member having any issues in 

the South Metropolitan suburbs 

can contact Mark Hudston on 

0419 812 864. 


CFMEU

O F F S I T E A R E A S 

With Aaron Mackrell & Pat Heathcote 

Call us now to visit your area 

It’s been a while since we’ve had a 

dedicated yard/off site area organiser 

but now there are two! It may also 

have been a while since members in 

these yards and off site areas have 

been visited by an organiser but we 

want you all to know that we are 

doing our best to get around to 

everyone as quickly as we can. 

Our focus over the last few months 

has been the Health Department and 

Local Government. 

We are currently negotiating new 

agreements for the Perth, Fremantle, 

Stirling, Wanneroo and Joondalup 

Shires, alongside the Local 

Government Union to get the best 

outcome for our members across 

Perth metro shires. 

The Health Department are about to 

begin their negotiations for a new 

EBA and are hoping for a better offer 

than the previous agreement. 

As these negotiations continue we 

will be visiting all the metro hospitals 

and some of the country and 

regional health centres including 

Northam, Narrogin, Katanning, 

Albany, Bridgetown, Manjimup and 

Busselton, further cementing our 

creed of being the union that shows 

up! 

If you haven’t seen either of your 

organisers yet give, us a call and 

we’ll arrange a time to come and 

visit. Remember, that the more 

members we have in your workplace 

the more power you have to better 

your wages and conditions. Workers 

who stick together, win together! 

Call Aaron on 0403 432 221 or Pat 

on 0459 135 033. 

NORTHERN SUBURBS ROUND UP 

With Seamus Byrne & Matt Balde 

It’s business as usual in the northern 

suburbs with many jobs nearing 

completion. 

Scarborough will soon become a 

hive of activity with three potential 

projects due to begin by the end of 

the year. 

These projects are a mix of retail 

and residential with the White Sands 

Development, the long overdue 

refurbishment of the Observation 

City Hotel and another new 

apartment complex further north 

Scarborough on the move 

along West Coast Highway. 

However, the start date of these 

projects will depend on projected 

sales so watch this space! 

It’s still full on down at QEII Medical 

Centre with Probuild about to start 

the carpark. This is alongside the 

BGC Cancer and Pathology 

Centres, Doric’s WAIMR Facility and 

Brookfield Multiplex’s Central 

Energy Plant. In the Nedlands area 

Probuild will soon start construction 

on new and upgraded student 

accommodation facilities at UWA. 

Further North there is work in and 

around Subiaco with Merit 

Constructions building a new office 

for REIWA on Hay Street and 

another small development on 

Troode Street. Heading west into 

Jolimont, Badge Constructions 

have begun work on a new aged 

care facility. Over in Oxford Street 

Leederville Diploma are a starting a 

new unit development for Perth’s 

homeless population. 

Pindan’s construction of the Butler 

Senior High School is underway as 

well as the continuation of the 

northern train line. 

That about wraps things up for the 

Northern Suburbs, 

If you are working in this area and 

want to join the union or are a 

member needing assistance call 

your Organisers Seamus Byrne 

on 0419 812 866 and Matt Balde 

on 0405 081 874. 


CFMEU

S O U T H W E S T R E P O R T 

With Troy Smart 

It’s a disgrace that union officials 

have no decent meeting places to 

discuss issues with workers – we 

should have decent amenities on all 

sites in the 21 century. 

The Worsley project is starting to 

wind down with the project coming 

to its inevitable conclusion. 

Unfortunately this also means lay 

offs are happening with workers 

working out their week’s notice. 

It’s a shame they don’t pay out the 

weeks in lieu. With BHP earning $22 

Billion dollars profit last financial 

year you would think there’s no 

shortage of money to reward the 

blokes for a job well done by letting 

them go early with some extra dosh 

in their pockets. 

Workers would then have more time 

to find a new job without the stress 

and financial pressure that comes 

from looking for work in between 

projects. If not forthcoming, the 

workers need to remember that one 

weeks notice is all that’s required to 

leave the job. 

The power station project is going 

along smoothly now that AEE have 

left and Thiess have taken over. It’s 

now due for completion by mid next 

year. 

Boddington is all finished with LOR 

having to back pay all the night shift 

workers for their 20 minute 

afternoon breaks – LOR should have 

read the agreement! 

Kemberton seem to making slow 

progress with engineers on the 

project saying the structural steel is 

not rated enough for pipe supports 

to hang off the buildings, more 

bracing is needed. Go figure – 

you’d think they get it right first 

time! 

Worsley- Union 

organisers say: 

Where’s our 

amenities?! 

The structural steel was imported 

but quality didn’t come with it. They 

should support local content and 

use steel products that are made 

here to proper standards! 

Down in Albany, John Holland are 

doing the hospital with Advance 

Formwork and Dependable Steel 

Fixing, all slugging it out in the lovely 

Albany weather. 

The next stage of the Desal plant 

starts soon and we are waiting to 

see who the builder will be, there will 

be an estimated 400 jobs up for 

grabs once it gets underway. 

The Urea Plant is in a holding 

pattern due to court battles over 

price and supply of coal delaying 

the start. Watch this space to see 

what happens. 

