The Australian Worker Magazine Issue 3 2008

ISSUE 3 2008 $4.50 (INC GST)

Rights on site

workplace democracy for construction workers now!

Over the influence How much do you really drink?

Beyond climate change What it means for workers

Having a lend

Managing a home loan crisis

PLUS

ISBN 978-186396379-4

lass acts – workplace theatre • Harley Davidson story – the C final chapter • Resurrecting Henry Lawson • Wrestling with the past • A salute to Aussie dads • Nepal – a Himalayan enigma

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contents Issue 3 – 2008

Features

06 a change in the weather

Climate change is a challenge we all must face.

Melissa Sweet investigates the AWU’s applauded initiatives.

12 getting it rights!

For workers in the construction industry, a government authority has the right to question them over workplace issues and then gag their right to tell anyone. It’s time for change!

16 having a lend

Can you manage a mortgage crisis? Tom Scahill looks at ways to help you make the right decisions.

20 over the influence

46

Melissa Sweet investigates a new report that reveals some disturbing news about alcohol consumption.

24 right on the money Anne Brooksbank looks at the lives of Henry Lawson and Mary Gilmore and reveals why they must be returned to national stature – and Lawson restored to the 10-dollar note.

ACP Magazines Ltd Publishing

Workers have been performing in plays dealing with real-life issues for decades. Julia Richardson joins the audience.

46 HIGH ON THE HOG Biker and scribe Boris Mihailovic rides off into the sunset with the final chapter of the Harley Davidson story.

50 wrestling with the past

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Pumped-up American show ponies might awe the crowds now, but back in the ‘60s and ‘70s Aussie wrestlers ruled.

Michael Blayney talks to legendary wrestler Ron Miller.

54 kidding around

Jane D’Arcy explores kid-friendly activities around Perth.

60 A himalayan enigma

Nepal is a mystical place, but it is also a hot-bed of political activity. Sandy McPhie explores this land of contrasts.

64 tribute to australian dads

If you think the only true Aussie dad is married with 2.5 kids, Dilvin Yasa begs to differ.

Regulars P04 National Opinion P32 Frontline News p44 Meet the Delegates/Officials P56 Cookery P66 Kids’ Page PRIVACY NOTICE This issue of The Australian Worker may contain offers, competitions, or surveys which require you to provide information about yourself if you choose to enter or take part in them (Reader Offer). If you provide information about yourself to ACP Magazines Ltd (ACP), ACP wil use this information to provide you with the products or services you have requested, and may supply your information to contractors that help ACP to do this. ACP wil also use your information to inform you of other ACP publications, products, services and events. ACP may also give your information to organisations that are providing special prizes or offers and that are clearly associated with the Reader Offer. Unless you tell us not to, we may give your information to other organisations that may use it to inform you about other products, services or events or to give to other organisations that may use it for this purpose. If you would like to gain access to the information ACP holds about you, please contact ACP’s Privacy Officer at ACP Magazines Ltd, 54-58 Park Street, Sydney, NSW, 2000. Cover photo: Getty Images

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Editor Paul Howes, AWU National Secretary AWU NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS CO-ORDINATOR Andrew Casey AWU NATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Henry Armstrong Address Level 10, 377-383 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000 e: worker@awu.net.au www.awu.net.au Telephone (02) 8005 3333 Facsimile (02) 8005 3300

28 a class act

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AWU

Editor Kyle Rankin Art Director Wayne Allen DESIGNER Helen MacDougall Sub-EditorS Graham Lauren, Matt Johnson Production Services Kate Fox prepress supervisor Klaus Muller Chief Executive Officer – ACP magazines Scott Lorson Group Publisher Phil Scott Publisher Gerry Reynolds Group Sales Director – Men’s & Specialist Titles Louise Barrett Publishing Manager Nicola O’Hanlon Published for The Australian Workers’ Union (ABN 28 853 022 982) by ACP Magazines Ltd (ACN 18 053 273 546), 54-58 Park St, Sydney NSW 2000. © 2008. All rights reserved. Printed

by PMP, Clayton, Vic 3168 and cover printed by Energi Print, Murrumbeena, Vic 3163. Distributed

by Network Services, 54 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. Articles published in The Australian Worker express the opinion of the authors and not necessarily ACP Magazines Ltd. While all efforts have been made to ensure prices and details are correct at time of printing, these are subject to change.

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national opinion

Justice for council workers is a victory for all

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AWU leaders

hroughout its 122-year history at the forefront of the Australian union movement, the AWU has never stepped back from the big issues and the difficult battles that have shaped their resolution. The Union has always fought to improve the lives of working Australians and their families. Through their collective resolve AWU members have ensured the successful determination of these struggles.

The Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ), backed by the Howard Government, tried to strip the wages and entitlements of council employees by forcing them under the unfair WorkChoices regime in 2006. Like their forebearers in the shearing sheds, AWU members in local government stood together to fight this attack and refused to buckle under pressure.

The recent decision in the Federal Court of Australia, which determined that Etheridge Shire Council is not subject to WorkChoices, is a win for workers across the country. Not only does it protect local government employees in Queensland, but it also sets a precedent that will apply to council workers throughout Australia.

While a great achievement that AWU members can be proud of, it is only one of a number of victories that the Union has achieved during this long campaign.

When the Howard Government implemented its industrial relations system in 2006, the LGAQ began to circulate information to councils indicating that they were trading corporations and therefore covered by WorkChoices. The Union

Russ Collison Greater NSW Branch Secretary

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Bill Ludwig National President Queensland Branch Secretary

“All AWU members should take pride in the fact that the AWU was the only union prepared to stand up to the LGAQ.”

Kevin Maher Newcastle Branch Secretary

received a contrary opinion which outlined that councils were not trading corporations, but rather a third tier of government which was covered by state industrial relations legislation.

When confronted with the AWU’s position, the LGAQ sought to ridicule the Union’s advice and then began a campaign to get councils to implement WorkChoices agreements. This arrogant dismissal of the views of workers is very similar to the contempt with which the pastoralists treated shearers.

In response to these attacks the AWU launched a wide-ranging Local Government Campaign to protect the wages and conditions of council employees. This campaign had four aspects, which were to: • Organise local government employees to reject WorkChoices agreements.

• Challenge and overturn local government WorkChoices agreements in the Federal Court.

• Lobby the Queensland Government to implement legislation that would keep councils in the state industrial relations system.

• Link the AWU Local Government Campaign to the Your Rights at Work Campaign and facilitate the removal of the Howard Government from office – ending the spectre of WorkChoices.

Through the efforts of AWU members all of these goals were achieved.

Few local government WorkChoices agreements were ever lodged in Queensland as council workers passed resolutions and took action to reject the LGAQ’s position. In November 2007, the Howard Government was swept from office with Queensland results proving decisive in the election of the Rudd Labor Government. Many areas in which the AWU campaigned on local government industrial relations produced the biggest swings to Labor candidates.

In March, the Queensland Government passed legislation that de-corporatised councils in Queensland, thus removing any possibility that WorkChoices could cover them. Finally, the recent win in the Federal Court represented a successful conclusion to this campaign as well as raising questions about the motives and role of the LGAQ. All AWU members should take pride in the fact that the AWU was the only union prepared to stand up to the LGAQ and oppose the implementation of WorkChoices.

Andy Gillespie Port Kembla Branch Secretary

Cesar Melhem Victorian Branch Secretary

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It’s really just a question of balance

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Wayne Hanson Greater SA Branch Secretary

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Graham Hall Whyalla Branch Secretary

Paul Howes National Secretary

can regulate and monitor standards and drive the growing research and development in lower carbon technologies.

During a recent visit to the Hunter to discuss emissions trading, I was told that the Tomago aluminium smelter was celebrating 25 years of production.

I told the workforce and the local community I wanted to make sure that Tomago was still operating in another 25 years!

As the National Secretary I have travelled around the country to listen to AWU members, regional industry and community leaders who are on the frontline of this important national debate.

I started off the regional tour meeting AWU members in Gladstone – known as the carbon capital of Australia.

Apart from Queensland and NSW, I’ve also visited regional centres in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia where our members could be badly affected if we don’t get the emissions trading legislation right.

The views put forward, including the sometimes strident comments supporting and opposing the AWU position, have helped the Union develop and refine its thinking.

The clear message we are sending is that we believe that Australia can do the right thing by the environment at the same time as doing the right thing by our economy and working families.

The Alcan Gove, bauxite mine and alumina processing plant in the Northern Territory.

“We have pointed out that the loss of an aluminium or steel, pastics or oil and gas sector to Australia won’t actually reduce global pollution.”

Photo getty images

he Australian Workers’ Union is working with the Rudd Government to protect our members and their families who work in the industries affected by climate change.

I am very happy to report that the Union has received many telephone calls, letters and e-mails from members across the country about the current debate on climate change and emissions trading.

Judging from the many different points of view, different ideas and lively commentary put forward, it’s obvious our people understand this issue is not only important for the future of their jobs and their children’s jobs, but also for the environmental future of our planet.

It is now a cliché to say that the climate change debate is complex. But the AWU firmly believes Kevin Rudd and Penny Wong are the best people to steer us through the debate and deliver a balanced and fair outcome.

We have told the Federal Government that AWU members do not believe we should have to lose one job as a result of the proposed new environment laws.

We have pointed out that the loss of the aluminium, steel, plastics or oil and gas sector to Australia won’t actually reduce global pollution.

These industries will simply shift to Brazil, India or China where slack environmental standards will make global pollution and planetary warming a lot, lot worse.

Let’s keep these industries here where we

Post your letters to: The Editor, The Australian Worker,

Level 10, 377-383 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000 Or email them to: worker@awu.net.au

Stephen Price West Australian Branch Secretary

Ian Wakefield Tasmanian Branch Secretary

Norman McBride Tobacco Branch Secretary

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climate change

a change in the

weather

Now the science of climate change is generally accepted, it’s time to get busy tackling it and it is critical that workers become active partners in leading the debate about the Australian economy’s transition.

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WRITTEN BY melissa sweet Photos getty images

Opposite The remains of a fish lies on cracked ground at Wivenhoe Dam in Queensland. Wivenhoe Dam is a major source of water to the greater Brisbane region and is currently at a record low.

Brisbane was the first Australian capital city to enter level-five water restrictions.

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orkers whose industries are likely to be hardest hit by a national emissions trading scheme (ETS) should be offered “carbon insurance”, according to the AWU. The proposal is outlined in a position paper that the Union launched at an historic roundtable consultation in July, attended by chief executives from 20 companies and the heads of peak bodies.

The paper, which outlines the Union’s position on reducing carbon pollution, calls for ETS permits to be issued to workers in energy-intensive industries.

Should the ETS result in jobs being lost, workers would be able to cash in their permits to assist them with retraining, re-skilling, redeploying or redundancy.

“Over time, if these permits are tradeable – and hence these workers – become increasingly rather than less valuable to the enterprise, they are more likely to have an opportunity to influence decision making at the enterprise level on adjustment strategies that are agreed and undertaken on a collective basis,” the paper says.

AWU economist Brad Crofts says the proposal is “a way of empowering our membership so that they’re not passive victims of the process and the market”.

“They can stand up and be counted as active contributors in a responsible way,” he says. “That’s the message we want to get through to government – that our workers shouldn’t  be seen as the victims of climate change but should be www.awu.net.au

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Recognise the work that’s already been done

If Brett Noonan could get one message across to government and the general public, it would be that industries like his have already done a lot of hard work in reducing carbon emissions.

Brett, better known as 'Jabber' to his workmates, has witnessed firsthand the dramatic emission reductions that have been achieved at Alcoa’s aluminium smelter at Geelong.

“Per tonne of aluminium, we produce 50 per cent less emissions than China would,” he says.

“We’ve been monitoring our emissions for as long as I can remember and we’ve done a lot of work to reduce them through technology and efficiency processes.”

Brett, 47, a senior union steward for the past nine years, has been closely following the debate about a national emissions trading scheme.

“There’s no doubt that it’s a big issue for us,” he says. “The potential is that we could

be shut down if the ETS is not done properly.

“You shut down big smelters like ours, for Geelong, that’s a massive impact on the community. You might reduce emissions but you might cost 2500 jobs in the local community.”

Brett says his colleagues generally agree that climate change must be tackled, but are understandably worried about their jobs and futures.

He supports the Union’s campaign for carbon insurance for workers and encourages other workers to become informed and active. “They should put pressure on the politicians to make sure they look after the interests of all of us and the long-term future of our kids,” he adds.

Left Brett Noonan (front row, in red hard hat) with AWU Victorian Branch Secretary Cesar Melhem (to his left) and AWU National Secretary Paul Howes (to his right).

Bright sunny day: The AWU report urges the aluminium industry to invest in developing carbon-neutral energy resources.

“Aluminium plants are typically located in regional towns with scarce jobs, with the result that these towns have come to depend on the industry for their livelihood.”

Understanding the jargon • Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) This refers to a range of efficiency and abatement measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, including such things as an emissions trading scheme.

