The Building Worker

The Building Worker
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JOURNAL OF THE CFMEU ACT BRANCH CONSTRUCTION + GENERAL DIVISION
Membership of the CFMEU in Canberra is growing
rapidly. There are currently 3781 members of the
ACT Branch. This is our highest membership
figure since the ‘no ticket, no start’ days of
compulsory unionism.
These are exciting times for the Union. More and more
construction workers want to be a part of the CFMEU, as
you believe that our Union is a positive force for change in
the industry. On your behalf, we are pushing important
issues with companies and governments, such as safety,
workers’ entitlements and future developments in the
industry.
Over the last 18 months, the Union has implemented
a strategy of building the strength of the CFMEU and
making it an organisation that people want to join. Our
strategy has many elements: strong union leadership,
increased presence on-site, greater focus on Enterprise
Bargaining Agreements (EBAs), and a stronger delegate
(employee representative) structure.
Keep on pushing
Let us continue to build a strong Union together. You can
help by:
• talking about the benefits of the Union with other
workers on-site
• becoming a Delegate
• getting involved in your works consultative committee,
to push the Union’s agenda
• contacting your Union organisers or the CFMEU office
when you become aware of issues in your workplace
or to raise the concerns of your fellow workers.
The Union expects continued strong growth in our
membership as we attempt to extend EBAs into new
sectors of the construction and building industries. We
will also continue our campaigns for your rights onsite – notably, calling for the abolition of the ABCC.
summer 2011
The Building Worker
2
Secretary’s Report
lead organiser’s Report
Dean Hall
Halafihi (Fihi) Kivalu
Bad bosses are bad news
in bad weather
ABCC abolished?
Government
puts lipstick
on a pig
The Gillard Government has introduced legislation into the
spring sitting of Federal Parliament to abolish the ABCC and
create a new agency, the Office of the Fair Work Building
Industry Inspectorate. The Bill will also remove various
regulations that apply only to our construction industry and
introduce safeguards against the power that the ABCC has used
to compulsorily obtain information or documents.
Your CFMEU ACT Branch Team
Secretary
Dean Hall
0400 074 573
[email protected]
Assistant Secretary
Jason O’Mara
0433 874 529
[email protected]
Trade: Principals.
President
Jason Jennings
0421 074 572
[email protected]
Organisers
Fihi Kivalu (Lead Organiser)
0410 627 515
[email protected]
Membership Coordinator
Area: Tuggeranong,
Queanbeyan, Fyshwick,
Hume, Parliamentary triangle
and Woden (South of Lake).
Trade: Plasterers, carpenters,
tilers, post tensioning,
cleaners, asbestos,
bricklayers, concrete,
steelfixing, waterproofers, dry
wall & ceilings and facade.
Tony Vitler
0421 074 576
[email protected]
Area: Belconnen and
Gungahlin (North of Lake)
Trade: Scaffolding, cranes,
precast, rigging, windfarm
installation and formwork.
Cameron Hardy
0421 074 578
[email protected]
Area: Government and
Offsite. Trade: Government,
quarry/cement, maintenance,
power generation, kitchens/
joinery and glass/aluminium.
Brett Harrison
0421 074 571
[email protected]
Area: Civil all areas.
Trade: Civil and demolition.
Clyde Stewart
Desktop Organiser
0400 361 294
[email protected]
Gary Hamilton
[email protected]
Industrial Officers
Garry Hamilton and Shayne Hall
Assistant Industrial Officer
Melissa Smith
Office Manager
Susan Benton
Membership Officer
Josh Stephenson
Finding us
The CFMEU ACT Branch Office is
now at 3 Rosevear Place, Dickson
Regular Office Hours:
8:30am–5:00pm, Monday-Friday
Phone: 02 6267 1599
Fax: 02 6249 1247
PO Box 498 Dickson ACT 2602
Email: [email protected]
Organisers are on jobsites from
7:00am Monday–Friday, and can be
contacted in the Branch Office after
3:30pm.
For copies of any CFMEU
documents, leaflets, stickers or
information relating to anything
discussed in this journal, please
contact the Office.
The Government says that
this legislation meets its
commitment to abolish the
ABCC. However, it still does
not meet the demands of the
CFMEU and our members to
scrap the ABCC completely and
have one law for all workers
in Australia. You can rename a
monster, but if you keep most
of its bullying powers (used
exclusively against building
and construction workers),
you can’t tell us that you’ve
abolished the ABCC.
Too much is never enough for
the construction cops
The ABCC’s draconian Section
52 notices allow it to question
people in secret hearings, with
no right to legal representation
or to discuss their questioning
later in public. Not even ASIO
has investigative powers
as sweeping as those of the
ABCC.
Unlike ASIO, the ABCC can’t
claim to be defending Australia
from foreign powers. It only
exists to intimidate Australian
construction workers and
unfairly target union members.
But the ABCC admitted to
a recent Senate committee
hearing that it still over-stepped
even these excessive powers,
illegally interrogating over 200
people.
This should be all the
evidence that the Government
needs to justify its abolition.
Australian taxpayers should be
outraged at the waste of their
time and money that the ABCC
represents.
The CFMEU is calling on the
ABCC to issue an unconditional
apology to the victims of
the defective notices. All
construction workers need to
continue to pressure the Labor
Party, the Greens and the
Independents in Parliament to
abolish all of the secret coercive
powers of the ABCC and
restore our rights as workers.
I wish everyone a safe and
merry christmas and hope
to continue to work with
members in the new year.
Jason O’Mara
New round
of EBAs –
we say: 20%
over 4 years
Not just your hourly rate
A new round of EBAs is
coming up soon in the ACT.
The Union intends to ensure
that all workers covered by the
new EBAs receive no less than
20% increases over the duration
of a four-year deal – not just
in your hourly wage rates, but
also all your other entitlements,
such as super, ACIRT, and
travel and overtime meals
allowances. Nationally, workers
are receiving increases at this
level, and the ACT Branch of
the CFMEU sees no reason why
these increases should not flow
on to our members as well.
In the new round of
agreements, we will also be
pushing BUILT-PLUS accident
and sickness insurance for
all workers covered. We have
already signed around 50
companies up to the BUILTPLUS scheme, which benefits
For more information, go to
Inclement weather: what the
Award says
The Award defines inclement
weather as the existence
of rain or abnormal climatic
conditions (for example, hail,
extreme cold, high winds, a
severe dust storm, extreme high
temperature) or any combination
of these conditions where it is
neither reasonable nor safe for
employees to start or continue
working.
So how do you handle this
on site?
When you or your delegate
believe that the weather is
affecting your job, the employer
must confer with Union reps
within a reasonable time (less
than 60 minutes) to determine
whether you are experiencing
inclement weather. If work on
your site does then stop as a
result, the employer must also
keep a record of the times that
work ceased and resumed.
Payment rates and
protective gear
If you can’t perform work
at any location because of
workers with long-term injuries
and illness who are not covered
by workers’ compensation.
We are also committed to
keeping hard-won industry
conditions such as the 36-hour
week and lock-down weekends
in place over the next four
years.
ASSistant Secretary’s Report
If your site is covered by one,
an Enterprise Bargaining
Agreement (EBA) is the
document that outlines your
pay and conditions over the
term of the agreement (up to
four years).
Because EBAs hold firm for
such a long time, the CFMEU
needs to ensure that our
members receive the best
possible outcome. So we take
a great deal of care and pride
in achieving good wages
and conditions whenever we
negotiate an EBA.
When the weather turns bad,
some bosses tend to bend the
rules and guidelines to suite
themselves.
Don’t get pushed around.
Whenever you have any
concerns about working in
abnormal weather, speak to your
site delegate or call the Union.
I’d like to outline some
key Award points regarding
inclement weather requirements
in the construction industry.
Too much at stake to sell
ourselves short
You need to understand
that, during the bargaining
process, workers are allowed
by law to take industrial action
to achieve good agreements
in their workplace. We can’t
afford to sell ourselves short,
as the loss of just one condition
can cost you and your families
thousands of dollars over the
duration of an agreement.
