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MEMBERSHIP
Member committees: Why your voice matters
Melissa Greenall Senior Manager Membership
The 2020 Master Builders Victoria elections are now well under way, with the Australian Electoral commission (AEC) running the formal nomination and voting process for our sector group committees, council and board positions. For those members eligible to nominate and vote, you will have received various emails from the AEC as we move through the process. Master Builders Victoria is, in every way, an association by and for its members, and this is reflected most strongly in our committee structure to ensure members have a voice with regard to our strategy, direction and focus. Our committees are critical to ensuring we are actively connected to the diverse needs of the building and construction industry. There are two main tiers of member committees, the first being our Sector Group committees, formed by 48 elected positions across our five main industry sectors. The Sector Group committees are structured to ensure that all areas of our membership are represented and recognise that each has unique challenges affecting different areas of the industry. These sectors are defined as: Housing
General Contracting
Specialist Contractor
Country
Materials Manufacturing and Supply
The sector groups play an important role in adding their voices for the pressure points our members are facing, the types of service and information needed to help members navigate regulation and legislation and critical policy positions for which Master Builders advocates. The second tier of member committee is the regional sections which, again, are elected committees in the following Master Builders Victoria-defined areas: • North East • North West • Wimmera • Gippsland • Geelong • Ballarat • Bendigo • Mornington The Section committees recognise that there is diversity across regional Victoria and that the local member voices are important to ensuring we can provide service, support and relevant events that meet the needs of the region. These committees also play a key role in supporting
networking opportunities and welcoming new members to the local Master Builder’s community. Your participation, be it at a committee level, as an elected officer, a voter or an attendee at local section events, plays an important role in ensuring Master Builders continues to provide the right service and support to our members, from everyday business advice and support through to high-level advocacy work with government and key stakeholders. Master Builders Victoria is always looking to increase diversity across all our committees. We know that the building and construction industry is made up of people from all walks of life, cultural backgrounds and ethnicities. Our membership reflects this, and so should our committees. Every member has an equal voice and by ensuring our committees reflect diverse perspectives, experiences and skill sets we evolve to meet the needs of industry and our members.
What’s next?
Eligible members will have received information regarding voting for your relevant Sector Group committee candidates recently. We encourage you to take the time to read the candidate statements and send in your vote. Your vote counts and is an important part of helping the sectors best represent our membership. We have also issued AGM notices and calls for nominations for the regional section committees. The section committees are a valued voice and an excellent way for members who are new to committees to get involved. As a section committee member, you can help support regional members and the communities they support. If you would like more information on voting for the group sector committee candidates or how you can get involved with a regional section committee, please reach out to our Senior Manager of Membership Mell Greenall at mgreenall@mbav.com.au
In-principle understanding reached with union for Enterprise Agreements
By early July, several of our members and the CFMEU had reached an in-principle understanding on what are acceptable terms for new Enterprise Agreements over the next four years. Master Builders Victoria has assisted our members in these discussions. A core role of Master Builders Victoria is to provide industrial relations support to our members, which includes assisting them in negotiating Enterprise Agreements. The in-principle understanding will provide certainty for both employers and employees in the building and construction industry. Several flexibilities have been provided for, including a smaller projects provision that will promote investment and employment. It introduces positive new provisions that support worker flexibility around accessing part-time work, and a safer and more inclusive environment, particularly for women. The wage increase element is a more measured outcome than previous years; an annual average increase of approximately 1.68 per cent this year and approximately three per cent each year after that. Redundancy, superannuation and insurances have also increased. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Master Builders Victoria has worked tirelessly with the unions to keep building and construction sites safe and open, and successfully advocated for additional stimulus. However, while we are proud of how resilient and adaptable our industry has proven itself to be, this is a time for moderation. We are optimistic that these in-principle Agreements will send a strong signal that Victoria is the place for building and construction, and help promote investment and employment at a time when it is most needed. If you are interested in using the in-principle Agreement as a reference point for your enterprise bargaining, we can provide more detailed advice. We also acknowledge that the in-principle Agreement may not suit some members. In those cases, we will assist you to establish what you need for your business and support you in discussions with your employees and their representatives. Please contact our Industrial Relations team if you need any assistance on (03) 9411 4555.