• Emissions Trading Scheme or (ETS) A central authority (usually a government or international body) sets a limit or “cap” on the amount of a pollutant that can be emitted. Companies or other groups are issued emission permits and are required to hold an equivalent number of allowances (or credits) that represent the right to emit a specific amount. The total amount of allowances and credits cannot exceed the cap, limiting total emissions to that level.

Companies needing to increase their emissions must buy credits from those who pollute less. The transfer of allowances is referred to as a “trade”. In effect, the buyer is paying a charge for polluting, while the seller is being rewarded for having reduced emissions by more than was needed.

Carbon trading schemes are sometimes described as “cap and trade”.

• Carbon leakage This results when industries move, for example, from Australia to other countries without carbon constraints and with higher emissions intensity. For example, the 2007 Australian smelter perfluorcarbons PFC emissions from aluminium production (these being powerful greenhouse gases emitted in that process) were 0.26 tonnes CO2 equivalent per tonne of aluminium compared to 0.7 per cent globally in 2006. Losing production to China would result in twice the level of emissions for the same quantity of aluminium produced.

• Emissions-intensive trade-exposed (EITE industries) These industries are particularly vulnerable to the impact of an ETS, and include the aluminium, coal, cement, steel and agriculture industries.

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climate change

“You shut down big smelters like ours, for Geelong, that's a massive impact on the community. You might reduce emissions but you might cost 2500 jobs in the local community.”

active partners in transitioning the economy.”

The paper also proposes that if energy-intensive trade-exposed (EITE) industries relocate, their permits should be distributed to their workforces rather than being returned to the government.

The paper states that a national ETS is “ultimately the best mechanism to deliver the lowest cost to business and therefore to consumers of moving to a lower carbon future”.

However, it warns of the potential for “carbon leakage” – which occurs when industries move to countries with less stringent emission targets – and the need for a gradual introduction of the scheme for EITE industries.

As the Rudd Government finalises its plans for an ETS, due to be detailed in a White Paper and draft legislation later this year, the AWU is taking a high profile on the issue. After making a preliminary response to the government’s Green Paper with its ETS position paper, the union is now preparing a more detailed submission.

AWU National Secretary Paul Howes has been on a national tour of the regional centres in  which the majority of energy and resources

Aluminium: Let’s safeguard regional futures

The future of many regional communities will be devastated if the aluminium industry is not helped to adjust to an emissions trading scheme (ETS), warns a new report.

The report, by independent think-tank Per Capita and commissioned by the AWU, calls on the federal government to consider providing the aluminium industry with a partial exemption for five years.

Another option is for the industry to be offered a discounted carbon price, with the discount progressively reducing over five years, when the sector would be fully integrated into the trading scheme.

The report urges the aluminium industry to invest aggressively in developing carbon-neutral energy resources, which would also have the benefit of generating jobs. Options include solar, hydroelectric and nuclear sources of power.

The report also recommends that the government offer income tax credits to stimulate job creation. Without such special measures, it warns there is a real risk of refinery and smelter closures as companies move offshore, causing massive job losses in many regional communities.

It says, “If Australian production is simply displaced to jurisdictions without carbon pricing, then the overall impact on emission reductions is

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zero [and will come] at great cost to aluminium workers, their families and their towns.”

The report highlights the importance of the aluminium industry to regional economies: alumina refineries and aluminium smelters employ over 12,000 full-time workers and 3000 contractors.

“Aluminium plants are typically located in regional towns with scarce jobs, with the result that these towns have come to depend on the industry for their livelihood,” it says.

“In the most extreme scenario, were all aluminium plants to close, the average unemployment rate would jump from 4.9 per cent to 31.2 per cent in refinery towns and from 7.4 per cent to 14.9 per cent in smelter towns.”

The report says that Australia has not faced an issue presenting such fundamental challenges to its economic and social structures since trade liberalisation.

“Like trade liberalisation, climate change adaptation is urgent and unavoidable. Like trade liberalisation, it offers enormous long-term benefits but involves short-term adjustment pain.”

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climate change workers are employed. The tour has been aimed at raising awareness of ETS plans, as well as gathering feedback from members.

In July, Paul also went to Geelong to launch a report analysing the potential impact of an ETS on the aluminium industry (see breakout, Aluminium: Let’s safeguard regional futures).

The Union has also made a submission to the Federal Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on Treaties review of the Kyoto Protocol, arguing that Australia’s EITE industries are at the international forefront of emission-reduction strategies.

“For example, the International Aluminium Institute has overseen the reduction of emissions from a baseline of 4.9 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of aluminium in 1990 to 0.7 tonnes in 2006, a reduction of more than 80 per cent,” the submission says.

“That is why, in the AWU’s view, these industries should be seen as part of the answer in ways of reducing emissions and why, crucially, the investments and jobs they sustain remain here.”

Paul Howes has welcomed the Federal Government’s commitment to developing an ETS Horticulturalist James Frazer says his work has made him acutely conscious of issues related to climate change.

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through collaboration with generators, major users and emitters, and the workforce.

The AWU is likewise committed, he says, to working collaboratively with industry, community groups and governments on the introduction of an ETS. “Reforms to Australian industry work best when designed and implemented cooperatively,” Paul says.

The paper also calls for free permits to be allocated to EITE industries.

“Bringing these industries into an ETS carries special responsibilities in terms of providing assistance to protect future investment and current activities and needs to be conditional on progress in competitor countries,” it says.

The paper also highlights the AWU’s concern at the initial absence of agriculture and part of forestry from the scheme: “This is despite the fact that a range of abatement measures exist in these sectors at low cost, including forestry measures – protecting forests and in agriculture – shifting to fertilisation and tillage techniques that generate fewer emissions.” ◆

Victorian member supports carbon capture & storage

James Frazer was prompted to send an enthusiastic email to the AWU after reading about National Secretary Paul Howes’ views on carbon capture.

James, a horticulturalist with Melbourne-based Enviro Techniques, wrote to express his support for the Union’s call for a feasibility study into carbon capture and storage.

The Union has described this as “potentially the single most important abatement measure to secure safely future emissions without stranding enormous reserves of coal resources and assets”.

James also wanted to encourage the Union to work with “brown” industries to support their deployment of carbon capture and storage.

“Examples could include emission-reduction technologies fitted to exhaust flues and smokestacks, reduction of CO2 emissions to mineral carbonates, and 'clean coal' efficiencies such as fluidised bed combustion, integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), oxy-fuel combustion and supercritical boilers,” he wrote.

“Installing and operating these technologies will create many jobs and potential future members for the Union.”

James says he’s been pleased to see the Union helping to lead debate about climate change.

“Many of the industries that the AWU has members in will experience fundamental change in the coming years, so the Union needs to be positioned as a relevant force for protecting members’ long-term interests and finding new opportunities for growth in emerging industries,” he wrote.

James, 29, says his work, because of its environmental nature, has made him acutely conscious of issues related to climate change and the importance of effective action.

“I’m absolutely glad the Union is being proactive on the issue,” he says.

Rod Massey.

Qld member says it’s time to get informed Queensland cement industry worker Rod Massey became active in the Union more than 25 years ago because he wanted to have a say in the decisions that would affect him.

That’s also why Rod, a team leader at Cement Australia in Gladstone, is getting up to speed on how initiatives to tackle climate change might affect his industry.

While the coal industry has been portrayed as the “bad guy” in much public debate, Rod says he’s conscious that his own industry is a big emitter of greenhouse gases.

When he looks around his local area, he sees many other industries and businesses likely to be affected by an emissions trading scheme.

“This town is probably one of the largest in Australia where you’ve got heavy industry manufacturing who come into that big band of carbon emitters,” he says.

Rod would like to see much more awareness and discussion in the workplace about ETS proposals and related issues – not only because of the threat to workers’ livelihoods. “It’s also because they need to be part of solution.”

Rod, 55, says concern about his young grandchildren, three-yearold Ella and 18-month-old Riley, was one of the reasons prompting his initial interest in climate change. “We have issues regarding climate change, but they will have to live with our decisions in the future – in their environment but also their future job prospects and choices,” he says.

Rod is pleased the AWU has been lobbying for an appropriate ETS, and is pushing for collaboration between unions, government and workers. “It keeps us part of the decision making,” he says. “At least you’ve got a voice.”

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he Howard era has gone down in history as a time when the Australian government declared war on workers’ rights. The introduction of WorkChoices became the misnomer of the decade when many workers were given no choices at all except to sign a workplace agreement that stripped them of their hard-won rights.

Horror stories emerged as workers were required to work longer hours for less money and rights such as sick leave and overtime payments became a thing of the past.

However, the government was overwhelmed by the solidarity of Australian workers and their unions and Howard and his government were unceremoniously swept from office.

But WorkChoices was just one of the weapons the government used. Another insidious set of laws exists and construction workers are still being persecuted by them.

The abc of the ABCC The office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) is another Howard-era bureaucracy that is still in existence today. It was set up to oversee the implementation of (and adherence to) industrial laws on construction sites. However, it emerged that its primary role appeared to be one of “criminalising” much of the union-related activity on job sites, while failing to investigate employers accused of underpaying workers or breaching occupational health and safety laws.

Since its establishment, the ABCC has used the full-force of its brief to target workers who involved themselves in union (or even collective) activity that is not “strictly related” to Enterprise Bargaining Agreement negotiations.

So, for example, if a worker is killed in an accident on a construction site, his fellow workers must be able to prove conclusively that they had reasonable concern about an imminent risk to themselves to legally stop work and assess the site’s safety situation. In the year 2007-08, 40 people died in the construction industry and the workplace laws that are in place deny workers their rights in taking action on issues such as safety. Even passersby can be “interrogated” by the ABCC for witnessing activities on a site.

There is no right to silence and fines of up to $22,000 can be imposed by the ABCC on individual workers and anyone who refuses to co-operate with the Commission can potentially face a six month prison term.

Out of around 85 people the commission has brought before it, only 13 have been interrogated over issues that have resulted in court-imposed penalties.

And there appears to be evidence that some of the more vulnerable workers, such as apprentices and migrants, are being targeted as witnesses to workplace activities the Commission is interested in.

United front AWU National Secretary Paul Howes has joined with other construction union leaders to 

Joe, Ivan and Charlie’s stories …

Three construction workers who have been “of interest” to the ABCC have come forward to assist the Combined Construction Unions campaign. Joe Mannucci and Ivan Franjic were forced to attend ABCC interrogations under threat of jail terms. They had no right to silence and not appearing before the Commission was not an option. Afterwards, they were not allowed to talk to anyone about what was discussed – not even family and friends.

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Another worker, Charlie Isaacs, of Western Australia, was prosecuted and fined $3000 for standing up for a colleague who was unfairly sacked on the job they were working on. “I’m stuck with a car worth $18,000, I haven’t been able to pay it off,” Charlie told The Age newspaper. “My wife’s health has deteriorated, my health’s deteriorated because of the stress that was placed on both of us.”

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the abcc

getting it rights!

There’s an industry in Australia where authorities have the right to question you, possibly for hours, and then gag your right to tell anyone about the experience. If you think this industry must be some kind of “secret service” where such security precautions are necessary, think again. It’s Australia’s building and construction industry – and it’s been happening to workers just like you.

Photos getty images illustration Myles

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the abcc

“They can’t arrest you, use force against you, enter your home, or force you to answer questions on the spot.

However, they can summon workers – and members of the public – for secret interrogation over industrial issues.”

The facts

1

The productivity of the Australian construction industry is equal or higher to those of the US, Japan and Western Europe.

2 3

Around 50 construction workers are killed each year from work-related incidents and illnesses.

Howard’s building industry laws have been condemned five times by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

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launch the ‘Rights on Site’ campaign. The Combined Construction Unions represent the tradespeople and labourers in Australia’s construction industry. The combined unions are committed to working together and using their combined resources to combat the draconian building industry laws.

“The ABCC powers are sweeping,” Paul says. “Workers and their representatives can be fined and jailed; union meetings can be secretly recorded; their choice of legal representation can be denied.

“The ABCC is the last vestiges of Howard’s unfair IR laws. No other workers, apart from workers in the construction industry, are faced with this sort of heavy-handed and undemocratic assault on their human rights,” he says.

While the ABCC was set up by the Howard Government, there is pressure from “the big end of town” to keep the Commission in place.

“It’s a desperate attempt to keep their massive profits and intimidate workers from speaking up about safety and their rights on site,” Paul says. ◆

Your rights and where to go for help If you work in the construction industry, it is important that you are fully aware of the rights you have and what to do if approached by the ABCC. • ABCC officers have the legal right to enter construction sites to investigate industrial issues such as breaches of awards or industrial laws. They do NOT have police powers. They can’t arrest you, use force against you, enter your home, or force you to answer questions on the spot.

• However, they can summons workers – and members of the public – for secret interrogation over industrial issues.