I am sure we will hear the
usual carry-on from bosses and
industry groups about how
hard it is to run a business and
how they are all going to go
broke.
Well, to this, I say: ‘come and
sit in the boots of our members,
and see how hard it is to run a
household and support a family
on the wages we receive in
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
inclement weather, you will
receive payment at the ordinary
rate for ordinary hours (up to a
maximum of 32 hours’ pay in any
4-week period).
In the case of emergency
work, or to complete a concrete
pour already commenced to
a practical stage, work may
continue if it doesn’t place your
health or safety at risk. If a
concrete pour is completed in
inclement weather, you must
be paid at double-time and also
be provided with adequate wet
weather gear.
If your clothes become wet as
a result of inclement weather,
and you don’t have a change of
clothes with you, your boss must
allow you to go home and be
paid full pay for the day’s work.
Get the Union onto it
Working in extreme weather
should never be tolerated.
However, history tells us that
there are bosses out there who
turn a blind eye to safety and
put profits before safety. You
will inevitably find a contractor
who will always test inclement
weather provisions – and some
cases, get away with it.
Don’t let them. Get your
delegate onto it or call the
Union at 6267 1599.
Merry chrtimas to everyone
and remember the union is
there to assist you on-site.
one of the most dangerous and
unforgiving industries in the
country – an industry being
ravaged by SHAM Contractors
who refuse to pay their
share and are supported by
unscrupulous bosses trying to
gouge every last cent out of the
industry for themselves’.
It’s time to share the
spoils – and in this round of
negotiations, the ACT Branch
will be fighting tooth and nail
to ensure that our members
enjoy conditions similar to or
better than our comrades from
interstate.
So, are you up for the fight?
Call your Organiser to
discuss where your EBA is up
to and when we should start
negotiating. We are always
looking for keen members to
assist the delegates on the
consultative committees.
By being involved, you can
make sure that you and your
workmates get the best
possible deal.
Until next time enjoy
your christmas break and
remember to stay financial
and stay strong.
The Building Worker organiser’s Report
organiser’s Report
Cameron Hardy
Brett Harrison
cfmeu accepts new wages
offer from ACT government
Since I wrote in the last issue of
The Building Worker, unions
have been locking horns with
the ACT Government over the
wage increase for its new
2-year agreement.
The CFMEU and other unions
in the claim’s Single Bargaining
Unit (SBU) indicated to the
Government earlier this year
that we would pursue Protected
Action if it didn’t make a more
realistic offer. As a result of our
stand (and possibly also the
change in ACT Chief Minister),
a new offer of an annual 3%
rise emerged.
Unions involved in the SBU
believed that there was a
chance to boost this offer
further, so we applied to Fair
Work Australia to conduct
a Protected Action ballot of
members, which was granted.
During the lead-up to our
ballot, the Government
increased its offer on 20 July.
It now proposed a 7% increase
over 2 years, but wanted it
to be phased in as 6-monthly
increments. Government
negotiators asked the SBU
unions to relay back possible
alternative ways of delivering
the 7% increase across the
2-year period.
7% over 2 years:
Yes…trade-offs: No
The response of most
SBU unions was that we
appreciated the new offer of
7%. However, we didn’t want
it delivered on a 6-monthly
basis; our preference was for
just two increases, of 3.5%
each year. And we also told the
Government to drop the strings
that it was attaching to the
offer, such ignoring the Anzac
Day public holiday when it fell
on a weekend.
After a ritual statement that
it was ‘disappointed in the
responses, as it is of the view
that the offer was fair and
fiscally responsible’, the ACT
Government got down to brass
tacks on 9 August. It now
offered a 3.5% pay increase
from 18 August, with a further
3.5% increase from 1 July 2012.
As a sign of good faith, it also
agreed to drop its ‘modest
reform agenda’, such as the
Anzac Day proposal mentioned
above.
In line with the FWA order
on Protected Action, the
CFMEU conducted our ballot of
members on 11 and 12 August,
which was an overwhelming
success. Members have
accepted the Government offer
made on 9 August.
I may be in contact with you
all before the festive season
engulfs us. But if I don’t see
you in person, please have a
very Merry Christmas and a
safe new year.
membership OFFICE
Josh Stephenson and Susan Benton
On a high
As reported on the front page,
the Union’s membership in
Canberra is growing rapidly.
We currently have the highest
coverage rate since the days of
‘no ticket, no start’.
What is next for membership?
You may receive a call from
our Desktop Organiser, Clyde
Stewart to discuss how your
job and Union membership
are working for you, or he may
want to receive your feedback
on specific issues that the
Union is confronting.
Next six months due now
The new membership dues
period starts from 1 October
2011, and covers you up till 31
March 2012. Please remember
to pay up and be proud.
Your membership fees allow
the Union to keep doing its
job on-site and lobby decisionmakers for improvements in
the construction industry.
Besides assistance with
industrial issues such as wage
claims and unfair dismissal,
Union members also get other
benefits outside work – from
free membership of Canberra’s
two Tradies clubs, to cheaper
membership at Northside
Fitness Centre. These are
only some of the advantages
of being a paid-up financial
member of the CFMEU.
For any questions regarding
your membership, please do
not hesitate to call the Union
office on 02 6267 1599 or
contact your Organiser.
IF YOU HAVE A STORY TO TELL
ABOUT OUR INDUSTRY, please
contact SHAYNE on
(02) 6267 1599
3
Living Away from Home Allowance: Know your
rights – and make sure your boss does, too
We are currently dealing with
a number of construction
companies that are not paying
the proper Living Away from
Home Allowance to workers
on their sites around Canberra.
The Building and Construction
General On-site Award
2010 clearly states workers’
entitlements when living away
from home or doing distance
work. However, many employers
get it wrong, and their workers
often don’t know what they’re
entitled too.
If you are required to live away
from your usual residence and
you are not reasonably able to
return to your usual residence
that night, you are entitled to
receive the following:
•Living Away from Home
Allowance (presently $413.78
per complete week, or $59.28
per day); OR
•Be provided with reasonable
board and lodging and 3 meals
each day.
What is ‘reasonable board
and lodging’?
Accommodation provided
by your employer must be of
a reasonable standard, having
regard to:
•the location in which work is
performed;
•the provision of reasonable
ablution/laundry, recreational
and kitchen facilities; and
•adequate external lighting,
mail facilities, radio or
telephone contact, and fire
protection.
And a warning: Don’t be forced
into changing your address by
your employee, just so that they
can avoid having to pay living
away from home allowance.
If you think you are not
receiving the correct living
away from home allowance
or have unacceptable living
conditions on your site, contact
the Union so that we can fight
for your entitlements.
I wish you and your families
a happy christmas and new
year.
organiser’s Report
Gary Hamilton
New delegate structure proposed for Union in ACT
‘The CFMEU is committed and
focused on the development
of its delegate structure. So
workers on site are better
represented and serviced by
the Union.’
The below diagram
summarises the proposed
model of the new delegate
structure of the Union’s ACT
Branch.
To explain this process, I
will set out the way forward.
The CFMEU Executive wants
Organisers to invest in and
develop our delegate structure.
We can achieve these changes
with the commitment of
delegates and investment by
the Union. The Branch will
provide the following:
•Run delegate training and
vocational courses;
•Negotiate facility-time
arrangements for active
delegates;
•Have principal company
delegates engage with
Organisers to provide site
‘induction’ lists;
•Give principal company
delegates the responsibility of
recruiting Potential Members
(PTMs) on site, making
collective organisation
arrangements, convening
site delegates meetings, and
chairing the meetings with
support from an assigned
Organiser;
•Hold regular delegates’
meeting, with principal
company delegates to collect
agenda items from trades
on site (including all OH&S
concerns);
•Ensure that concerns around
risk are a standing item on
each delegates’ meeting
agenda;
•Circulate copies of the
minutes from the delegates’
meeting via the group’s
Secretary, which will be an
elected position;
•Election of positions for
delegate structures;
•Give trade delegates and
principle delegates the
responsibility for recruitment
of the trades on site;
•Ensure that CFMEU
Organisers assist in this
process,
‘Without contribution, we
cannot expect a return.’