The CFMEU, the union that shows 

up! 

Wherever you work in the greater 

South West, if you need to see the 

union give me call on 0419 812 871 

and we’ll get to your site. 

REMEMBER: Stay financial – be paid up and proud. 

Call Troy Smart on 0419 812 871 


CFMEU

M I D W E S T R E P O R T 


At the Karara mine site which is 

an iron ore mine 300+kms from 

Perth and about 270kms east 

out of Geraldton, there isn’t 

much action unless you’re one 

of the bosses that recently got 

the flick. 

The steel has finally started to arrive, 

but it’s for the top not the bottom 

gear. The members still believe they 

can put it up as soon as the sky 

hooks arrive. 

AGC are now on site and will be 

looking to increase their numbers of 

about 90 on site (total workforce 

600+). Any members looking for 

work should call AGC now as they 

will be recruiting. 

The jobs R&R cycle is 16 & 5 and 

they are targeting WA based 

workers. Kilarnee have left the site 

with a number of our members 

coming to us to having their final 

payments scrutinised. And surprise, 

surprise, it’s beginning to look like 

there are a number of errors in the 

employers favour! If you are a 

former employee and a member 

give me a call and I will gladly chase 

Oakajee: Pressure is on Barnett to make it happen 

up any discrepancies. A number of corner on Karara’s port site, 

employers out there have forgotten Wearsides crew are powering along. 

to pass on the site allowance A change in a manager there makes 

increase but we are on to them. 

The latest union agreements done 

on site have given the workers two 

all the difference it would seem. 

Lange O’Rourke are about to lay 

more workers off as their contract 

half hour breaks (morning and nears an end. 

lunch) plus a 20 minute crib break 

after 8 hours. A new standard for 

The Oakajee port and rail job seems 

to have dropped off the radar and a 

iron ore jobs. 

lot of Geraldton people are 

Geraldton building work has beginning to say it’s another 

slowed to a trickle with the only 

new site being the long waited 

Kingstream – a job talked about for 

years that never started – that cost a 

Marina Apartments being lot of locals money on. 

constructed by local builder Colin Barnett needs to earn his 

Crothers. 

money and get this job up and 

WA structures are doing the running!! 

formwork on that one. 

The silos site is still plodding along 

with no major issues. Around the 

Want more information on jobs in 

the Mid West? Give me a call on 

0419 812 864. 

Asbestos 

Can you help? 

Did you work, or do you know of anyone who worked, at: 

Robbins Concrete, Beazley Homes or Readymix in Tom Price in the late 1960's? 

If you can assist, please contact: 

Simon Millman, Tricia Wong or Luisa Dropulich on (08) 9223 4800. 

www.slatergordon.com.au 


CFMEU

G O L D F I E L D S R E P O R T 


Goldfield Cranes members have 

received their pay increase of 7.6% 

along with a 25% increase in their 

travel money which brings them 

closer to other Crane Operators in 

the Goldfields. 

While the members are still behind, 

the gap between them and the other 

companies is closing with the 

difference now being in the 

allowances. 

There have been a number of shut 

downs been done in the last few 

months and any one looking to do 

shuts in the Goldfields should 

contact Goldfields Crane Hire who 

are always on the look out for Crane 

Operators and Riggers. 

Murrin Murrin has also had some 

shut downs, as well as on-going 

maintenance work that our 

members carry out. On my last visit 

to site the members let me know 

about a close call one of the crane 

operators had on site. When doing 

regular maintenance, a pipe was cut 

into, releasing a explosion that hit a 

crane with the operator inside the 

cab. The crane operator was lucky 

this time, but everyone should 

realise how dangerous operating 

plants can be and how totally 

different operating plants are on 

Greenfields sites. 

The construction works at MT Keith 

are coming to an end. The first new 

substantial gold mine in the 

goldfields for many years is due to 

start, but is a hell of a hike from 

Kalgoorlie. It’s called Tropicana and 

the CFMEU will be looking for a site 

agreement on it. Freo’s may have 

some initial work on the mine 

bringing in the fly camp. Cooper and 

Oxley are about to commence work 

on the Court House refurbishment 

while Pindan are about half way 

through the Hospital job. 

Merridan has seen the wind farm 

completed and the members with 

Saren’s Cranes have moved onto 

other jobs. A new site has started in 

town, the CTEC Power Station site 

and I have completed a site 

agreement for it. 

CSI are constructing an Iron Ore 

mine at Carina with Form Action 

doing the concrete works on site. 

The agreement is not the best (not a 

CFMEU agreement) and CSI forgot 

to pay Portable Long Service Leave. 

I am working on getting that fixed. 

Any members wanting to know 

about work in the Goldfields 

can give Mark Hudston a call on 

0419 812 864. 

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: 

Your legal advice 

card. Don’t lose it. 

Slater and Gordon is your union lawyer and they have 

produced a special card for members when who need 

legal advice. You never know when a lawyer is going to 

come in handy, so keep this card in your wallet, purse, or 

vehicle glovebox. When you need advice on legal issues 

such as Family Law, Criminal Law, Workers 

Compensation, Motor Vehicle Injury Claim, Workers 

Compensation and other areas of law call the union for 

your referral – for union members their spouse and kids. 