• If you suspect the ABCC is present at your workplace do not approach or talk to an ABCC officer, however: ➔ Call your union office immediately and advise them the ABCC is on site. ➔ Don’t be provoked – remember the ABCC may use secret recording devices. ➔ Remember you have no obligation to talk to the ABCC unless you are given at least 14 days’ written notice. ➔ If you are served with a notice, contact your union office for legal advice. ➔ Being summonsed by the ABCC is a serious matter. You can be jailed or fined for failing to co-operate.

Get up, stand up

AWU National Secretary Paul Howes said the Rights on Site campaign’s agenda is to highlight the profoundly undemocratic powers of the ABCC. “We believe the Rudd Labor Government, elected to restore Australians’ rights at work, should care about the rights of people like Charlie Isaacs, Joe Mannucci and Ivan Franjic and the 90,000 other construction workers in this country,” Paul says.

There is plenty you can do to help turn these laws around and joining the Combined Construction Unions’ Rights on Site campaign is a good place to start.

Log on to www.rightsonsite.org.au for more information about the ABCC and its powers and what the Combined Construction Unions are doing. The website also has some fantastic posters you can download and a petition for you and your work mates to sign plus a workplace resolution.

Log on to the AWU’s website at www.awu.net.au to be kept up to date with your Union’s involvement in the campaign.

The ABCC will cost Australian taxpayers $165.4 million for the period 2007-08 to 2011-12, under current budget forward estimates.

From the ACTU’s “Rights on Site” campaign research.

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mortgage crises

having a

lend

High interest rates mean home owners are now being squeezed as the economy slows. Now, some have found they borrowed too much in the good times for a home with falling value. So is there anything you can you do if you find yourself in this situation?

WRITTEN BY tom scahill Photo getty images/newspix

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ortgage stress is not a new concept. But today, more than ever, working Australians are feeling the triple-whammy impact of high interest rates and living expenses as well as falling property prices.

The upshot is that increasing numbers of home owners are on the road to financial crisis as they dip into savings and superannuation in an attempt to meet home-loan payments.

The scale of the problem was underlined when hundreds of home owners such as Julie* from Sydney (see breakout: Julie moves back where she started), desperate for practical advice and solutions, recently attended an information evening in Liverpool in Sydney’s south west.

The event, hosted by Jason Clare, Federal Member for Blaxland, included a panel of experts such as Federal Minister for Housing Tanya Plibersek, Financial Literacy Foundation chairman and chief commentator for Money magazine, Paul Clitheroe, Banking and Finance Ombudsman Philip Field, along with a number of financial counsellors and representatives from Legal Aid and charity The Smith Family.

Despite some disagreements about the causes of mortgage stress, the experts agree unanimously that admitting to mortgage trouble early and acting immediately is critical to saving the home.

“There’s no miracle [cure] for mortgage stress but there are steps you can take to reduce the odds of losing your home. The key is to act early – certainly well before you miss any payments,” Paul Clitheroe advises.

Financial tips • Seek independent advice from a financial counsellor, community legal centre or legal aid office.

• Talk to your lender to discuss options immediately when a problem is identified.

• If your lender is a bank, contact the Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman Service (www.abio.org.au or phone 1300 78 08 08).

• If you’re with a non-bank lender, speak to the Credit

www.awu.net.au

Sydney-based financial counsellor Karen Cox, from the Consumer Credit Legal Centre, has witnessed a significant increase in home owners seeking help with mortgage stress, with calls jumping from an annual average of 71 to 400 in the last year. “Five to eight years of freely available credit plus rising home prices has made for a volatile cocktail,” Karen says.

That said, as property prices continue to tumble, the old trick of refinancing an existing mortgage into a cheaper loan is losing its shine.

Gregory Mowle, The Smith Family’s program manager for financial literacy, warns lenders will suggest refinancing as the answer for mortgage stress. “It is only a band-aid approach,” Gregory warns. “It doesn’t address the underlying issue that has caused the financial crisis in the first place. It’s really just lumping debt on top of debt.”

Moreover, refinancing a mortgage can incur pretty hefty fees – Gregory Mowle says horror stories of fees reaching as much as $30,000 are not uncommon.

“Before you refinance, you need to sit down, analyse your budget, go to a course and look at your surplus cash flow. Also be aware of predatory lending and massive refinance fees,” Paul Clitheroe advises.

Legal Aid’s John Moratelli explains that predatory lending is a practice which involves lending money to people who don’t have a capacity to repay the debt. “The problem is lack of regulation, and there are many sharks out there,” he says. “They are saying to creditimpaired people, ‘don’t worry, we can fix the problem’. They are often [mortgage]  brokers who are advertising and are

Ombudsman (www.creditombudsman.com.au or phone 1800 138 422 or 02 9273 8400).

• If you receive a default notice, you’ve got 30 days to get in touch with the Ombudsman before the time elapses. This delays the lender taking legal action – it also buys you time.

• Check all the terms and conditions of new loans before deciding to refinance.

• Accessing super is a stop-gap solution at best – it may just delay the loss of your home and leave you struggling in retirement.

theaustralianworker 17

mortgage crises

* To retain privacy, Julie’s surname has not been printed

Julie moves back where she started

Julie* (52) of the western Sydney suburb of Georges Hall admits she is mired deeply in mortgage stress after running into credit card trouble. “Five years ago when the boom was on, our house was worth a lot of money and we borrowed on the property. We didn’t expect interest rates to increase as much as they have,” she says.

Julie says her elderly parents mortgaged their home to help trim the plastic card debt. This left Julie with a big loan to her parents as well as a significant mortgage. “I worked really hard, six or seven days a week and my health suffered, but I never had any money left over.”

Julie, who works in a retirement home, says she was borrowing money to pay for fuel and food. “You can’t budget when your mortgage is nearly $4000 a month and you don’t earn that to pay your bills. Every fortnight we were broke.”

Julie and her husband considered selling the home. “We were behind in our repayments, not by much, but by a couple of thousand dollars.”

However, the property market in south-west Sydney had turned against the unlucky couple. In the end, they decided to keep the house. “We are going to rent it out and move in with my parents. It will be hard for them and for us, but the rental income will halve our mortgage repayments and we will be able to pay our other bills. Hopefully in 12 months we’ll have paid our debts,” she says.

18 theaustralianworker

Yes, the government does care that workers and lower-income earners are suffering mortgage stress.

Above Federal Minister for Housing Tanya Plibersek; Above right Jason Clare, Federal Member for Blaxland.

“There are a lot of organisations running what they call ‘financial literacy’ seminars, but they’re just forums to promote their own products and services.” attracting people who might have a letter from their bank telling them they’re behind on their mortgage. “[Home owners are] worried about losing the family home,” John says. “They go to a broker and they end up with a loan that gets them out of their problems in the short term. However, they’re sold a loan that is totally unaffordable.

It’s a predatory loan with a high rate of interest.”

The best way to avoid such sharks is to contact your current lender to discuss repayment options before you hit the skids. While this sounds sensible in theory, many home owners find contacting a lender’s call centre frustrating.

In fact, there’s evidence that it’s causing some borrowers to give up completely.

Jenny Reid from Creating Links, a western Sydney-based financial counselling service, says, “The beauty of visiting a financial counsellor is they have contacts within the banks to save you doing all the running around

and can get you an answer much faster.”

Alternatively, Banking and Finance Ombudsman Philip Field advises consumers to ask for the internal customer relations department or the internal dispute-resolutions department to reduce the runaround. Philip says, “Every bank is required to have this department and it specialises in resolving disputes. If you’re not getting satisfaction from that area, then you lodge your dispute with the financial ombudsman service.”

(For more information on calling the ombudsman, see breakout: Financial tips.)

If you miss a repayment – and it only takes one missed payment – you’re likely to cop a default notice, often asking for arrears plus the next payment due.

Karen Cox explains, “As soon as you are in default, a lender can issue a notice straight away even if you miss just one payment. Then you have 30 days to pay the arrears plus the payment due for the next 30 days. www.awu.net.au

Bank employees forced to sell debt products

If you think your bank will provide you with the best financial advice, think again. The Finance Sector Union (FSU) believes bank and finance company employees are being forced to sell home loan products to customers who can’t afford the repayments. If that’s not bad enough, should employees fail to sell, their pay or job may be in jeopardy.

According to a new report released by the FSU, employees are being presented with sales targets linked directly to job security.

This information calls for the regulation of sales targets to ensure consumer debt does not spiral out of control.

The report states that 63 per cent of workers believe targets have a negative impact on customer service while 59 per cent said they felt pressured to sell debt products to customers already suffering financial stress.

FSU National Policy Director Rod Masson says his members want to be recognised as professional sales representatives.

However, the pressure placed on them by their employers undermines their ability to provide genuine customer service.

Rod believes banks and finance companies have failed to regulate themselves and it is time for the federal government to step in to ensure the national debt problem does not continue.

If it does, he fears an Australian sub-prime disaster.

“So, it’s very important you take action within the 30 days, because as soon as that default action expires, you might not be able to go to the ombudsman, which is a free service. Once you have applied to the ombudsman, a lender can’t sue you in the court.”

If predatory lending wasn’t bad enough, Jenny Reid says the number of people accessing their super has also increased (see breakout: Early release of super) and there’s evidence that lenders are encouraging the practice.

“There are circumstances where it’s a good idea, particularly if you can meet current repayments, but not the arrears,” explains Jenny.

“Similarly, for a short-term serious illness, it could be a great idea.”

However, Jenny says many people who access super early are often back to square one within a year and are about to lose their homes. “Leaving your money in super means it’s protected from bankruptcy,” she advises. “Conversely, the housing loan will go with everything else if you go under. So, get advice, think carefully. Don’t put all your eggs in that basket. Put a repayment plan in place before accessing super.”

While there’s no silver bullet for mortgage www.awu.net.au

stress, Housing Minister Tanya Plibersek believes receiving independent advice early is essential for every home owner. What’s more, at the Liverpool meeting in July, the Minister put her money where her mouth is by promising more funding for financial counselling services, as well as announcing plans for consistent national regulations for tightening predatory lending practices.

It’s also critical that home owners understand their rights and be money wise. That said, The Smith Family’s Greg Mowle warns that consumers need to be careful about who is supplying the financial education. “There are a lot of organisations running what they call ‘financial literacy’ seminars, but they’re just forums to promote their own products and services,” he says.

To this end, The Smith Family runs free money-management courses for people on low incomes. Likewise, financial counsellors conduct short-term courses and one-on-one sessions as well as follow-up services.

There is also the federal government’s financial-literacy Understanding Money website (www.understandingmoney.gov.au), about which Paul Clitheroe says, “This site won’t flog you anything. I hate going to these websites with insurance calculators and all of a sudden when you click something you have a sales spiel coming up about buying insurance.”

Likewise, Centrelink (www.centrelink.gov.au) also offers free financial counselling services to all Australians, while Cannex (www.cannex.com.au) and Infochoice (www.infochoice.com.au) provide free and independent mortgagecomparison services.

Jenny Reid contends that financial stress often comes courtesy of changes in financial or social circumstances such as a pregnancy, a redundancy, and so on. “So, if you know something is about to change, it’s better to start planning early and get some advice,” she advises.

“Too many people do nothing [about mortgage stress] because they don’t know what to do.

Get as much information as possible about the available options.” ◆

Paul Clitheroe is the Financial Literacy Foundation chairman and chief commentator for Money magazine.

Early release of super

Accessing your superannuation for mortgage relief may seem like a good quick-fix option, but take time to consider the serious repercussions.

Paul Clitheroe describes it as a “band-aid solution to a larger problem”. If it is only going to provide temporary relief, ask yourself whether it is worth dipping into your retirement fund.

If you do want to access your super there are a few steps that need to be taken. Your superannuation fund will only provide you with your money if you apply through the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) by filling in a compassionate-grounds release application.

To be granted an early release on the grounds of severe financial hardship you must: • Be in receipt of a Commonwealth incomesupport payment, and have been so, continuously, for the last 26 weeks; and • Satisfy the trustee/RSA provider that you are unable to meet reasonable and immediate family living expenses.

theaustralianworker 19

alcohol report

over the

influence

New health guidelines on what constitutes safe drinking levels make for sober reading and it is emerging that an alarming number of Australians actually have problems with alcohol. Here we report on community initiatives being set in place to help combat the problem.

T

WRITTEN BY melissa sweet Photo getty images

he WA goldfields town of the more traditional health promotion approach Kalgoorlie is famous for its of lecturing individuals. work-hard, party-hard ethos, The project is working with local media, as well as the skimpily clad police, publicans and other groups with the aim barmaids who draw tourists of changing community attitudes, as well as the to its grand old hotels. promotion and availability of alcohol.

Its reputation as a grog-loving town is well However, the task is proving far more deserved. Research shows that per capita difficult than originally envisaged because alcohol consumption is much higher there than heavy drinking is such an entrenched part of so for the rest of WA, and many people’s lives, says that this contributes to an the project’s Kalgoorlieincreased rate of alcoholbased coordinator, related deaths, assaults Fredrik Welander, adding • 1 can or stubby of light beer ➜ 0.8 standard drink and other crimes and that most people also • 1 can or stubby of medium light beer ➜ 1 standard drink • 1 can or stubby regular beer ➜ 1.5 standard drinks hospitalisations. don’t consider their own • 750ml bottle wine ➜ about 7-8 standard drinks But in public health drinking is an issue.