CFMEU Executive
CFMEU
Organisers
Principal
Contractor
Delegates
Trade
Delegates
Slater & Gordon at the CFMEU
Slater & Gordon provides free initial legal advice to all CFMEU members
who require access to our wide range of legal services.
One of our para legals, Mel Smith now works at the CFMEU Branch
office (3 Rosevear Place, Dickson) on Tuesday, Wednesday and Fridays.
Members can call the CFMEU on 6267 1599 to make an appointment for
legal advice from Mel.
Alternatively, you can contact Slater & Gordon’s main office in Kingston
(See ad on page 14). Remember, your first appointment with a solicitor is
free of charge.
For more information, go to
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
The Building Worker
4
organiser’s Report
desktop Organiser
Tony Vitler
Clyde Stewart
OH&S Harmonistation
From 1 January 2012,
health and safety in
the workplace as
you know it will
change forever.
New national
laws that
take effect on
New Year’s
Day will harmonise occupational health and
safety legislation across Australia. Under the
proposed new OHS laws, you will have to:
•adjust to a completely new set of safety
duties;
•change the way you do business, to comply
with a new range of OHS obligations;
•comply with new restrictions and
consequences for discriminatory conduct; and
•learn new rules for union rights of entry and
rules regarding Health & Safety Reps.
These changes – and many more – will affect
every workplace in Australia, yours included, so
you need to make sure you are prepared.
New laws may compromise
your safety
The Federal Government says that employees
won’t be any worse off under the proposed new
laws – but to us in the ACT, that is going to be
debatable!
Jurisdiction
Why? Because the Federal government hasn’t
tried to bring all States and Territories up to
the top standards of current OHS practices in
Australia. Instead, it has just compromised on a
median standard that all jurisdictions will agree
to. For the ACT, this means that some of our
existing codes may be eroded.
The table below highlights the penalties for
a breach of the new legislation in the top row,
and then compares these to some of the existing
State and Territory penalties.
All CFMEU Safety Reps will need
re-training
The new OHS Act recognises that Reps will
need formal training to understand its rules. So
if you are an onsite Safety Rep, the contractor
on your site must allow you to attend a training
course approved under the Act within 3 months
of you putting in a request.
Once you have completed that training course,
you will have the power to direct work on your
site to cease in certain circumstances and to
issue provisional improvement notices.
This is only a brief summary. If you would like
to know more, please feel free to contact me at
the Union office or on my Mobile.
I would like to wish all members and their
families a Merry Christmas and a very safe
new year.
Maximum Fine
(Corporations)
Maximum Fine
(Individuals)*
Maximum
Imprisonment Term
NEW MODEL Act
$3,000,000
$600,000
5 Years
ACT
$1,000,000
$200,000
7 Years
NSW
$1,650,000
$165,000
5 Years
Victoria
$1,020,780
$204,156
5 Years
*Onsite Health & Safety Reps have immunity from these penalties. An HSR is not personally
liable for anything done (or omitted) in good faith, when: exercising a power or performing a
function under this Act; or acting on the reasonable belief that something was done or omitted
in the exercise of a power or the performance of a function under the new Act.
Construction Charitable
Works – Helping building and
construction people in need
Members of our Union put their lives on the line
every day to build our nation. Sometimes things
go wrong – and it’s then that you and your family
may need a helping hand.
Construction Charitable Works (CCW) is an
initiative of the Tradies Group of Clubs, and is
supported by the CFMEU to help building and
construction workers and their families who are
in trouble, in and around the ACT. A not-for-profit
organisation, it offers confidential, non-judgmental
support services to ACT Building Construction
Industry individuals and their families. These
services include:
Relationship Counselling – CCW helps couples
and families to get their relationships back on
track, through relationship and support counselling
services that extend to the families and children of
ACT building and construction workers.
Foundation House – A drug and alcohol
rehabilitation and detoxification service based in
Sydney, Foundation House offers a 28-day live-in
service as well as an outpatient program.
Counselling Support – CCW facilitates
convenient and confidential counselling and
support services through a number of providers in
the ACT region.
Mental Health Case Management – CCW
operates a confidential and easily accessible
mental health service for clients, including a
case management service that ensures sensitive
management of their treatment and referral
options.
Assessment, Counselling & Referral – CCW also
refers clients with mental health issues such as
depression, anxiety and relationship issues to other
service providers in the region.
On-Site Support for the Building & Construction
Industry – Workers in the industry can meet a
CCW team member at a time and place best suited
to the client.
Construction Apprentices – An arrangement
with the CFMEU enables CCW to assist
apprentices in the local construction industry. This
program includes counselling (drug & alcohol,
mental health, and general) and referrals for
financial advice.
Counselling for Families – CCW supplies lowcost counselling and referral services to the families
and children of workers in the industry.
For more information, or to access the services of
Construction Charitable Works, contact:
2 Badham Street
Dickson ACT 2602
Ph: 1800 211 470
Or visit: www.ccwact.com.au
For more information, go to
Hurt at work?
Compo… For anything
else: Built-PLUS
Don’t confuse Built-PLUS 24/7
Personal Accident and Illness
insurance with Workers’
Compensation.
What Built-PLUS cover?
Workers’ Compensation
covers you for accidents and
injuries sustained while you are
at work and travelling to and
from work. In contrast, BuiltPLUS has been established
specifically for CFMEU
members. It is provided as a
benefit in our EBAs, and covers
you when you are off work
because of a non-work-related
injury or illness.
Built-PLUS takes the worry
out of trying to support your
family in a time of stress.
It gives you the confidence
that you will be able to meet
your normal day-to-day living
expenses and the never-ending
bills that we all get.
Built-PLUS covers sporting
injuries, accidents and illnesses
that can happen to anybody at
any time, 24 hours a day, 7 days
a week. However, you should
note that Built-PLUS does not
cover pre-existing medical
conditions. If you have such a
condition, we suggest that you
seek personal advice from a
qualified financial advisor.
How long can Built-PLUS
cover me for?
The maximum period that you
can claim for any one particular
injury or illness is 104 weeks.
Built-PLUS has a standard
28-day waiting period for your
claim. During this period, you
can access your sick leave,
annual leave and any untaken
RDOs that you have banked up.
In most cases, this should tide
you over until the insurance
payments begin.
Are there any side-benefits?
In addition, Built-PLUS
provides:
•Rehabilitation and return-towork assistance, including
meeting the costs of
necessary special equipment
or treatment, or modifications
to your home or workplace;
•Assistance (where necessary)
for counselling and advice
from an approved vocational
school or family counsellor;
•Increase in benefits for
disablement, where a
temporary total disablement
benefit has been paid
continuously for 12 months;
•Funeral expenses up to
$10,000, including where
necessary the cost of
returning your body or ashes
to your home town.
Don’t let it slide
If you have an EBA that
includes Built-PLUS cover, make
sure that your boss keeps up
with the stipulated payments.
Benefits will stop if an employer
hasn’t made a payment within
30 days of the date due.
To find out more about BuiltPLUS, contact the CFMEU
Office on 6267 1599.
As this is the last Building
Worker for 2011, I would like
to wish all members a Merry
Christmas and a very safe and
injury-free 2012.
Branch Council –
July meeting sets our course
On 26 July, the ACT Branch Council met to review the
progress of the Union and look at setting our agenda for the
medium term.
The Secretary, Dean Hall, and Assistant Secretary, Jason
O’Mara, reported to the meeting on the Union’s membership
growth and also on our work to stamp out sham contracting in
the ACT construction industry.
The Branch Council endorsed motions regarding four areas of
action over the next 12–18 months:
•continuing the campaign against sham contracting on
construction sites
•continuing to lobby the Federal Government to abolish the
ABCC
•removing on-site labour hire, to stop the deterioration of
workers’ entitlements
•investigating a portable sick leave scheme for the ACT
construction industry.