Don’t lose it. Keep it handy. 


CFMEU

VA L E 

With Graham Pallot 

Peter De Ruyter R.I.P. 

What can we say about a man who gave so much of his life to helping others live theirs? 

Peter De Ruyter sadly passed away with a condition this industry knows only 

to well, mesothelioma. 

Peter was a construction industry worker most of his life. A life cut far too 

short but one that will long live on in the skills, wisdom and knowledge he 

passed on to many workers he helped to train at the Construction Skills 

Training Centre. 

Many of our members probably trained under Pete’s guidance at the CSTC, 

where he had an ever present smile and sharp eye for doing things right. 

He was more than a builder of things. He built a family, friendships, 

relationships, and along the way a reputation as one of nature’s true 

gentlemen. 

Peter believed in the working rights of others and that dignity, opportunity 

and a way forward came from workers standing together and helping each 

other. 

We stand with Peter’s family now and share their heartbreak and sadness. 

We’ll miss you Pete and always remember you. 

Our sincere condolences to Lynn and family 

Further information on mesothelioma www.asbestosdiseases.org.au 

Steve Alderson’s family says thanks 

Our member Stevie Alderson was sadly taken from us earlier this year. His Mum Pat and his family sent 

a note of thanks to all the crew who supported them after his passing – this is what it said in part. 

“Both Brian, myself and our two sons, Mark and James, thank you all for your kindness, generosity 

and strength of love and will always appreciate how you took us in as your extended family from our 

very first meetings. 

We would like to mention especially all SLH - FIONA STANLEY 

HOSPITAL, SLH - RAINE SQUARE, SLH - CITY SQUARE, CAPE 

SCAFFOLDERS, CFMEU - EQUUS and all who made donations. 

I’m not so naive as to think every single person who met Stephen felt 

great about him. I’m sure there will have been disagreements, 

expletives and the rest just as there are in any family. They were part 

of a life and they now rest in history and as we forgive, let go and 

move on with our lives. 

Our thanks go to all who made it possible for us to go up to the top of 

the building on the Brookfield construction site in Perth. We were able 

to see where Stephen had been currently working prior to his bike 

accident and death.” 


CFMEU



If there’s 

only one book 

you ever read, 

make sure it’s 

this one! 

IF YOU DON’T FIGHT YOU LOSE, 

FIND OUT THE REASONS WHY. 

OUT SOON 

IT’S YOUR HISTORY, YOUR 

STORY, YOUR FUTURE. 

TALK ABOUT IT: ARGUE IT: DEBATE 

IT: BUT MOST OF ALL, READ IT! 

Rank and File Farewell 

Drinks for Kevin Reynolds 

DECEMBER 14TH MEMBERS MEETING 

AT THE CSTC RADIUM STREET WELSHPOOL 

4.30- 7.30 PM 

FOOD AND DRINKS PROVIDED 

Hear Kevin’s last address to the members as WA State 

Secretary. It’s your chance to say thanks and farewell to 

Kevin after representing the workers for 40 years. 

Don’t drink and drive. Organise a skipper or pick up. 


CFMEU

P E T E ’ S PA G E 

With Peta Arnold 

TEAMSTERS: 

TRUCKIN’ FANTASTIC 

The teamsters in the USA are a union with a proud 

militant history- much like our own. Have a look at 

the way they dressed up their campaign truck at a 

recent rally in the USA to support their public 

services. They use this truck as a one stop office and 

campaign HQ – A big semi with a Eureka flag on it 

would look just as awesome don’t you think? 

LES DARCY RETIRES 

Les Darcy with Kevin Reynolds 

who signed him up in ’72. 

Contrary to popular belief Bob Olsen didn’t get every 

ticket in the old days. Steel fixer Les Darcy has 

retired. Les remembers being signed up to the union 

by a young organiser called Kevin Reynolds in 1972, 

the year they both started in the union – and they 

have both been a part of the union all through those 

years. Les has applied for honorary membership. 

Good luck in your retirement Les. 

WAGES 

RISES 

Have a look at 

these wage rates 

from 1978. We’ve 

come a long way, 

thanks to the union 

and its members 

taking up the fight 

for better wages 

and conditions. 

****** 

Collectors 

Item 

$20 

****** 

AUTHENTIC UNION GEAR 

We have plenty of Top Gear in stock. Come in to our 

office from 7.30 - 5pm, see your union organiser or 

site delegate. Grab a John “CUMMO” Cummins shirt 

– a collector’s item while stocks last, for just $20! 

Claire proudly shows 

off her GOLD medals to Kevin Reynolds. 

Claire brings home GOLD! 

CFMEU sponsored female boxer Claire Boxer did herself, 

the union and her profession proud by bringing home 

GOLD at the prestigious Presidents Cup tournament in 

Indonesia. Claire also won best overall boxer at the entire 

tournament. Well done Claire, you’re a knockout and we 

wish you well in your fight to represent Australia at the 

Olympics. If you don’t fight, you lose!

Spring Issue 2011 - cfmeu

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