• 4-litre cask ➜ about 30 to 40 standard drinks circles, Kalgoorlie is “One of our initial • 1 nip spirits ➜ 1 standard drink developing another claim • 1 can pre-mixed spirits ➜ 1.5-2.5 standard drinks findings was that it to fame. For the past two doesn’t matter how much years, an innovative collaboration involving people drink, they still consider themselves to health experts and local community groups be average drinkers, and that could include has been working to tackle Kalgoorlie’s people drinking anything from a cartoon of drinking problem. beer a month to a slab of beer a day,” says Mr It aims to change community norms – to Welander, who works for the National Drug challenge the notion that “you’re a good bloke Research Institute at Curtin University in Perth. if you’re a good drinker” – rather than taking “We meet young, well-educated people 

What’s a standard drink?

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www.awu.net.au

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alcohol report

The grog file

• Internationally, alcohol is estimated to cause 3.7 per cent of all deaths. In Australia, it is second only to tobacco as a preventable cause of drug-related death and hospitalisation.

• Alcohol accounts for 13 per cent of all deaths among teenagers aged 14 to 17. It is estimated that one Australian teenager dies and more than 60 are hospitalised each week from alcohol-related causes.

• Overall, more people die from the short-term effects of alcohol than the long-term effects.

• For Australian men, almost one-third of motor vehicle deaths and one-quarter of motor vehicle injuries have been attributed to alcohol consumption.

• Alcohol is estimated to have cost the Australian community about $15.3 billion in 2004-05, when factors such as crime and violence, treatment costs, loss of productivity and premature death were taken into account.

• Alcohol contributes to several cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke and cirrhosis of the liver.

Source: NHMRC. Australian alcohol guidelines for low-risk drinking. Draft for public consultation, October 2007.

“Women in their early 20s to mid 30s say they are so set in their drinking habits that they can’t really change.”

22 theaustralianworker

Why alcohol is a work issue Workers and employers could benefit hugely if workplaces were more effectively engaged in efforts to tackle hazardous drinking, according to experts.

They cite research showing that the high level of hazardous drinking among workers is compromising workplace safety and productivity.

People who occasionally have a big night on the turps cause the bulk of such problems, rather than the smaller group of consistently heavy drinkers, says Dr Ken Pidd, of the National Centre

for Education and Training on Addiction in Adelaide.

Dr Pidd argues that workplaces are an ideal site for alcohol interventions because workplace cultures can have a huge impact on people’s drinking. “Young people are particularly at risk of learning bad drinking habits in the workplace,” he says.

Dr Pidd is the author of a national study showing that hazardous drinking is most common amongst workers in the trades, unskilled occupations, and the hospitality, agricultural and mining industries.

with early signs of brain damage in Kalgoorlie.

We’ve been running focus groups with young women to find out why they drink and what would make them change their behaviour.

Women in their early 20s to mid 30s say they are so set in their drinking habits that they can’t really change.”

The project has had some wins, however.

Supportive media coverage is starting to have an impact, and some pubs have reduced their opening hours and agreed to restrictions on the sale of cask wines.

Mr Welander says the community is beginning to realise that everyone pays the price of excessive alcohol consumption. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t drink because you will be picking up the bill, whether through increased health costs for taxpayers, or violence.”

New drinking guidelines That’s a message that we are all likely to hear a lot more in coming months, thanks to an upcoming public awareness campaign about the hazards of hitting the bottle. The federal government campaign will be timed to follow the release of new national guidelines on what constitutes low-risk drinking.

The conclusions of the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) guidelines are likely to surprise many Australians, who may

“One of the most important things for people to realise is that their consumption patterns away from the workplace can also impact on workplace safety and productivity,” he says.

“If they turn up for work after a big session the night before, they may have a blood alcohol of zero but their safety and productivity can be compromised because they may be suffering from a hangover and fatigue.”

Dr Pidd believes employers could do much more to promote awareness of the hazards of alcohol, although this should

not be done in a punitive way.

Associate Professor Richard Midford, of the National Drug Research Institute in Perth, says workplaces should have a policy covering alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.

“Workplaces need to be consistent,” he says. “There is no point having a policy about drinking in the workplace and then having a boardroom where managers go and have a few whiskeys when they’re having a meeting.

“There also has to be consistency in saying don’t come to work drunk and then give them a slab of beer for doing a good job.”

not realise that both their drinking patterns and overall consumption are increasing their risk of health problems, injuries and accidents.

Professor Jon Currie, a Melbourne physician, has been leading a small group of experts who have spent long hours analysing the scientific evidence about the impact of alcohol in order to develop the guidelines.

“We want to have a more informed community so people can judge their own risks,” says Professor Currie.

The new NHMRC guidelines, due for release this month, are likely to reach three major conclusions: • Men and women who regularly have more than two standard drinks per day are increasing their risk of health problems, accidents and injuries. The more they drink, the greater the risk, especially for women.

• Not drinking is the safest option for children and adolescents under 17.

• Not drinking is the safest option for women who are pregnant, planning a pregnancy or who are breast feeding.

The guidelines also are likely to single out some groups as being at increased risk from drinking, including youth, people with a family history of alcohol-related problems, people with mental health problems and those taking medications. www.awu.net.au

Professor Currie emphasises that the guidelines are not telling people what they must do, but giving them enough information so they can make informed choices. Those who drink at or below the guideline levels will reduce their lifetime risk of dying from an alcohol-related disease or injury to less than one in 100.

The guidelines have already drawn criticism from some public health experts who claim that they are unrealistic and so far removed from many people’s drinking habits that they risk being ignored.

But Professor Currie dismisses such concerns, saying that Australians deserve to know the facts about the risks associated with drinking.

“Fifty years ago, people didn’t realise smoking was a problem; we told them and no-one would accept it. We’re looking at just getting the facts out there and letting people make their own decisions.

“No one is trying to kill off socialising, but people need to rethink how many drinks they’re having and just monitor more carefully what they’re doing.”

A lateral approach Meanwhile, an innovative trial is underway in rural NSW, which aims to test whether supporting communities to take action on alcohol will help reduce violence, injuries and other such problems.

Researchers are working intensively with 10 towns to implement a variety of strategies tailored to each town’s needs.

Changes in the level of alcohol-related harms in these towns – Corowa, Inverell, Tumut, Parkes, Griffith, Leeton, Forbes, Gunnedah, Kempsey and Grafton – will be compared with trends in 10 other towns that form the control group.

One of the project’s leaders, Dr Anthony Shakeshaft, from the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at the University of NSW, says the two issues attracting greatest community concern are youth drinking and domestic violence.

He says that empowering communities to act locally is increasingly viewed as a helpful www.awu.net.au

strategy at a time when competition policies and market deregulation are increasing alcohol availability, despite evidence this is associated with an increase in problems such as violence.

The strategies being used vary according to the community’s issues. In one town, for example, alcohol-related crimes had spiked in January and February for some years.

It was thought this might reflect people drinking out of stress because of financial problems associated with Christmas and the start of the school year. After the project worked with local employers and other groups to provide help with budgeting in the run-up to Christmas, there was a noticeable improvement in the crime level.

The project also helps towns to identify the weekends that are worst for alcohol-related problems – often these coincide with community events such as football finals – and to develop solutions, including increased policing on those weekends. This approach has had a dramatic impact on crime rates, says Dr Shakeshaft.

The project will soon launch an intervention targeting patients who seek help at hospital emergency departments after drinking.

They will receive letters with tailored feedback about their drinking and its likely impact, along with some tips for reducing it.

With public concern about alcohol becoming more prominent in the headlines and a federal government that has signalled its intention to tackle Australia’s grog culture, Dr Shakeshaft believes we may be on the verge of a major shift in community attitudes.

“I often hear people say ‘we drank when we were young and it was alright for us’,” says Dr Shakeshaft. “But I think we’re getting to a point where out-andout drunkeness, particularly for young people, is not going to be acceptable.” ◆

Finding help The Australian Drug Information Network has a list of treatment services in each state and territory: http://www.adin.com. au/content.asp?Document_ ID=38

Alcohol and drug information

Services in each State/Territory QLD (07) 3837 5989 (Brisbane)

1800 177 833 (Free call

within QLD outside

Metro area) NSW 1800 422 599 (NSW country)

(02) 9361 8000 (Sydney) ACT (02) 6205 4545 VIC 1800 888 236 SA 1300 131 340

(for SA callers only) WA (08) 9442 5000 (Perth)

1800 198 024 (WA country) NT (08) 8948 0087 (Darwin)

(08) 8951 7580

(Central Australia)

1800 131 350

(Territory wide) TAS 1800 811 994

henry & mary

National icon Henry Lawson's pen, featured in the 2005 Captivating and Curious exhibition at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra.

right on

the money Henry Lawson and Mary Gilmore. Not that long ago, Australians not only knew who they were, they knew what they did and why they were lauded for it. Henry was a literary icon and a great Australian “character”. He was the tragic genius who wrote about the agonising and ecstatic birth of the nation. His words wove the tapestry of Australia’s bountiful generosity and exposed its pockets of ugly greed.

Mary was also a literary identity – an activist and an intellectual. At one time she 24 theaustralianworker

WRITTEN BY anne brooksbank/bob ellis Photos newspix/ACP digital library

even edited the Women’s page of this very publication – The Australian Worker. But the so-called “culture wars” of the Howard era saw both Henry and Mary fade somewhat from the Australian psyche. Henry was even dropped from our currency – both appeared on different versions of the $10 note. But way back in another time Henry and Mary were soul mates and, as playwright and author Anne Brooksbank reveals, they were also star-crossed lovers… www.awu.net.au

I

n the last few years the face of Henry Lawson has disappeared from our 10-dollar note. And while Mary remains on a version of the note – and although the picture of her may be the the one in which she thought she resembled “a camel’s upper lip” – the loss of Henry from our currency is a real pity, I think.

Lawson wrote a great deal, not all of it good, but how often is he read and quoted still? It seems to me the answer is often, especially in the bush and the country towns where memories are longer and people can still recite whole poems aloud and read and tell again his classic stories.

He is frequently mentioned by callers to the Radio National Sunday-morning program Australia All Over and a handwritten page and other items of his were part of a recent exhibition of national treasures.

There is no-one, I suspect, who has yet entirely replaced Henry Lawson in national reverence and affection.

Mary is less well remembered, but some of her shorter poems are wonderful still and rival his. Like him, she cared deeply about the rights and conditions of workers, especially those of women, and in 1908 became, appropriately, the women’s editor of The Australian Worker.

In 1923, a year after Henry’s death, she wrote a 30-page memoir, Henry Lawson and I, a carbon copy of which is in Sydney’s Mitchell Library. It has not yet been released in its entirety, though the condition that Mary placed on its publication, that it should hurt no living person, has been met and most of it is published in extracts and footnotes in various books.

In the late 1980s, I was allowed to read the document and make extensive notes, and after that I wrote a novel called All My Love based on it and other sources, especially Henry’s own autobiographical writings. That book was published in 1991 and last year I also wrote a two-hander play based on it.

Although the original publisher, William

Heinemann is long gone, I have recently re-edited and reworked All My Love in the hope of finding a new publisher for it, because the story of Henry and Mary still intrigues and fascinates me.

Henry Lawson and Mary Gilmore met in Sydney in the first months of 1890. In the year before this, when Mary (then Mary Cameron) had been teaching at a school in Silverton near Broken Hill, her mother(who was working as a journalist for The Town and Country Journal) had written to her to persuade her to come to Sydney.

It [the city] was in such a ferment of ideas at this time, she wrote, and not just ideas for the future of men, but for women too: a battle to acknowledge their full rights and full humanity.

It was not an easy invitation for 24-year-old Mary to refuse, even though it meant leaving a hard-won teaching position with no certainty of another.

Her mother had a large room curtained off into two which they shared in a boarding house in Phillip Street above Circular Quay. It was the first of many such rooms for Mary. Much of her life was lived in boarding houses where often she would write in bed, a blanket round her shoulders, because she was not permitted to have a fire in her room.

Her mother knew and greatly admired Henry’s mother, Louisa Lawson, who published a serious newspaper for women called The Dawn from her house in Balmain. “I found the one perfect woman in the world,” her mother told Mary.

Henry had by then published work that remains well known now – in particular the poem Andy’s Gone With Cattle – and Mary had been writing unpublished poems of her own, so the mothers conspired to get them together.

Louisa came first to check Mary out, and a reluctant Henry, then 22, was sent to call.

After initial resistance, they began to see each other often. Since they could not remain alone together in the room, they went walking around Sydney. He took her to “see the wrong things,” Mary wrote in her memoir, “the things 

“There is no-one, I suspect, who has yet entirely replaced Henry Lawson in national reverence and affection.”