The Branch Executive appreciates the activism of our
Branch Council members. Only through strong membership
engagement, including on the Branch Council, will our Union
continue to grow and prosper.
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
The Building Worker Tom Calvert looks
back over a life of
building Canberra
Tom Calvert, who was recently awarded Life Membership of
the ACT Branch, is a Union Delegate at National Fixing and a
member of the CFMEU Branch Council. He recently spoke to
The Building Worker.
When did you commence working in the
construction industry?
I have worked in the construction industry all my life. I started
as an apprentice carpenter in the government Department of
Housing and Construction.
Where have you worked in the construction industry?
I have worked in government, residential and commercial
construction. I have been with my current employer, National
Fixing, for over 15 years.
Any notable jobs over your time in the
construction industry?
I have worked on the National Museum and also a number
of building projects at the ANU and University of Canberra,
including the John Curtin School of Medicine at the ANU. Other
construction projects I have worked on include the Russell
redevelopment and the AGSO in Symonston.
Why is being a Union member so important to you?
The wages and conditions. In 1977, I joined the old FEDFA, as
I was driving earth-moving machinery. The FEDFA was a very
militant union, and everything achieved for workers was only
achieved through standing up and fighting for it.
What industrial action have you been involved in?
Two come to mind. The first was the Tax Office, over travel
expenses. The employer refused to pay travel expenses if
carrying employer material. The Union and workers fought the
employer and won. Now, every worker can claim travel expenses
across the industry.
The other was in relation to caravan allowance and living away
from home allowance. Again, living away allowance is a given
condition in all Awards and Agreement for workers.
I think younger workers do not understand what it is like to
have to fight for your employment conditions; instead, they
just expect to receive the conditions they get today. All the
entitlements workers enjoy today were fought long and hard for
in the past.
What is it like being recognised as a Life Member
of the Union?
A bit of shock. The Union is just something I have always been
in, as they are someone to back you up when you need it. I never
set out to be a life member – I just was always in it. I pay my dues
and go to work, and hope I get to go home at the end of the day.
I have worked alongside a number of great blokes in the game,
and I still am.
The industry has gone through a period of roughly 20 years
where young people were not trained to come into the industry,
and only now is the industry starting to train young people
again. The government and employer sectors were short-sighted
about the cost of training young blokes,
and now we have to rely on imported
skilled labour to fill gaps.
5
INDUSTRIAL OFFICer’s Report
Shayne Hall
A turn for the better –
2 years of the Fair Work Act
On 1 July 2009, the Fair
Work Act commenced
operation – ending the hated
WorkChoices. WorkChoices
eroded workers’ rights by
imposing individual contracts,
removing unfair dismissal
protections, eroding safety-net
provisions and undermining
good-faith bargaining.
After a long and hard
campaign, the union movement
finally saw off Howard and
WorkChoices and helped the
Rudd/Gillard government
restore a fairer industrial
relations system in Australia.
Major improvements
since 2009
So far, the Fair Work Act
has achieved:
•An end to Australian
Workplace Agreement
individual contracts
•A strong safety net, by
introducing National
Employment Standards
•Collective bargaining rights,
including a requirement to
bargain in good faith
•Preserving the right to
union membership and
representation
•Protection from unfair
dismissal
•Establishing a genuinely
independent umpire to
resolve disputes.
Two years after the Fair Work
Act took effect, Australia
now has a:
•Strong economy – half a
million new jobs, sustainable
wage growth without
inflationary pressures, and
annual productivity growth
steady at 1.8%;
•Fair conditions of employment
– 10 National Employment
Standards and modern Award
conditions to protect workers,
including protecting rights to
receive overtime and penalty
rates, public holiday pay and
redundancy pay;
•Restored minimum wages –
1.4 million workers who are
Award-dependent and rely
on minimum wages have
benefited from the restoration
of the real value of minimum
wages;
•Unfair Dismissal protection
– 6 million workers now
have protection from unfair
dismissal;
•Strengthened collective
bargaining – more workers
are covered under collective
agreements than ever before
(43.4% of all employees);
•Reduction in the number
of working days lost to
industrial disputes;
•Protection of workers’ right to
representation – this includes
allowing workers to have
a say at their workplace,
through General Protections;
•Support for women, work
and family – including the
introduction of a national
paid parental leave scheme,
restoration of award safety
nets, and a fairer setting
process for the minimum
wage.
What next for industrial
relations in Australia?
There’s still plenty of work
that the Gillard government
needs to do to fully restore
workers’ rights after the
Howard era.
Here’s the CFMEU’s ‘to do’ list:
•Restoring the same rights for construction
workers as other unionists enjoys, by abolishing
the ABCC and its powers;
•Improving Occupational Health and Safety, so
that every worker can return home from work
each day;
•Recognising the important role of delegates
and workplace representatives, through the
legislation of positive rights on site;
•Making equal pay a reality;
•Having the government lead the way in setting
conditions, by hiring only service providers who
are committed to decent workplace protections.
Christmas Closedown
The CFMEU ACT Branch office will close from 12 noon on
Wednesday 21 December 2011, and will re-open on Monday
9 January 2012. Organisers will be back on sites from
Monday, 16 January.
The officials and staff of the CFMEU
wish everyone a Merry Christmas, and
hope you enjoy a well-earned break.
Remember to stay safe and financial over
the Christmas holiday period.
If you have any urgent Union issue
during the closedown period, please
phone the office on (02) 6267 1599 and
leave a message on the answering
machine. We will return your call
as soon as possible.
Dean Hall presents Tom Calvert with his certificate of life membership
For more information, go to
to advertise in thE BUILDING WORKER,
please contact susan on (02) 6267 1599
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
The Building Worker
6
How Cbus is
investing
your super in
uncertain times
By Mark Dymock, Cbus ACT Coordinator
The recent drops in the stock markets across the
world and the suggestion that another Global
Financial Crisis (GFC) is coming have everyone with savings in super
funds worried. Many Cbus members in Canberra are asking me what
they should do about things like salary sacrifice – and ultimately, how
to protect their retirement nest egg from these storms.
Should I move my
investments, or should I
leave them as they are?
First and foremost, I should
point out here that I am not a
financial planner, nor do I pretend
to be; the information in this
article is general product advice
only (see the small print below).
When approached on stock
market-related matters, I point
out that members of Cbus have
several investment options
available to them, with greater
or lesser exposure to share
markets. For specific assistance,
you can speak with a Cbus
Superannuation Adviser by calling
1300 361 784. You can also make
a more informed decision about
investing your super by reading
the information available on our
website www.cbussuper.com.au
Financial plans without
snakes in the grass
For those Cbus members who
want a more detailed financial
plan, you can meet one of our
Financial Planners to discuss your
situation. Your first consultation
is free of charge; an offer I would
encourage you to use, especially if
you do have genuine investment
concerns, or even if you simply
need professional assistance.
Our financial planning service
is a user-pays system. That
is, if you do decide to seek
further assistance, our financial
planners will provide you with
an obligation-free quote for their
professional service. So, you’ll
know up-front what their advice
will cost you.
Unlike most financial planners,
rest assured that those who
work with Cbus members do
not receive any hidden fees or
commissions that eat away at
your investment earnings in the
long run. Our financial planners
will always act in your best
interest and show you how to
invest wisely, reduce income tax
and – based on what you want
out of your retirement nest egg –
help you make sound investment
choices that suit your needs.
A Cbus planner can even set
up a ‘transition to retirement’
arrangement for you if want to
continue working a while longer
after you turn 55, by setting up
regular payments direct from your
super into your bank account. A
similar arrangement can be made
if you want to retire completely –
the choice is yours.
How to contact Cbus in
Canberra
For Cbus members living in and
around Canberra, your Financial
Planner is Luke Verwey (BEc,
DipFP). Luke is based in Sydney,
but makes regular visits to the
nation’s capital to see local Fund
members at the Cbus Canberra
office, located on level 2 above
the Dickson Tradies club on the
corner of Badham and Cape
Streets. To make an appointment
with Luke, call either 1300 361 784
or his direct line on (02) 9423 2165.