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theaustralianworker 25

henry & mary

Above Mary Gilmore was born 1865 near Goulburn and died in 1962. Below Henry Lawson, pictured around 1901. While Henry was in Western Australia Mary lodged with his mother, Louisa. It was an unhappy period and, during that time, Louisa hid from Mary letters Henry had written to her.

repressive of the rights of Australia... the low wages workers, the Chinamen working at treadle-saws in underground cellars lit only by a grating in the street, the huddled houses by the old Argyle Cut, and The Rocks where women hung out their washing on the roof.”

From the perspective of a time generally more flush with money, it is hard to realise how little they and others had. On their long walks around Sydney they often did not have the price of a cup of tea between them. Any thought of marriage was difficult since Henry earned so little from his writing and from what he picked up from casual work painting carriages, and Mary had her own uncertainties about him, too. But still the friendship grew.

Then Mary’s mother was appointed editor of the new women’s page on the Daily Telegraph, a job that Louisa coveted. As a consequence, the two mothers had a bitter falling out. Louisa first demanded that Henry spend less time visiting Mary and more on his work at the printing press.

If Mary wished to see him, she should visit him there. Then Louisa decided that Henry and his brother Peter should go to Western Australia for a while – it was opening up, she said, and money could be made there – and Henry agreed in the hope of making some much-needed capital.

Mary’s mother was to return home for

The heart of Australia My dad Keith started out as a Maitland coal miner, and for 40 years as a commercial traveller sold Billy Tea to grocers, and he started me reading The Union Buries Its Dead and The Loaded Dog when I was seven, plus all of Lawson’s grumbling verses on hardship in the bush.

Banjo Paterson got it wrong, Dad said, and Lawson got it right, and in an era when working class men recited reams of poetry by heart in the local pub their battle for hearts and minds had near-religious force, and their competing anthems Out Back and Clancy of the Overflow nightly vied for the rural Australian soul.

Years later, as a writer myself, re-reading Henry I assessed his artistic gift more keenly, and his personal failings more sympathetically. A drunk with a mad wife, who spent time in Darlinghurst jail for non-payment of child maintenance, he had a few good years in his 30s and a sordid long decline before his death at age 55.

He never wrote a novel or a play (one signed with

26 theaustralianworker

a while, and since Mary could not afford to keep up the room in Phillip Street on her own, Louisa invited Mary to rent a newly vacated room in her own house for a few shillings a week while Henry was gone. With misgivings, Mary took the room.

The night before Henry was to sail, he urged Mary to come on board with him. Once at sea the captain could marry them, he said, and he would arrange to work her passage. But it was too soon for her, too fast, to decide her whole life in a few hours. She said no, that they should wait till he came back. Though it was a kind of engagement, they agreed to say nothing yet to either of the mothers.

With Henry gone, Louisa waited for Mary to say something to her about an engagement or at least an understanding. When Mary said nothing, Louisa demanded to know if there was one. Since she and Henry had agreed on this beforehand, Mary said no.

From this point on Louisa apparently decided that Mary was as deceptive as her mother and that it should end. She took and kept Henry’s excited, loving letters to Mary as they came in – a theft witnessed by his young sister Gertie and confirmed in a letter she wrote to Mary 40 years later. Finally convinced that Henry had abandoned her, Mary wrote a final angry letter to him and left.

Anne Brooksbank’s husband, Bob Ellis, himself an Australian literary gem, tells us why Henry Lawson must be restored to his true place as a national icon…

his name was forged by his brother-in-law Jack Lang) or finished his memoirs but in his yarns and ballads gave as authentic a voice to the struggling underclass as did Orwell, Gissing, Dickens, Gorky and Steinbeck – and, lately, John Williamson, Eric Bogle, Bruce Springsteen and Raymond Carver – and he did more to ‘invent’ Australia as a nationality than all the Federation’s forefathers.

He showed us ourselves close-up, and we

abruptly knew ourselves as a battered, comradely, life-bruised post-colonial people in his colloquial tales as never before.

I feel a particular affinity for him because he used a pseudonym ‘Jack Ellis’ which stood for his better, younger self, not the mouldy, ragged pub bore he finally became. In his poem that begins I met Jack Ellis the other day, Jack Ellis, my old mate, Jack... he divides himself in two – the young, the old; the pure, the corrupted – and mourns the brave, hard-yakkering working-class decency he’s lost since his youth in the city’s greed and swagger. Most of Australia feels that way now, after the Howard years, and Henry bears re-reading.

And it’s a national tragedy I think that he lost through certain misplaced love letters his ideal, affianced partner Mary Gilmore and 30 years of his better work therewith.

Lawson should go back on the currency and join Mary on the 10-dollar note immediately.”

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On Henry’s return, Louisa went through his trunk and read Mary’s letters to him, letters which she quotes from in her memoir and which can only have further hardened Louisa against her.

Some years later they met and realised what must have happened, but by then Mary had committed herself to becoming a teacher at the New Australia colony in Paraguay. She also had an understanding with one of the men who had already left to go there, and Henry could not persuade her to stay. Jack Jones, a mate of his, recounts a last-minute failed attempt by Henry to stow away aboard Mary’s ship which was to leave on the dawn tide, but he was found and escorted off. By then, too, he was involved with Bertha Bredt and embarking on what proved to be a most painful and troubled marriage.

Lawson and Mary did not communicate much in the years that followed. Letters between Sydney and Paraguay took many months to arrive and life was a struggle for them both, but in the first year she wrote to him: "...the country – it is a constant wonder to me, so beautiful, so rich in bird life and plants... If only you were here, Henry.

Don’t let someone else snap your chances. Come while the field is new – as a visitor, I mean, though I’d like you to come for good only I don’t think you would... Come if you can, dear old friend...

P.S. I didn’t get married.”

But she did marry in those years, a bushman as her father would have wanted, named Will Gilmore, and their son Billy was born. She saw Henry again in London 1901 after she and Will had left the failing colony and were on their way back to Sydney. He was doing well in London, he told her, and his work becoming recognised there, but Bertha hated it. She had been in and out of mental hospitals, and her depression had been so severe that at times she had threatened to throw their two children out the window of their miserable flat in a street misnamed Paradise Row. “Five floors up,” he told Mary, “and a flagged courtyard beneath.”

Henry had a plan that Mary and Will should take Bertha and the children back to Sydney, where she might recover. He would finish the www.awu.net.au

proofs of his book for Methuen and follow.

Despite serious misgivings, Mary and Will agreed.

It was an appalling voyage. The ship ran aground, the propeller broke, then a cargo of marble shifted in a big storm and the ship threatened to overturn. Since Bertha refused to, Henry had begged Mary to write to him from each port to let him know that the children were safe. Bertha got hold of one of Mary’s letters from the purser’s office – another stolen letter – and claimed in front of other passengers that it was a love letter and that Mary had broken up her home. When read aloud, the letter proved nothing of the sort, but the incident only added to the many miseries of the voyage.

The story of Henry’s difficult years that followed – his drinking, his time in jail for non-payment of maintenance, his fall from the cliff in Manly – is well known, and he and Mary did not see much of each other in these years, though the friendship remained.

When Henry was in a hospital in Darlinghurst, he took one of the sisters to the offices of The Australian Worker to meet Mary.

“I still can see her sitting at her desk,” the sister later wrote, “her eyes alight with a smile of welcome as Lawson introduced me to ‘the best friend a man ever had’. Many times he spoke to me of the help and advice she had given him when he was young and uncertain of his ability as a writer.”

I can’t help wondering, of course, how different it might have been if they had married, broke and struggling as they probably would have been much of the time. Would Mary have been able to moderate his drinking? Perhaps. He could leave it alone, he told her once, when things went well, but they rarely went well enough for long enough.

Like so much else in history, it didn’t happen.

But what did happen, what was written against heavy odds, does give them both, I think, an important place in our collective memory and one that justifies them being on our currency – or in Henry's case, restored to it.

Maybe this will happen in time if enough of us want it. I hope so. ◆

“Would Mary have been able to moderate his drinking? Perhaps.

He could leave it alone, he told her once, when things went well, but they rarely went well enough for long enough.”

Call to action…

If you believe that Henry Lawson should be restored to our currency, let us know!

Howard’s “culture wars” are over – and it’s time to resurrect this iconic victim.

We will lobby the appropriate authorities to put Henry Lawson on the $10 note with Mary Gilmore.

Lend your support and email us at: worker@awu. net.au or write to: The Editor, The Australian Worker, Level 10, 377-383 Sussex Street, Sydney NSW 2000.

theaustralianworker 27

workers’ theatre

acts

class

Australia has had a remarkable tradition of making “reality” theatre accessible to everyone. Inspired by working life, both amateur and professional workers’ theatre groups have been entertaining and enlightening with their performances for decades.

WRITTEN BY julia richardson Photos getty images/Georgia Metaxas

28 theaustralianworker

www.awu.net.au

W

hen the artistic director of Sydney’s Urban Theatre Projects, Alicia Talbot, wanted to make a show about sex workers, she pulled on her coat, filled up her thermos and went out to meet the women in their workplaces: the highways and industrial estates of western Sydney. With the support of the Sex Workers Outreach Project, she approached some of the women about joining the project as paid consultants, attending rehearsals and airing their views on a weekly basis.

“And they would feed back on real things.

They would say, ‘That wouldn’t happen like that...’; ‘That scene should be much more violent...’; ‘This would be more like this...’,” recalls Alicia. “But they also gave feedback on what all of us have: their dreams and their visions. I call that an ‘expert opinion’.”

By the end of the process the team emerged with a show, The Last Highway, that looked not only at the authentic story of a group of women who were working in positions of extreme isolation and personal danger, but also at the tenuous work conditions endured by other shift workers: a south-Asian service station worker, a Lebanese kebab-van operator and a Greek taxi driver.

The show revealed how unremarkable it is for shift workers to experience fear and loneliness in their workplaces. And it raised questions about how parts of the community have been disavowed by Australian society under the influence of the Howard-era government’s 11-year reign.

“We’re pushing the things that we don’t want to see away from our compassion,” insists Alicia, www.awu.net.au

“and we’re pushing them into invisibility.”

Alicia plainly states that her work is driven by a social and political agenda.

“Urban Theatre Projects is based in western Sydney, which is an area that is full of cultural harmony and disharmony. It’s an area which is considered traditionally to be an industrial or working-class area and that has been affected by different patterns of migration. For me that’s the cutting edge of contemporary Australia,” she says, “and an inspirational place to make my art.”

That same desire to make work which is utterly authentic and relevant drives the Melbourne Workers Theatre. The company originated in the late 1980s when trade unions in Australia and abroad were actively being targeted by conservative forces. Three young actors, Patricia Cornelius, Steve Payne and Michael White, looked around at the theatre that was being produced and simply couldn’t recognise the world as they knew it.

They resolved to do something about it and applied for an Art In Working Life grant from the Australia Council. They secured the grant and then, with the support of the Combined Unions Shop Committee and the rail workers of Melbourne’s Jolimont Station, they set up camp in a railway-maintenance shed. Their aim was to develop a show that would look at how this global mood of aggression towards unions was affecting Australian workers and their families.

During lunch breaks the workers would sit in on rehearsals and make brutally frank assessments of the work in progress: “No, that wouldn’t happen...”; “No, we wouldn’t say that...”.

At the end of the 18 weeks, actors and workers had combined to produce a show called State of Defence that toured factories, building 

“...it raised questions about how parts of the community have been disavowed

by Australian society under the influence of the Howard-era government’s 11-year reign.” theaustralianworker 29

workers’ theatre

“I think theatre is only real if it talks to people about what’s happening around them... my experience of the mainstream theatre companies is that the world they represent looks like an alien landscape...”

sites and even some schools. The next show, Dusting Our Knees, was a look at women in the workforce and was developed with factory-floor female workers, many of whom came from non-English-speaking backgrounds. The third show, The Ballad Of Lois Ryan, was the story of Barbara Dickson, a textile worker who was crushed to death while working alone in a Moorabbin (Victoria) factory. In September this year, the company presented Zombie State, a schlock-horror zombie-movie take on the realities of the casualised, fragmented and deeply fatigued contemporary workforce.

Maude Davey, the current artistic director of the Melbourne Workers Theatre, explains that while the company no longer has the strong union affiliations that it had in its earlier years, it has asserted itself as a company that serves all those who struggle to have their experiences represented in mainstream theatre – not just workers, but Kooris, migrants, addicted gamblers, women, intellectually disabled people, physically disabled people, urban dwellers,

country kids ... and the list goes on through a total of 38 new works in the company’s 21-year history.

“I think theatre is only real if it talks to people about what’s happening around them,” says Davey. “My experience of the mainstream theatre companies is that the world they present looks like an alien landscape. You look at it and you go, ‘People don’t talk like that!’, ‘People don’t dress like that!’...”

It’s a sentiment echoed by Talbot in Sydney.