I would like to wish you and
your families a very merry
Christmas and a happy and
prosperous new year, and if
you’re travelling, a safe and
pleasant journey. If I can be of any
assistance with your super, please
don’t hesitate to contact me on
6162 4946 or mdymock@cbusmail.
com.au
The information in this article is of a general
nature and does not constitute legal advice.
The information does not take into account
your particular circumstances and so you
should seek appropriate advice regarding your
individual situation. For further information
about Cbus call 1300 361 784 for a copy of our
Product Disclosure Statement.
Cbus’ Trustee is United Super Pty Ltd
ABN 46 006 261 623 AFSL 233792 Cbus
ABN 75 493 363 262.
Carbon Tax package
goes to Parliament
Since we put out the previous
edition of The Building
Worker, the Australian
Government has legislated
its Carbon Tax package,
which includes a tax on
carbon for some companies
and assistance to households
and businesses to cover the
increased costs charged by
those companies. The Act was
passed by Parliament on
8 November and will come
into effect on 1 July 2012.
The CFMEU position on the
issue of global climate change
is unchanged – we believe
climate change is real and
it is a big issue that needs
addressing by Australia and
the rest of the world.
So, how does carbon
pricing work?
•Currently, polluting is free
to the polluter but has a cost
to our natural environment,
economy and way of life.
•Carbon pricing requires
big polluters to pay a price
for every tonne of carbon
pollution they create.
•By pricing carbon, polluting
industries will need to
include this cost in their
companies’ budgets, and
it will encourage them
find new ways to reduce
pollution.
•It will also result in a flowon increase in the cost
of products that produce
carbon.
•To assist households cope
with potential price increases
(for example, to electricity
bills), the government will
provide compensation
to 9 out of 10 Australian
households, through tax cuts
and increased payments to
help them with the cost of
living.
What does it mean for the
construction industry?
•Products like concrete, and
the energy used to operate
city buildings, are significant
contributors to carbon
pollution.
•For the last 10 years, the
construction industry
has already begun to use
recycled building materials
and undertaken waste
management.
•There is an already-growing
demand by governments
and big corporations for
low-carbon buildings,
which shows that the big
end of town understands
that carbon pollution will
sooner or later be priced in
Australia.
•Workers involved in the
construction of Green
Star office or residential
properties are front-runners
in the drive to reduce the
environmental impact of our
buildings.
•Many construction workers
may need to adapt to
working on new Green Star
buildings, but the retraining
involved will be worth it.
•Also, there is growing
demand for retrofitting
existing buildings to reduce
their carbon footprint.
Core demands of the CFMEU:
•That Australian jobs be
protected – the government
Vale Billy Mlandeneski – forever loyal
Longstanding ACT Branch
member, Blaze (Billy)
Mlandeneski passed away
recently.
In preparation for this tribute,
the Union contacted Billy’s best
friend ‘Rooster’ Rodriguez. He
and Billy went back a long way,
and it was safe to assume that
he knew him extremely well. He
described Billy as ‘one of the best
blokes he had ever encountered’
– anyone who knew Billy would
substantiate this. Rooster painted
a picture of a man who was a
‘loyal and hard-working union
man’.
Billy was also a man who loved
his family deeply.
37 glorious years
We also met his widow,
Blaguna and his daughter, Kety.
They spoke of Billy’s arrival in
Australia from Macedonia as a
teenager with his father to work
in the construction industry. Billy
briefly returned to his homeland,
where he met his future bride. He
and Blaguna remained together
for 37 glorious years. They had
two beautiful daughters, Kety
and Bety, and his beautiful
grandchild, not forgetting his
son-in-law.
Billy was always committed
to his work in the construction
industry. He worked for a
number of companies, including
Hindmarsh and John Holland,
but to was to Baulderstone that
he gave 100% commitment and
loyalty. It is fair to surmise that
he regarded commitment above
all other qualities.
For more information, go to
Billy will be sorely missed by
his family and fellow workers.
The CFMEU has lost a valued
member. Everybody who
contributed to this article did so
with an eagerness to express
their gratitude for having the
pleasure of knowing him.
Били е сакан од
неговото семејство,
но Господ го сакаше
повеќе. Почивај во мир
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
needs to target compensation
to areas where jobs are
under threat.
•That the biggest share of the
tax revenue raised be used to
permanently compensate low
and middle-income earners.
•That unions be
consulted about industry
compensation, to ensure that
job security is the priority,
not protecting excessive
profits.
•We believe that the biggest
threat to the viability of local
industries is not carbon
pricing, but the dumping
of products from other
countries. Australia’s tradeexposed industries need
government policies that
level the playing field.
•We demand that the
government tighten antidumping legislation and
abandon further freetrade measures while our
manufacturing sector is
under pressure.
Stay engaged in the debate
– don’t be a victim to the
scare campaign being run
by big business and Tony
Abbott. Business is trying to
squeeze out the maximum
compensation from Australian
revenue for itself. And Tony
Abbott ? Well, he would do
anything for political points,
but don’t expect him to offer
up any reasonable alternate
approach to fighting Climate
Change.
The Building Worker
7
DEAN’S WALL OF SHAME
Abigroup failing to
provide adequate
amenities at
Cotter Dam
Unsafe fall
protection
Dodgy Scaffold
at Morris
Construction
Kingston
Blocked access
at Morris
Constructon
Kingston
Fall protection
issue at
Cotter Dam
Excavator slipped
off icy loader
Illegal tie
is
scaffold at Morr
Construction
Kingston
n
Crane Malfuncti
BLOC site
Creative way of
repositioning plant
For more information, go to
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
The Building Worker
8
Asbestos-related
diseases: Gillard
Government enters
the fight
ACT Government
capital works
projects – Katy sets
contractors straight
The ACT Government has established a new Certification
and Audit Strategy for industrial relations compliance on its
capital works projects.
From 1 July 2011, all contractors tendering for work on
these projects are expected to follow its guidelines. These are
summarised below. If you’re working on an ACT Government
project, make sure that your boss keeps up to the mark.
By Senator Kate Lundy
I warmly congratulate the
CFMEU for continuing its
campaign to eliminate
asbestos-related disease
and exposures to all forms of
asbestos in Australia.
Australia has one of the
highest rates of asbestosrelated disease in the world.
Due to the long period between
exposure to asbestos and the
onset of disease, asbestosrelated diseases are projected
to increase.
For me, it’s personal
I left school to enter the
workforce as a labourer in
the building and construction
industry. My job was removing
asbestos from buildings, and
this established my continuing
concern for occupational health
and safety.
It’s great that the CFMEU
continues to represent the
workers in a part of the
industry that I understand firsthand. My political awareness
grew in that construction job,
and that’s why I became the
site delegate for the Building
Workers Industrial Union
(which became part of the
CFMEU).
ACTU and Cancer Council
inspire Federal action
In June last year, the ACTU
and its affiliates (including
the CFMEU) joined with the
Cancer Council Australia to
convene a National Summit
calling for national coordination
on asbestos removal. As your
Senator for the Australian
Capital Territory, I am
proud that the Gillard Labor
Government has responded
to that National Summit by
announcing the establishment
of the Asbestos Management
Review.
Our Government is committed
to ensuring that asbestos
management arrangements
in Australia minimise the
risk of avoidable exposure.
The Review is aiming for a
comprehensive understanding
of the scope of the problem,
leading to clear policies relating
to awareness, management
and removal of asbestos. It
will build on the efforts that
so many organisations and
workers have undertaken
already.
The Review panel intends
to report by 30 June 2012. For
more information, you can visit:
http://www.deewr.gov.au/
WorkplaceRelations/Policies/
AMR/Pages/default.aspx
And to find out about the
union campaign to eliminate
asbestos-related disease and
exposure, including last year’s
national summit, go to: http://
www.actu.org.au/Issues/
Asbestos.aspx
I wish you all a safe and
happy festive season!
Your pay slip:
is everything in order?
Your pay slip must be issued:
•within one working day of your pay day, even
if you are on leave
•in either electronic form (such as email) or
hard copy (paper), and
•should be written in plain and simple
English.
What information must be included
on my pay slip?
Pay slips must contain details of your
payments, deductions, and superannuation
contributions for each pay period. The Fair
Work Act 2009 and the Fair Work Regulations
2009 both rule that your pay slip must list all of
the following:
•your employer’s name
•your employer’s ABN (if any)
•the date of payment
•the pay period (beginning and end dates e.g. 21/11/2011 to 26/11/2011)
•the gross and net amount of payment
•any loadings, monetary allowances, bonuses,
incentive-based payments, penalty rates, or
other separately identifiable entitlement paid.
Where relevant, the pay slip must
also include any of the following:
•if you are paid an hourly pay rate, the
ordinary hourly pay rate, the number of hours
you worked at that rate, and the amount of
payment made at that rate
•if you are paid an annual rate of pay (salary),
the applicable rate as at the last day in the
pay period
•any deductions made (e.g. tax or union dues),
including the name, or the name and number,
of the fund or the account of each deduction
•if your employer is required to make
superannuation contributions for your
benefit:
–the amount of each contribution that your
employer made or is liable to make during
the pay period
–the name, or name and number, of any
superannuation fund into which the
contributions were made or will be made.
The ACT Government recognises that the construction
industry is a major contributor to the Territory’s economy,
providing significant employment opportunities to people
living in Canberra and the surrounding region. As the
Government is a significant client of the local construction
industry, it is concerned that employees/workers undertaking
those activities under the contracts that it lets out are dealt
with fairly, appropriately and ethically under the law.
The Government’s Certification and Audit Strategy aims
to improve workplace and management culture in the
ACT construction sector, to promote better employer and
employee relationships, and improve industrial relations
planning and management at both the enterprise level and
on specific projects.
It applies to all firms wishing to do business with the ACT
Government and who fall within the definition of ‘building
work’ in section 5 of the Building and Construction Industry
Improvement Act 2005 (Cth) – that is, it does not apply to
single-dwelling housing construction, repair and restoration.
Has your boss got an IRE Certificate yet?
If contractors are tendering for work on ACT Government
projects from 1 January 2012, the strategy will give
preference to those who hold an Industrial Relations
Employment (IRE) Certificate. In order to obtain this
certificate, contractors will need to have their current
compliance with the strategy audited and reported to the
ACT Government by an approved auditor. This audit will
be done at the contractor’s expense, and will need to be
completed by the time when they tender for Government
projects after 1 January.
Following this, if a contractor is contracted to undertake a
project, their industrial relations compliance – and that of all
of their sub-contractors – may be audited at random at the
Territory’s expense. Contractors will be provided with notice
of an impending audit.
How can contractors learn about the new rules?
You can get a list of the Approved Auditors who will
assess contractors for IRE Certificates and conduct random
Project Compliance Audits on the Government’s website,
under Shared Services Procurement/prequalification. All the
documentation involved is available on the website.
Visit: http://www.procurement.act.gov.au/
prequalification/industrial_relations
The Shared Services Procurement team will hold
information sessions over the coming months. Contractors
can also ring the Prequalification Manager on 6207 5982, or
meet either the Manager or the Executive Director of Shared
Services Procurement in person to discuss the process.
Pay Slip Template available from www.fairwork.gov.au/resources/
templates/pages/pay-slips-and-record-keeping.aspx
For more information, go to
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
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The Building Worker
10
Christmas Day at The Tradies
What’s on?
There’s always something going on at both The Dickson
Tradies and The Woden Tradies with a range of regular
promotions, raffles and entertainment.
Special events to look out for over summer include Christmas,
New Years and Australia Day.
To find out what’s on now, make sure you visit our website
thetradies.com.au.
There are some things that we aren’t allowed to show on the
public section of the website. But as a member, you can see
them by logging in.
If you haven’t logged in before you will find simple step by
step instructions on the website to help you through it. But, if
you do get stuck feel free to contact us.
Are you missing out?
Over the last 12 months we’ve given away heaps of prizes
to members who subscribe to our e-newsletter, facebook page
and twitter account.
There have been lots of small prizes like food and drink
vouchers, tickets to the footy and free accommodation at our
hotel and some big prizes like signed Raiders jerseys, a fully
catered table for ten in the Silks Room at the Black Opal and
$10,000 cash.
Did you even know about it?
If not, that’s probably because we don’t have your up to date
email address.
You can fix this yourself by logging in to our website
thetradies.com.au and changing your contact details or you can
fill out a form in person at reception.
Not only will you have a chance to win something, you’ll also
be up to date with the latest news and offerings from your
club.
So subscribe today.
The Tradies is a great choice for Christmas gatherings with special
luncheons available at both Dickson and Woden.
Essence By Livio at The Dickson Tradies is offering a three course meal
featuring a choice between the Traditional Roast Turkey and Baked
Ham or a more contemporary Grilled Tasmanian Salmon. It’s only $55
for Members ($30 for children 12 years and younger) and comes with
a complimentary drink, lollies and bon bons.
Country Kitchen at The Woden Tradies is putting on a buffet with
Fresh cooked Prawns, Oysters and a selection of Hot & Cold Meats,
salads and desserts plus a hot platter on arrival. It’s only $65 for
adults and $25 for children under 12.
Bookings are essential.
Further details can be found at thetradies.com.au or
by calling the clubs 6162 5656 (Dickson) or
6285 1995 (Woden)
Both clubs are open as usual all day and the
standard menus are available for dinner.
CFMEU Community Contributions
As you may be aware the
CFMEU sponsorship of the
Canberra Raiders finished
at the end of the 2011
season after five years. The
CFMEU are very proud of our
association with the Raiders
and believe they are a great
community sporting team.
We wish the Raiders all the
best for the future and hope
to continue to work with
them in the community.
The time is now right to
provide funding to other
worthy community groups
such as the Australian Special
Olympics team for their 2012
London Campaign and local
sporting teams. The CFMEU
and Tradies Group will be
providing $100,000 over three
years to the Special Olympics
to ensure children with
intellectual disabilities have
sporting opportunities. In
addition in the new year there
will be an announcement
regarding a joint project with
Baulderstone to build a new
training facility – so stay
tuned.
In 2010 & 2011 the CFMEU
and the Tradies Group have
provided sponsorship to many
local organisations, including:
•Claire Holland House
•Ainslie Primary School
•Communities @ Work
•Lake Burley Griffin Sea
Scouts
•Gorman House Arts Centre
•Hands Across Canberra
•Lyneham High School
•Marymead
•RSPCA
•Special Children’s Christmas
Party
•The Spastic Centre
•ACT Maori Performing Arts
•Alzheimer’s ACT
•Lifelife
•ACT over 60’s cricket team
•Belconnen Scholars
•North Gungahlin Eagles
Rugby
•Pedal Power
In the future the CFMEU
will continue to have a
presence locally in supporting
the community through
worthwhile groups.
Dean Hall presenting a cheque to Hands
Across Canberra, a community charity
at The Dickson Tradies
Now open for breakfast
6:30am - 4:00am (Weekdays)
7:30am - 4:00am (Weekends)
02 6162 5656
at The Dickson Tradies
12:00pm - 2:00pm
5:30pm - 9:00pm
7 Days
02 6162 5656
For more information, go to
at The Woden Tradies
11:30am - 2:00pm
6:00pm - 9:00pm
7 Days
02 6285 1995
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
at The Woden Tradies
9:00am - 4:00am
7 Days
02 6285 1995
The Building Worker How to be a stress-free super
host this holiday season
Summer and the holiday season is a great time for family
gatherings or catching up with friends. If it’s your turn to
host, why not consider setting up your friends and family
at one of our award-winning four-star hotels? As a member
of The Tradies, you are guaranteed the best rates available.
Even better, tie it in with a functions package and you
won’t have to worry about the stress of cooking or cleaning.
We have both the north and south sides of the nation’s
capital covered with The Quality Hotel Dickson & Quality
Hotel Woden.
Both hotels offer excellent comfort and service and are
ideally located adjacent to The Tradies clubs.