“If there’s an islander guy and an indigenous guy and a Lebanese guy and a Greek guy, then we can look at [a performance] and see ourselves far more readily than when we’re watching something at the Sydney Theatre Company, which is not necessarily about the way people in Australia live.”

There is a risk, of course, that workers’ theatre or political theatre, as it tends to be called in the more complex social terrain of the 21st century, can be a mere salve for left-sympathising, middle-class audiences. If the work is made at

Rapid Response

Below While workers’ theatre groups have been around for decades, The Melbourne Workers Theatre company originated in the late 1980s when global attacks against unions began.

30 theaustralianworker

These days, Samantha Bond is the training and education director of the AWU’s West Melbourne office and a mum to a lovely little baby girl, Scarlett. But less than a decade ago – before kids, before a desk job – Bond described herself as “an actor and an activist”.

Fired by political passions and armed with the skills of the professional stage actor, she volunteered with the Melbourne Workers Theatre’s Rapid Response Team. There she worked with like-minded actors to produce short, smart, snappy pieces of street theatre to be performed at rallies, protests and demonstrations. She recalls Rapid Response performances outside hospitals that were being targeted for closure, at union rallies, in support of Melbourne tram conductors who were being threatened with job losses, against the sanctions in place in Iraq ... and the list goes on.

According to Samantha, the Rapid Response Team was conscious of its media appeal and the strategic value of its presence at a political event. It was aware that in pursuit of an entertaining two- or three-minute package of prime-time TV, the commercial news operators tended to rely on a format that partnered coverage of a protest or a rally with coverage of an opposing view. By appearing in clown suits or on stilts or handing out sick bags, the Rapid Response provided the media with an alternative.

“That was probably the most powerful thing the Rapid Response team achieved,” says Samantha. “The media would always pick up on us because we were doing something different, so we were able to get the message through in a light-hearted way or a visual way. When you got that snippet on television you’d see these performers recreating something

that was in line with the protest, rather than some sort of alternate spin.”

Even when media coverage wasn’t an issue, the Rapid Response team was able to make a contribution simply by being there.

“It was a really good support for the people who were conducting the rally or the protest,” says Samantha.

The Rapid Response team has been less active in recent years, but Maude Davey, who took over the reigns as artistic director of the Melbourne Workers Theatre only six months ago, believes it is due for a revival.

“Rapid Response is something I really want to bring back,” she says. “The thing about political theatre is it has to be immediate or it’s dated. And the way theatre is made, it can be three or four years before you get anything up. So you’ve got to have a way that you can talk about what’s happening now, right now.”

Maude also points out that political arts groups everywhere face a challenge in an environment where hostile conservative governments have been replaced by ostensibly supportive labour governments.

“Nobody really knows how that’s going to play out,” she says. “A company like ours drives energy from its oppositional stance. Particularly in the Kennett years, it was very clear what our task was. But now, all the pieces that we had in development suddenly feel dated. We do feel robbed of oxygen in a way, but what we have to do is just figure out how to negotiate the new terrain. Because very little has changed; it’s just the feeling that has changed. And I think the way to negotiate it is by reinvigorating Rapid Response.”

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a distance from the people whose worlds it claims to represent, then it will struggle to be authentic or to appeal to an audience beyond the mainstream theatre-going crowd. It will, in short, fail to mean anything to the people it was intended to engage.

For that reason, both the Melbourne Workers Theatre and Urban Theatre Projects have gone out of their way to perform in building sites, canteens, backyards, power stations and car parks. And they continue to seek out the opinions of non-professional collaborators from the communities around them, steeling themselves, from time to time, against accusations of wankery.

“It tests your mettle,” Davey laughs. “You have to assert your relevance every time.”

Both Talbot and Davey could pursue betterpaid work in conventional theatre companies, but they decline.

“Sure there’s less money,” agrees Davey. “But this is meaningful. It means something. It does something. It activates.” ◆

Beyond the mainstream

In supporting workers and workers’ rights, politicallymotivated theatre companies have also historically aligned themselves with the concerns of migrants, many of whom work in poorly paid, poorly protected jobs. At the same time, those communities have also been making their own theatre, representing the lives and loves of migrants and their families and the experiences and concerns of multicultural Australia.

One such group is the Melbourne University Chinese Theatre Group (www.muctg.org), which in 1993 launched itself with an English-language production of a classic Chinese love story, Lady White Snake. In the 25 productions since that debut, the group has focussed on Chinese-language productions, with one show in Mandarin and one show in Cantonese each year.

Possibly the oldest of the lot is the Hellenic Theatre (www. hellenictheatre.com.au), now based in Sydney’s Enmore, which has been producing theatre since 1950. In its early days the company presented Greek-language work for a largely Greek audience, but these days productions recognise the complexity of the Greek-Australian community by developing plays that use both English and Greek.

And just down the road in Marrickville, the Take Away Theatre has been drawing on the actors, writers and directors of the local Greek community to produce contemporary GreekAustralian theatre since 1989. Last year the company produced Grounds for Marriage, a show which teamed the talents of theatre veteran Zoe Carides with a new generation of Greek-Australian actors to explore the personal consequences and family tragedies of the Greek partition of Cyprus. And all this comes from the company’s humble headquarters above the local yeeros shop.

Indigenous communities have used the stage to make their presence felt and their concerns known. Over a decade ago, the “Koori klowning group” known as the Oogadee Boogadees was developed with support from the Melbourne Workers Theatre and went on to provoke and entertain audiences at festivals across Australia. That project gave momentum to the careers of several indigenous stage artists including Andrea James, who went on to become artistic director of the Melbourne Workers Theatre, and Tammy Anderson who also worked extensively with Melbourne’s Ilbijerri (www.ilbijerri. org.au), an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theatre cooperative that began staging work in 1991.

Until mid-November, Ilbijerri will be touring a production of Chopped Liver, a show it cheekily refers to as a “black comedy”. It’s playing at schools, halls and prisons across the country. And it’s free.

The ‘Koori klowning group’ known as the Oogadee Boogadees was developed with support from the Melbourne Workers Theatre.

Top We Built This City, 2006, a major Melbourne Workers Theatre production that included the Trade Union Choir.

Above Factory workers at a “canteen” theatrical performance.

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“Both the Melbourne Workers Theatre and Urban Theatre projects have gone out of their way to perform in building sites, canteens, backyards, power stations and car parks.” theaustralianworker 31

frontline news NATIONAL

National News Read about what YOUR union is doing for YOU...

n AWU meets with shearers

The farmer’s lobby is pushing for changes to shearers’ working conditions.

Shearers across rural Australia need to be aware that the farmers’ lobby is pushing for significant changes to their working conditions, under the guise of modernising their Award.

“The National Farmers Federation are circulating a wish-list that they will put before the Industrial Relations Commission in October to wind back some cherished conditions,” AWU National Secretary Paul Howes said.

“I’ve got our shearing industry Organisers talking to union members and circulating information to all rural workers to ensure that by the time we appear in the Commission we have a good case to defend our members’ rights. Shearers need to meet now and contact their local Union office to find out if a town meeting is to be called if they don’t want to lose long cherished work rights,” Paul said.

“Some employers are trying to use the process as an excuse to reduce workers’ conditions to the lowest common denominator or are cherry picking clauses from existing awards that favour the employer. The Australian Workers’ Union is standing up for employees and up to employers, and telling the Commission that the process must not disadvantage existing or future employees covered by the modern awards.

“Over the next couple of months, the AWU will be meeting with key players in the pastoral industry and negotiating positions that promote the needs of our 32 theaustralianworker

Photo getty images

across Australia to defend work rights

members. The AWU will then make submissions to the AIRC on the content of the modern pastoral industry awards.

Put plaintly if the farmers get their way for these new awards: • Shearers will no longer have a start time or a knock-off time, there will be no provision for smokos and no lunch time breaks and gone will be the two hour runs.

• Monday to Friday will be history and working at night will be permitted.

• Shearers will not be able to refuse to shear wet sheep and no vote will be allowed.

• Shearers will no longer be able to refuse to shear sheep straight out of the grass and water, nor will they be able to refuse to shear sheep which are cancerous, have scabby mouth or any other disease which may be communicable to humans.

• Employers will be able to charge what they like for mess.

• Most, if not all, of your current allowances will disappear. The breakdown allowance will be gone as will waiting time.

• Where sleeping quarters are not provided, no longer will you be paid an allowance.

It is most likely that all travel allowances

“There will be no provision for smokos and no lunch time breaks and gone will be the two hour runs.”

will be excluded from a modern award.

• Shed hands will be paid by the hour and not the run, nor will they get a minimum of four hours if cutting out before lunch or get a full day’s pay if work goes beyond lunch.

Speaking up and defending members The AWU has told the Australian Industrial Relations Commission (AIRC) they must protect the wages and working conditions of our members throughout Australia as part of the award modernisation process ordered by the Federal Government.

“We want to make sure that AWU members are not disadvantaged as the award modernisation process heats up,” Paul Howes, said. “That’s why we have officials across Australia taking an active role in all award areas we have members.”

Julia Gillard, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, has asked the AIRC to review and modernise Federal and State awards over the next 18 months to form the basis of a new industrial relations system to commence on 1 January 2010.

The AIRC has been told to create modern awards primarily along industry lines www.awu.net.au

frontline news national (where most employees in the one industry would be covered by the one award) but also on an occupational basis where appropriate.

“The idea is to reduce the number of awards that apply to Australian workers (around 5000 at the moment),” Paul said.

“Unfortunately some employers are using the creation of modern awards as an opportunity to try to reduce the wages and conditions of employees to the lowest common denominator in the interests of ‘flexibility’.

“The AWU, by contrast, is telling the AIRC that any new modern award made must not disadvantage any employees now or in the future. We will stand up to any attempt to ‘cherry pick’ clauses which they see as suitable for their needs but may not be in the interests of union members.”

Reducing all of the awards is an extremely complex task. The awards have to be ready and applied from January 2010. The AWU has made submissions around entitlements, classifications, career paths and the occupational health and safety of our members among other things.

“Minimum terms and conditions are the safety net on which many employees depend for their living standards and availability of family time and there is no reason and no excuse to lower the safety net standard for any employee,” Paul said.

“Over the course of the process, the AIRC will release draft awards and your AWU will be working hard to ensure conditions are maintained and no member is disadvantaged.

“A final award will be released later in the year for each of the priority sectors for final comment but it will not take effect until 1 January 2010. This is a long process but the AWU will ensure members in our industries get awards which are fair and decent and which disadvantages no employee, now or in the future.”

Watch out for more details as this process progresses.

www.awu.net.au

“This Texas oil giant was avoiding Australian pay rates with the advice and support of a Federal Government department.”

Cowboy workplace culture on North-West gas fields exposed A global energy industry corporation, provided advice to McDermott about a using a slight of hand trick, has legal loophole to avoid Australian pay rates. improved their enormous bottom “They told the company to put these line by paying skilled guest workers workers not onto 457 Visas, but the less on the North-West Gas Shelf off well known 456 Visas, which do not Western Australia between $A4 insist on Australian conditions.“ and $A10 an hour.

Paul said that what is most disturbing The company, McDermott International, a is that, according to the Workplace billion dollar profit earner, is paying skilled Ombudsman, the Department of workers less than, or just about the Immigration now seems to acknowledge same, as an Australian 16-year-old they were wrong – but at this stage has working at a McDonalds outlet could no plans to act to rectify the problem. expect, AWU National Secretary Paul “In our view the Federal Howes said.

Government should ensure that no It is unfortunate that this Texas oil bureaucrat ever provides advice to giant was avoiding employers on how **STOP PRESS**STOP PRESS** Australian pay rates to avoid workplace The Minister for Immigration, with the advice and decency in Senator Evans, has conceded the support of a Federal Australia; on how AWU argument and ordered his Government Department to change guest worker to avoid Australian visas to ensure the undercutting of department. wages and wages which happened under the “The Workplace conditions.

Howard Government can never Ombudsman has “We do not happen again. fingered bureaucrats want a Texas oil in the Department of Immigration who, giant introducing their cowboy workplace during the federal election campaign last culture – it is a workplace culture that November, were toeing their political Australians rejected in their thousands masters’ line and telling McDermotts at the last federal election.

International how to avoid paying “The AWU will be writing to the Australian rates.

Minister for Immigration, Senator Chris “They told the Houston-based giant Evans, to ask that , based on the how to get around the Howard Workplace Ombudsman’s report, what Government’s controversial 457 Visa plans the Federal Government now has to scheme,” Paul said. “They told them how ensure these workers are paid properly. to pay a pittance to skilled workers off “We will ask the Minister if he believes Australia’s coast – Australian workers McDermott’s International should continue doing the same job would have received to be allowed to operate off Australian more than $A40 an hour, plus shores using guest workers and importing entitlements, not the $A4 to $A10 an hour their cowboy values into the workplace – received by these workers from Indonesia, values which are anathema to Australian Malaysia, India and the Philippines.” voters,” Paul said. “The AWU certainly “Our information at the time was that believes that McDermott’s should never officers of the Department of Immigration again be given permission to operate in and Citizenship (DIAC) had actually Australia with the use of guest workers.”  theaustralianworker 33

frontline news QLD n William Patrick (Bill)

Queensland News Read about what YOUR union is doing for YOU...

Workplace negotiations for Blue Care employees.

n Negotiations commence

for private sector health provider employees

While Queensland Health represents a major public sector campaign for the AWU, the Union has also commenced negotiations with Blue Care and Centacare – two important private sector health providers.

Blue Care is the largest employer in Queensland outside of the government sector and is responsible for the delivery of aged care services across the entire state.

In these negotiations AWU members are pursuing the following outcomes: • Wage increases of 8 per cent per annum.

• Long-service leave to be increased to 13 weeks after 10 years’ service.

• Sick leave to be increased to 15 days.

• Increase in the kilometre allowance for employees who use their own vehicles during work.

• Protection of all existing Award conditions.

• Management of excessive workloads.

While negotiations are still in an initial phase, much activism and support has already been generated on sites during the campaign with the AWU’s membership in Blue Care growing by 30 per cent this year.

Centacare is a Catholic organisation which operates predominately in the 34 theaustralianworker

disability sector. Traditionally, this sector has experienced low levels of government funding which has resulted in low wages and conditions for employees.

The current negotiations with Centacare represent the spearhead of a campaign by the AWU to raise working standards in this industry.

With negotiations nearing completion the following outcomes have been achieved.

• Wage increases of up to 10 per cent this year.

• Wage increases over the next two years to be 3 per cent, CPI or the Fair Pay decision, whichever is higher.

• Long-service leave to be increased to 13 weeks after 10 years.

• Increase in the kilometre allowance for employees who use their own vehicles during work.

• Introduction of paid maternity leave.

• The provision of an extra week’s leave and a $1000 bonus after five years’ service.

These results represent a significant leap forward for these employees and highlight the success of the AWU’s campaign, which has seen the Union’s membership in Centacare double over the last year.

“Bill is held in high regard as a great leader within the AWU and in the broader labour movement.”

Below Congratulations to AWU legend Bill Ludwig.

Ludwig OAM celebrates 20 years as AWU Queensland Branch Secretary On August 15, AWU Queensland Branch Secretary and National President Bill Ludwig celebrated 20 years at the helm of the Queensland Branch of the AWU. Bill was born in Longreach in 1934. He left St Mary’s College Ashgrove (now Marist College Ashgrove) when he was 15 to become a shearer, which is when he first joined the AWU. Bill took an active role in the 1956 shearers strike to achieve fair wages for workers in the shearing industry.

Bill moved to Victoria in 1959 and first became an official of the AWU in 1970 when he returned to Queensland. In 1982, Bill became South Western District Secretary.

He became Secretary of the Queensland Branch of the Union in August 1988.

Bill has spent 15 years as National President of the AWU, a position he still holds. He has also been a member of the National Executive for more than 25 years.

In 1997, he was awarded the Order of Australia, the foremost Australian honour recognising the achievements and service of fellow citizens. In 2001, he was awarded the Centenary Medal. This award acknowledges those who contributed to the success of Australia’s first hundred years as a federation and recognises the many Australians who laid solid foundations for Australia’s future.

Bill has also been an active member of the Australian Labor Party for most of his life. He is currently a Queensland Vice-President and a member of the National Executive of the ALP. Bill has used his involvement to ensure that party policy reflects the best interests of AWU members and working people throughout Queensland.

Bill is held in high regard as a great leader within the AWU and in the broader labour movement. www.awu.net.au

frontline news QLD n AWU and MUA form

Council workers have won the battle against WorkChoices.

n AWU wins Etheridge

Shire Council decision

AWU members working for local councils have won the battle in the Federal Court to ensure that no federal government can exercise control over their working conditions.

In the court’s view it was inconceivable that those who framed the Australian Constitution intended it to be used in the way in which the Local Government Association of Queensland (LGAQ) and Etheridge Shire Council wanted.

This case’s outcome means that no local government worker in Australia can have their working conditions eroded by Federal workplace laws.

Initially, the AWU was the only union that challenged Etheridge Shire Council’s decision, supported by the

LGAQ, to impose WorkChoices on council employees. The Queensland Services Union also joined this case.

AWU Queensland Branch Secretary Bill Ludwig was the only union secretary who refused to sign local government WorkChoices agreements that undermined the conditions workers had won in the state industrial relations system. This decision was supported by AWU members across the state.

The decision of the Federal Court vindicates all AWU members working for local councils who stood firm against pressure from their council and the LGAQ to sign WorkChoices agreements.

This result proves what can be achieved when council workers stick together in the AWU, the strongest blue-collar union in local government.

Ten years of sweet memories It has been 10 years since the then management of the South Johnstone Sugar Mill locked out AWU members for 17 days when they fought to maintain their award career paths and job security during protracted enterprise-bargaining negotiations in 1998.

It was not long before the management of the day was all but gone and the mill’s directors then used a contract management team to try to stop its slide into receivership.

However, the inevitable occurred in 2001 with the South Johnstone Mill going into receivership. The operation was purchased by Bundaberg Sugar and almost all the members who were locked out in 1998 were re-employed www.awu.net.au

Marine Tourism Alliance

“The result proves what can be achieved when council workers stick together in the AWU.”

The AWU and the Maritime Union of Australia will work together on a campaign to organise the marine tourism industry in North Queensland. The AWU and MUA have recognised a joint approach is the best way to achieve improvements for workers in this industry.

In the last year there have been many accusations, particularly within the dive industry, of workers being underpaid and exploited. One case that gained national attention concerned a 21-year-old worker who was paid less than $3 per hour while working on a dive boat.

Following this, the Queensland Workplace Rights Ombudsman conducted an investigation into the industry that uncovered some instances of improper work practices amongst employers. Many of the industry’s employers expressed their frustrations with the confusion caused by the introduction of WorkChoices by the Howard Government.

The Alliance will attempt to raise employment standards within the dive industry, which will assist the better dive-boat operators and their employees in competing with operators who don’t wish to treat their staff fairly. The joint alliance between the two unions is an innovation with national significance within the union movement, which will lead the way for other unions who share coverage within an industry. The AWU and the MUA already have a very successful alliance within the offshore oil industry.

by its new operator when it took over and still work there today.

The members wanted to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the occasion and held a sausage sizzle to catch up with those who had supported them and those who have retired from the workforce since.

In the speeches that were delivered, thanks were given by the members to the families of those affected and the many unrelated community members who gave their support, as well as to AWU Queensland Branch Secretary Bill Ludwig, Far Northern District Secretary Ted Brischke, local AWU Organiser Peter Gunsberger and the Site Rep George McKay for their role and guidance during the lock-out struggle and since that time.  theaustralianworker 35

frontline news QLD/nsw Union meeting at RoadTek.

n RoadTek’s poor pay offer AWU members across Queensland are taking industrial action to force the Department of Main Roads to improve its pay offer to RoadTek employees.

Workers voted unanimously at many depots to participate in a 48-hour stoppage on September 1 and 2. As the principal union in RoadTek, AWU members will lead the charge to get a better outcome for all workers during this year’s enterprise-development negotiations. Queensland’s roads are the arteries that keep the state’s social and industrial heart pumping. It is vital that workers in RoadTek get a fair go.

Workers in RoadTek would be taking n Operational staff in Qld

Health demand a fair go

AWU members working as operational staff in Queensland Health are demanding a fair go from their employer in this year’s enterprisebargaining negotiations.

For operational staff, the issue boils down to three simple things: they need respect, recognition and resources to do their job properly. At this stage of negotiations, it seems QHealth is unable to provide those things, which are vital to providing quality healthcare to Queenslanders.

The current offer from QHealth of 3.25 per cent asks these workers to take a real pay cut when compared to inflation, which is 4.5 per cent nationally.

AWU members are vital to ensure the Queensland healthcare system runs 36 theaustralianworker

a real wage cut if they accepted the Government’s offer of a conditional 4 per cent pay rise. This offer comprises a 3.25 per cent wage increase and a 0.75 per cent increase to make “service delivery enhancements”. If these SDEs aren’t met, workers will lose the extra 0.75 per cent.

There is widespread anger amongst RoadTek workers that the government is asking them to take a pay cut when the service they provide is vital to the state.

During the floods earlier this year in the Rockhampton and Mackay regions, it was RoadTek workers, along with those from the local council, who worked around the clock to protect their communities.

It is reaching the point in many regions affected by the mining boom that workers such as RoadTek’s, who provide essential services to the community, will not be able to afford to live in their communities. smoothly. Every person who is admitted to hospital in Queensland relies on them – from those on the wards who transport patients to and from surgery and around the hospital, to the catering staff who make sure meals are prepared and delivered on time to patients, to the technicians who administer anaesthetic to surgery patients, to the cleaners and laundry workers who make up the front line against the spread of infectious disease.

It seems the state government’s attitude towards health care is all about doctors and nurses. The reality is that to have the best quality health care in hospitals, all occupational groups need the respect and resources to do their jobs effectively.

Every AWU member in Queensland Health knows that Health can’t operate without us, its operational staff.

NSW News Read about what YOUR union is doing for YOU...

AWU members at Intercast & Forge.

n Iron-clad industrial action success AWU members at Intercast & Forge recently experienced a big win after industrial action resulted in the protection and improvement of hard-fought pay and conditions under their collective agreement.

The negotiations for the 2008 enterprise agreement began in November 2007 with Intercast & Forge’s management putting together a huge log of claims against their workforce. The log included changes to working times, removal of several site allowances (in some cases worth approximately $5000 a year),

Five minute news flash The Good • A NSW state wage case decision resulted in all award workers receiving a pay increase of 4 per cent. During the hearings, Stephen Bali, AWU NSW Branch Vice-President, was cross-examined on AWU evidence on the need for NSW state award employees to receive a pay increase. The AWU is in the process of amending all of its awards to reflect the increase.

• Enterprise negotiations between Sphere Healthcare and the AWU have resulted in the first ever union collective agreement on site. The agreement introduced a classification structure that rewards workers for skills acquired through training.

The Bad • Manufacturing continues to suffer due to the high Australian www.awu.net.au

frontline news NSW taking away the smoko, capping the redundancy provisions, removal of OH&S provisions contained in previous agreements and removing arbitration from the agreement.

Negotiations went on for the next five months, but it was pretty clear to Organiser Leigh Heaney and Delegates Wayne Vandine and Andrew Nguyen that the company was not going to show any movement away from its objective of taking away hard-fought rights from previous agreements.

Industrial action soon followed with the members out on the grass for a solid week demonstrating the Union’s colours, with the flags flying high on the picket line.

The dispute eventually settled through conciliation with a good outcome for the workers. In the end the victory meant they kept all the conditions on the company’s shopping list and secured a pay outcome well over inflation.

Russ Collison, AWU NSW Branch Secretary, said, “It’s a sign of the new times, where employers are converting great conditions into a few extra dollars.

Congratulations to the workers at Intercast & Forge for standing up to protect your conditions. Once your conditions are sold off, you will never get them back.”

Right AWU members rally against the privatisation of electricity in NSW.

“The government has not convinced the people of NSW that electricity prices won’t substantially increase.”

n NSW State Government disputes The NSW Government is dealing with many problems, but two major issues facing the AWU are the 2.5 per cent pay offer to workers and the privatisation of the state’s electricity assets.

The AWU covers a number of government employees from many different sectors.

Many of these workers voiced their collective anger at the pathetic wage offer as well as the selling off of many conditions for a marginal increase in a rally held in Sydney on July 30. AWU RTA delegate Robert Dunn spoke at the rally expressing members’ concerns about the inadequacy of the offer.

RTA workers are offered a flat 2.5 per cent increase and for an additional 1.5 per cent will have 13 conditions of employment either removed or reduced, including the

dollar, interest rates and other economic factors that have lost jobs to low-cost countries.

Recent closure announcements include: • CSR Viridian Glass (formerly Pilkington) is closing its Alexandria factory after 70 years of glass manufacturing on site, with 70 job losses. It says it cannot compete against new solar glass manufacturers in China.

• Heatcraft (Milperra) cooling systems manufacturing closing down with 70 job losses.

• Johnson & Johnson (Caringbah) pharmaceutical closing down with 200 job losses.

• Goodman Fielder (Mascot) phasing in a closing-down program with 120 job loses and relocating its production to Footscray (VIC) and Muree (QLD).

• Visy Plastics (Villawood) making 20 redundancies.

The Ugly • The Rudd Labor Government has its work cut out to shed the www.awu.net.au

reduction of travel allowances, introduction of split shifts, and reduced sick-leave days.

Since the rally, (then) NSW Premier Morris Iemma gave a commitment to AWU NSW Branch Secretary Russ Collison that productivity improvements achieved since the last agreement will be taken into account in wage negotiations. This will make the achievement of the 4 per cent more manageable. The NSW Labor Government continues on its electricity privatisation path despite surveys showing 80 per cent of the population opposing it.