There’s a lot going on in Canberra this summer so be sure
to ask us about an extended stay package for even greater
value.
Visit the website qualityhotelscanberra.com.au for
the latest offers or call direct on 6247 4744 (Dickson) or
6281 7733 (Woden).
Our friendly and professional staff are only too happy to
help make you a stress-free super host this holiday season.
DICKS
KSON
N & WODEN
OD
D N
Functions & Conferences
Solutions for all occasions
With a choice of rooms conveniently located
in the heart of Woden, our professional
team is dedicated to ensuring you enjoy a
successful and stress-free event.
11
Top ten tips to a hot
summer body
The weather is warming up which means
pretty soon you won’t be able to hide behind
your winter clothes. For our own benefit
(because we really need it), we asked Chris
Lonsdale, Manager of the Northside Fitness
Centre if he could offer any advice on getting
in shape for summer. We thought we’d share
his top ten tips with you guys. Here’s what
he had to say.
1. The main thing is take action NOW! Don’t
make the mistake of waiting until it’s
already summer if you want to get fit for
summer. It isn’t going to happen overnight.
2. Don’t try and guess what you need to do to
gets results. Use professional advice from a
qualified personal trainer. Investing in your
health is probably the best investment you
will ever make.
3. Identify your ultimate goals and allow
a realistic timeframe to achieve them. It
takes at least 12 weeks to get quality, long
lasting results.
4. Allow yourself a reward when you achieve
your goals. You’ve earned it and it will help
inspire you to reach the next one.
5. Identify what changes you need to make
with your diet. Sometimes we aren’t even
aware of where the calories are hiding.
Small changes can make a big difference
and our team at Northside can give you
advice.
6. Set short term goals for each week. For
example, “this week I will do 3-4 gym
sessions and have no more than 2 bad
meals”. A twelve-week program can look
daunting but baby steps will get you there
in no time.
7. Follow the program your trainer gives you
consistently every week. Slip-ups happen
to the best of us but the further off-track
you allow yourself to get, the harder it is to
find your way back.
8. Reduce your alcohol intake. Yes you. If you
are serious about getting in shape you will
have to think about what you consume
because everything makes a difference.
Alcohol is full of calories and doesn’t help
much with your training or recovery either.
9. Increase your vegetable intake. So good on
so many levels – you can’t have too much.
10.Did I mention take action NOW!? Stop
thinking about it and start doing it. Every
day you delay is one less day looking and
feeling great.
The Northside Fitness Centre is proudly
owned by The Tradies Group and operated in
partnership with Team Fitness.
With a full range of fitness classes, personal
training, child minding, free parking, and so
much more, The Northside Fitness Centre has
everything you need to get in shape at a price
you can afford.
The Northside Fitness Centre is located on
Dickson Place, Dickson, right next door to The
Tradies. Visit northsidefitnesscentre.com.au
for timetables and more information.
For bookings or enquiries call
02 6281 7733 or visit qualityhotelscanberra.com.au
Quality Hotel Dickson
Badham Street/Cape Street,
Dickson ACT, 2602
The Quality Hotel Dickson is walking distance from
Dickson’s famous restaurants and only minutes
from the city, the AIS, Thoroughbred Park and
Exhibition Park.
02 6247 4744
Quality Hotel Woden
Launceston Street, Woden ACT, 2606
DICKSON & WODEN
Winner AHA Best Mid-Range
Accommodation 2009 & 2010
For more information, go to
The Quality Hotel Woden is ideally located in the heart
of the Woden shopping precinct and within easy reach
of many of Australia’s iconic tourist attractions such as
Parliament House, The National Gallery,
Questacon and the National Library.
02 6281 7733
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
The Building Worker
12
Unpaid super: bosses now personally liable
Brick wall put up for
fly-by-nighters
Unpaid superannuation can
now be recovered from the
personal assets of company
directors. The Tax Office (ATO)
has new powers, which ensure
that:
•company directors will be
personally liable for their
company’s failure to pay
employees’ superannuation
•the ATO can commence
recovery action without
waiting out the previously
required 21-day notice period,
and
•it can also deny personal
tax-return credits to company
directors and associates if
their company fails to pay
superannuation within a
specified time.
Can bosses dodge these
new laws?
The ATO has closed some
time-‘honoured’ loopholes used
by bosses to avoid obligations to
their workers’ super. Company
directors:
•who resign before the payment
is due will still be caught
•appointed after the due date
may also become liable for a
penalty
•can no longer avoid paying
super for ABN workers and
subcontractors.
If they’re caught, company
directors will have to pay the
ATO the following amounts
to cover the super of affected
workers:
•9% of each employee’s salary
or wages (ordinary time
earnings), plus
•an administration fee for each
individual employee, plus
•interest on the amount of any
shortfall.
ACT Branch hosts National Conference
From 13 to 15 September, the ACT Branch hosted the National CFMEU Construction and General
Division Conference at the Woden Tradies. The Conference was attended by over 100 Delegates
and officials from across Australia as well as international guests.
A broad spectrum of issues confronting the construction industry was discussed, along with OH&S,
wages and bargaining. The conference was a great success, finishing with a Conference Dinner
that was attended by delegates and ALP, Independents and Greens MPs.
High Risk licences –
new rules from
July 2011
From 1 July, there have been
changes to the way you obtain
a High Risk licence to operate
certain plant and perform
certain tasks in the ACT
construction industry.
To obtain a licence, you
must now attend a registered
training organisation (RTO) to
be assessed against a unit of
Competency for each class of
High Risk work you plan to do.
On successful completion of
the formal training and once
you are deemed competent,
you will be issued a statement
of attainment from the RTO.
You then have to lodge that
statement with the ACT Office
of Regulatory Service to get your
High Risk licence.
CSI training a must
Creative Safety Initiatives
(CSI) has been an accredited
RTO in Canberra for many
years, running many OHS and
High Risk licensing courses for
construction workers. Meeting
the highest level of training
excellence, these courses have
helped to reduce the number
and severity of accidents in
the workplace. CSI’s High
Risk licensing courses include
Dogging, Hoist, Scaffolding and
Forklift, to mention just a few.
CSI trainers bring extensive
industry experience to their
courses. The organisation’s
CEO, Jason Jennings comments
that: ‘Training in High Risk
work isn’t a matter of just
reciting the modules.
‘The real knowledge comes
when the trainer has actually
worked in the industry for a
number of years, experienced
the situations, and knows how
to best teach people how to stay
safe.’
They love the industry, know
the industry – and pass on
their knowledge
For example, CSI Trainer
Dick Garrety spent 20 years in
the construction industry as a
Scaffolder and Dogman. He has
a strong commitment to safety,
and believes that specific skills
come from a combination of
solid training instruction and
practical knowledge. Dick’s
instructional style ensures that
all his course participants gain
that understanding needed to
learn and remember the safety
strategies they need.
Duncan Bennett-Burley is a
construction industry legend,
having spent 30 years as,
variously, a Rigger, Dogman and
Tower Crane operator. Duncan
knows the risks and how to
prevent tragedy. Duncan is a
mentor of the highest calibre.
‘We have made sure that the
trainers at CSI are the best in
the business, and teach from
their hearts and experiences,’
concludes Jason Jennings.
‘They love the industry, they
know the industry, and they are
committed to passing on their
knowledge through High Risk
licensing training.’
CSI staff – Jess, Dick, Duncan and CEO, Jason Jennings
For more information, go to
‘Gloves Up’ with
Olympic boxer Claire
Ghabrial
The CFMEU WA and ACT
Branches have committed to
providing support for Olympic
female boxer Claire Ghabrial.
Claire’s current record stands at
32 wins from 36 fights. To date,
she has competed in Turkey,
Greece, London, Barbados,
Jakarta and the Ukraine. As a student living on campus at the
Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), Claire is currently an ACT
resident – and she trains at Stockade Gym, right next to the
CFMEU’s Branch office in Dickson.
Claire recently spoke to The Building Worker.
When did you first decide to take up boxing? I came into
boxing by chance. I started karate at the age of 12, and decided
that I liked the fighting side of things, so I decided to switch to
kickboxing. While kickboxing, I found that I was more skilled
with my hands than with my legs – and that was when I first
decided to get into boxing.
What was your reaction when you heard that, for the first
time in history, women’s boxing was going to be included
in the 2012 London Olympic Games? It was 2008 when I first
found out that women’s boxing was going to be included into
the 2012 Olympic games – and I had just taken a three-year
break from the sport! As far as I was concerned, it wasn’t going
anywhere.
Suddenly there was talk about women’s boxing being included
in the Olympics – and that’s when I knew I had to make a
comeback, and I knew I wasn’t finished yet.
Tell us about your recent scholarship program with Boxing
Australia. Finally, for the first time ever, Boxing Australia has
introduced women into the scholarship program in preparation
for the Olympic trials. I, along with one other female and 3 male
boxers, were selected to be on the ‘Boxing Australia Academy’
where we live on campus at the AIS and train at Stockade Gym
(next to the CFMEU Dickson branch office).
Prior to the scholarship program, you travelled all around the
world to compete professionally. How much support did you
receive? Everything I have done and been able to do prior to my
placement in the scholarship program in 2011 was done through
private donations, fund-raisers and sponsorships. I’ve been
overseas four times, purely through the funding I have been
given – especially from the CFMEU.
In 2010, the Union became my main financial sponsor and gave
me around $20,000 for the year. This allowed me to go to Turkey,
Greece, London and Barbados to compete and to gain invaluable
international experience. The CFMEU continual financial
support this year, along with the scholarship, has allowed me to
focus on my boxing full-time, and I couldn’t have done it without
the CFMEU’s support.
Some highlights of your boxing career so far? Winning a gold
medal in Turkey and being selected for the Boxing Australia
Scholarship in 2011.
I have also just been to Jakarta for the President’s Cup. This
tournament has been running since 1976, and this is the first
year they allowed women to compete. I had a very successful
tournament, with four fights, four wins, a gold medal, and
selection as the ‘Best Female Boxer’.
Claire with Kevin Reynolds, WA Branch Secretary
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
The Building Worker 13
For all your spring/summer gear, buy direct online.
Go to:
cfmeuvic.com.au/shop
...bigger choice, faster order, easier payment, quicker delivery
Contact the CFMEU ACT Branch on (02) 6267 1599 to place orders.
or talk to your Shop Steward or Organiser to have merchandise delivered to your site.
Black CFMEU polo
$30
Black CFMEU
Vneck $20
Cobra polo
$30
Fluoro orange T
$20
Fluoro yellow T
$20
Black Grandpa T
$20
Blue Grandpa T
$20
Kids Grandpa T
$15
Black singlet
$20
White CFMEU polo
$20
Black cap
$10
Sunnies
$25
CAPITAL INSURANCE
BROKERS PTY LTD
General and Life Insurance Brokers
A locally owned and operated company
for all your insurance needs.
We can assist with all types of
insurance – both business and
personal, including:
• Trades Pack (Liability and Tools)
Our qualified, committed, staff
are dedicated to providing
you with the right insurance
solutions to suit your needs, at
the right price.
• Workers Compensation
•Contractors All Risk /
Construction
• Car Insurance
Call us for a free quote and
review of your existing
insurances.
• Income Protection
Telephone: (02) 6282 7666
• Life Insurance
Email: info@
capitalinsurancebrokers.com.au
As a broker, we represent our
clients, our role is to look after
your interests in all matters
relating to insurance.
We provide personal service
tailored to your specific
circumstances, with your own
dedicated account manager.
Office: 1st floor Deakin Court,
Hopetoun Circuit Deakin ACT
(next to the Deakin shops).
ABN 47 001 768 190
AFS License No. 244526
Proudly supporting CFMEU ACT
For more information, go to
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
The Building Worker
14
Slater &
Gordon
Lawyers
Conveyancing • Wills and Probate • Workers’ Compensation • Medical Law
• Motor Vehicle Accidents • Comcare
Level 1/71 Leichardt Street, Kingston ACT 2604.
Tel: (02) 6257 1922 www.slatergordon.com.au
APPRENTICESHIP EMPLOYMENT
If you are wanting an apprenticeship or need an apprentice in your business
a call to CITEA is your answer.
• Professional service
• Fuss free • All trades catered for
• Quality training of carpentry apprentices
P
02 6257 8344 E [email protected]
www.citea.com.au
For more information, go to
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
The Building Worker
15
y
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the B
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KIDSCLUB
For most of the 1980s, this was
the largest construction site in the
Southern Hemisphere, employing
10,000 building workers.
It finally opened in 1988 on
9 May, the same date as the
nearby building that it replaced
had opened in 1927. Its original
location in Melbourne also started
work on 9 May in 1901.
ite
on the s al,
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the lake
Built by Canberra Hosp of
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this buil ’s history.
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painting ntains the heart r
it also co n racehorse Pha type
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Lap and 1 car.
Number
CFMEU
Hey Kids, For your chance
to win a $20 Toys ‘R’ Us
voucher, simply help Steve
with his homework by
labelling his photos.
Send in your entries by
14 February 2012 to:
Opened in 1941 near Mount
Ainslie, this building is one of
the most important memorials
in the world.
In 1993, it took possession of
the remains of an unknown
Australian soldier who had died
at Pozieres in France in 1916
during World War I.
CFMEU Kids Club
PO Box 226
Carlton South VIC 3053
Don’t forget to include your
name, address and age.
Good Luck!
son Street,
opened in Deni
This building . The next year, it
Deakin in 1965e coins when Australia’s
started to makd from pounds, shilling
money change llars and cents.
do
and pence to
AuPrne
M
lbo
me
Help me finish my scrapbook of my Trip to the City
Our Winner from
our last issue!
Cut out the labels below, and match them to the photos in my scrapbook.
useum
M
l
a
n
Natio
Parliament House
Royal
Australian
Mint
Have your years of
experience recognised!
Australian
War
Memorial
to
Congratulations
6,
Peter Hass aged
from Mawson.
ing
You will be receiv
s
U
’
your Toys ‘R
voucher soon.
Local
assistance
when you
need it
CSI is currently providing traineeships
in the following qualifications:
Certificate III Concreting
Certificate III Steel Fixing
Certificate III Formwork/Falsework
Certificate III Brick/Block Laying
For more information contact CSI now!
02 6230 1320 csisafety.com.au
It won’t take as long as you think!
For more information, go to
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.
Cbus Coordinator, Mark Dymock is based in our Canberra office and is here
to answer any questions you may have about your Cbus membership.
Contact Mark on
0437 630 776 or
email mdymock@
cbusmail.com.au
You can also arrange for Mark 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.
www.cfmeu.asn.au/branch/act
2012
RDOs & Public HOliDAYs
Have you suffered from hearing loss at your workplace?
YOu HAve tHe RigHt tO be cOMPensAteD
Call slater & gordon to arrange a free hearing test on 02 6257 1922
FebRuARY 2012
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Lockdown Weekends
IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS
CFMEU - Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union
CEPU - Communications, Electrical and Plumbers Union
AMWU - Australian Manufacturing Workers Union
CITEA - Construction Industry Training and Education Association
ACIRT - Australian Construction Industry Redundancy Trust
ACT Building and Construction Industry Training Fund Authority
CCW - Construction Charitable Works (Welfare Services)
ACT Building Trades Group of Unions
02 6267 1599
02 6163 6666
02 6273 2412
02 6257 8344
1800 060 467
02 6262 5630
02 6230 1320
CSI - Creative Safety Initiatives Training
CBUS Superannuation
Long Service Leave Authority
CITC - Construction Industry Training Council
Electro Skills & Electro Group
Slater & Gordon - Legal Advice
02 6230 1320
1300 361 784
02 6247 3900
02 6241 3977
02 6163 6699
02 6257 1922
1/71 Leichhardt Street
Kingston ACT 2604
Phone: 02 6257 1922
Freecall: 1800 555 777
www.slatergordon.com.au