Russ Collison said, “The government has not convinced the people of NSW that electricity prices won’t substantially increase, that jobs won’t be cut, and there are no guarantees that the new owners have to build a new power station.

So how does this secure the state’s future power needs?”

inequities of the Howard Government’s WorkChoices.

Employers continue dodging fairness and hiding behind WorkChoices as evidenced by: • AMF Bowling successfully arguing that it wasn’t compelled to have its unjust written warning reviewed by the Commission. An employee received a written warning because his till was more than $5 out even though five people share the till and it was on the busiest night of the week. The current law does not provide authority to arbitrate on the matter.

• CSR Viridian was able to halt proceedings in the Commission over the issue of written warnings because a new enterprise agreement came into place before the dispute was settled.

• Russ Collison, AWU NSW secretary, said, “Section 701 of the Act must be changed to allow any disputed situation to be settled fairly by the Commission. Labor must restore the Commission’s power to arbitrate immediately!”  theaustralianworker 37

frontline news NEWCASTLE/VIC

newcastle News

The true victims of the Building and Construction Code Tony Callinan, Newcastle Branch Construction Organiser, comments on this contentious issue.

“While most discussions about the building code and related implementation guidelines revolve around the anti-union nature of the legislation and the constraints that are placed on union activity, I believe that most people overlook the true victims.

“While my job as a union official is made more difficult due to these unfair laws, the impact they have on my life is insignificant when compared to the hardship caused to some construction workers on a daily basis. While most of the major civil construction companies in NSW have union collective agreements in place for their direct employees, I believe these same companies hide behind the code to cut costs whenever it suits them.

“The code is used constantly as a weak excuse when confronted by a union official with concerns in relation to any number of issues, but the one area in which this excuse really frustrates me the most is when the code is used as a defence by a primary contractor to justify the sub-standard wages and conditions of labour hire and sub-contractor employees.

“Is it fair that a casual labour hire employee paid the award rate works alongside a direct employee doing the same work and is paid in excess of $5 per hour less? Not to mention ACIRT, 24/7 income protection or any of the other benefits enjoyed by those lucky enough to be employed by the primary contractor.

“While these companies use any number of excuses to defend why they need to engage employees via various employment agencies or labour hire companies, I don’t believe any of them. The agreements in place with the major companies provide suitable flexibilities to allow for the engagement of casual employees as need be. And the real reason a third party is used to engage labour is to lower costs.

“Is it any wonder that the number of direct employees continues to dwindle while labour hire companies prosper? If we allow this practice to continue unchallenged, how long will it be before the major construction companies don’t employ anyone directly and everyone on site is employed by a labour hire company working for award wages? We must fight to maximise the number of direct employees on our sites and not accept that the flexibility currently being achieved with the use of a third party to engage labour should come at such a high cost to the worker.”

For more information, AWU construction workers are welcome to call Tony on 0425 302 967.

38 theaustralianworker

Victorian News Read about what YOUR union is doing for YOU...

AWU Bilfinger Berger - Yarra Valley Water members (supported

by State Secretary Cesar Melhem) vote up their EBA, which delivers a 4.6 per cent annual pay increase.

n AWU members:

winning the EBA battle

The AWU Victorian Branch has taken a tough stance during recent EBA negotiations, with the result being that many companies have agreed to significant wage increases.

AWU Victorian Branch Secretary Cesar Melhem said the Branch has set high standards for the EBAs on which it was prepared to sign off.

The Branch made a strategic decision back in 2005 to make sure at least 80 per cent of its EBAs were finalised prior to the introduction of John Howard’s WorkChoices laws.

Now, with many of those agreements coming up for renewal, the AWU was getting companies to sign up to transitional agreements which made it possible to escape WorkChoices until the Labor Government finally abolishes the anti-work laws, as promised at the last election.

Here are just some of the recent favourable outcomes for AWU members: • AWU members at the Shell refinery in

Geelong have secured a first-up pay increase of 6 per cent, followed by 5 per cent in each of the following years.

This agreement was made possible by the hard work of the AWU site executive, including Bruce Doherty, Damian Cieciura, Len Hosking and Andrew Pearse, with special mention to Paul Calafiore, who was on the site executive at the start of negotiations.

• The AWU has reached a benchmark agreement with John Holland Civil Construction, the biggest construction company in Victoria, which has more than $1.5 billion worth of projects on the go.

Under the three-year agreement, wages will be increased by 14.5 per cent.

Members will also receive increased site allowances, superannuation increases of $10 more per week each year, and overtime will be paid at double time after the first two hours worked on a Saturday.

• AWU members at Esso will receive a 17 per cent wage increase over the life of their new three-year agreement. They will gain an extra 5.8 per cent on www.awu.net.au

frontline news ViC

AWU helps secure members’ jobs More than 70 AWU manufacturing jobs were saved after lobbying from the AWU when Premier John Brumby announced the purchase of nine new train sets from a local company.

AWU members at Bombardier in Dandenong will build the three-carriage train sets, to be delivered between now and 2012.

Victorian Branch Secretary Cesar Melhem said the AWU and Bombardier had approached the Premier earlier this year, concerned that the Victorian company would have to scale back its production.

“Bombardier didn’t have any long-term certainty,” Cesar said. “There October 1 (backdated to July 1), with further increases of 5.6 per cent payable in August 2009 and September 2010.

• In Mildura, planned industrial action by members at SDS Beverages was called off after the company agreed to increase wages by 10.5 per cent over 27 months. In addition, casual loading will be increased to 25 per cent, a cap on redundancy payments will be increased, and the classification structure will be changed to allow for easier movement.

• AWU members at Orica Laverton will receive annual increases of 4.8 per cent in a proposed new three-year agreement. The in-principle agreement came after members voted overwhelmingly in favour of taking industrial action when they were unsatisfied with the original offer.

• In the asphalt industry, Fulton Hogan, Bitu-Tec and Greenhall have all signed up to three-year agreements which deliver 5 per cent annual wage increases.

www.awu.net.au

was talk of a future order but the company needed confirmation now so they could maintain their workforce at its current level.

“The government does need the trains because the numbers of Victorians travelling on the regional rail network has skyrocketed,” he said.

Cesar said the AWU had been disappointed when the government awarded a $360 million contract to French bidder Alstom for the overseas manufacture of 18 six-carriage trains. In doing this, the government rejected the option of having the trains made in Australia.

As a result of raising concerns, Cesar was invited onto the consultative committee reviewing the Victorian Industry Participation Policy (VIPP).

“The AWU will be arguing that whenever the Victorian government is considering tenders for major projects, there should be a requirement that the work involves 50 per cent local content,” Cesar said.

The AWU had commissioned independent economic research which backed up its case.

“Our modelling suggests that even if this means the projects would cost 20 per cent more, Victoria would benefit in terms of economic activity, investment and jobs,” Cesar said.

“And it would end up being cost-neutral for the state government because of the savings in welfare payments.”

“The AWU had commissioned independent research which backed up its case.”

“Our members refused to be intimidated – even when Sugar Australia hired a QC to fight us in the courts.” n Another sweet result

for tough AWU members

Above right AWU Sugar Australia members, with their Organiser Jimmy Mastradonakis, second from left, maintained a vigil outside the refinery for 10 days.

Victory never tasted so sweet for 70 AWU members at Sugar Australia when they won pay rises of up to 20 per cent (over three years) after going on strike for 10 days.

The dispute arose after AWU members at the Yarraville refinery refused to accept wage increases below 5 per cent per year and long-service leave conditions that were below industry standard.

AWU Organiser Jimmy Mastradonakis said the members remained strong through the strike, maintaining a vigil outside the refinery throughout the cold winter days and nights.

“Our members refused to be intimidated – even when Sugar Australia hired a QC to fight us in the courts,” Jimmy said.

“The company tried to end to our strike by arguing that it was illegal because in the paperwork we had  theaustralianworker 39

frontline news VIC/sa referred to the company by its commonly used name rather than its technical name,” he said.

“We were all stoked when the Industrial Relations Commission ruled that our action was legal, and accused the company management of having ‘dirty hands’ in its dealings with its workforce.”

Not prepared to accept the umpire’s decision, Sugar Australia appealed to the Full Bench of the Industrial Relations Commission, which found the strike could continue. The AWU was also forced to defend its industrial action twice before the Federal Court.

Jimmy said the company eventually realised its employees could not be broken, and that it couldn’t afford to continue fighting them in the courts rather than negotiating with them.

Negotiations resulted in an in-principle agreement which provided for 4 per cent annual wage increases, and an automatic payment of an extra 3 per cent in the first year for signing on to a new classification structure.

Jimmy said the members could also gain another 5 per cent over the life of the agreement through reaching competency standards. Long-service leave entitlements were increased to one week for every year of service.

Victorian Branch Secretary Cesar Melhem said he was extremely proud of the Sugar Australia members – and their staunch leaders Jimmy and delegates Rodney Doyle and John Connelly – for being prepared to back themselves.

“We all proved once again that money can’t buy you everything – it certainly couldn’t defeat this group of brave AWU members,” Cesar said.

“We will always support our members – in the courts and on the picket line – when they are prepared to have a go at improving their wages and conditions.”

40 theaustralianworker

Training up on safety In a further sign of the AWU’s commitment to workplace safety, 16 AWU OH&S representatives are being put through an extensive course in occupational health and safety.

The representatives from across the aluminium, steel, cemetery and other industries are studying for their certificate IV in occupational health and safety.

They have already completed six face-to-face workshops over four months and have until the middle of next year to complete assignments at work and home.

AWU Victorian Branch Secretary Cesar Melhem said the demanding course would assist the participants in handling Above right AWU Victorian Branch OH&S reps at their course.

health and safety complaints effectively.

“The safety reps doing this course are really serious about making a difference, so we think training them up will make the AWU even more proactive out on the shopfloor.”

The Victorian Branch intends to offer the certificate IV in future years, with all Victorian OH&S representatives encouraged to express interest in undertaking the course.

South Australian News n AWU censures SA

State Government

“I was taught genuine Labor values.

I was taught that a deal was a deal and if you made a commitment you honoured it.

I was taught that your word was your bond.”

AWU Greater South Australia Branch Secretary Wayne Hanson attended the Labor Party annual State Convention which censured the South Australian Rann Government. His speech was forceful and passionate, and local politicians were hesitant about speaking out against the motion, which was carried with a standing ovation and without any dissent. This is what he said: “I rise to move this censure motion with regards to the WorkCover Review Amendment Bill, not in a tone of anger but more to say what needs to be said.

“I was raised in an era where, very early in life, I was taught genuine Labor values. I was taught that a deal was a deal and if

you made a commitment you honoured it. I was taught that your word was your bond.

And as the teenage son of a hard-rock miner, I very quickly recognised that if we wanted fairness and compassion for working people and their families then you supported the election of Labor to govern.

“These values and principles have often been rekindled throughout my life and there was no better living example than the WorkCover protest rally in the city on Wednesday, 15 February 1995. I formed up at Victoria Square and listened to Russell Wortley tell us from the back of a ute that Dean Brown, Graham Ingerson, and the Liberals were bullies. They were attacking the vulnerable and the defenceless. They were attacking injured workers and the welfare of their families.

He invited us to practise chanting and www.awu.net.au

frontline news SA when we got it right, we rallied through the streets of Adelaide, chanting ‘Hands off WorkCover’ and ‘Hands off injured workers.’

“In North Terrace, I took up my point on the steps of Parliament House and I looked back at a sea of faces – there must have been 10,000 – they were workers making their statement.

“I listened to Mick Tumbers very eloquently say, When Jack Wright legislated to look after injured workers and the welfare of their families, he did not lend us that legislation, he gave it to us. It was not on hire purchase to be repossessed sometime in the future, it was ours and it belonged to us.

“The next speaker was then introduced.

He was the leader of the Opposition and the parliamentary leader of the Australian Labor Party. He opened his address by saying...”

Mr Brown claims he has a mandate for this legislation. He is wrong. The last election, they promised not to cut worker benefits. They promised not to cut the benefits of injured workers. They told lies at the last election.

The simple truth is that they talk about reforms to WorkCover, they talk about fine-tuning the system. What we are seeing is the smashing of WorkCover, we’re seeing an assault on workers’ lives, the lives of injured workers, the lives of their families and of course on their livelihood. We’ve got to send out the message in the community that we in the Labor movement, the Labor Party and the unions are absolutely solid on this issue.

This bill adds insult to injury, we must stop it, we will stop it if we are united.”

“And then he issued this challenge...”

My challenge to Dean Brown is: ‘Come out and meet some injured workers, have the decency to meet injured workers and their families and see first hand how this will affect their lives.’

“Mike Rann then gave his first commitment...” www.awu.net.au

The truth is we have to go out into the community and spread the message about what this bill is really about. You people asked me today for a commitment from the Labor Party, well, I’ll give you a commitment: I’ll give you a commitment and that commitment is that every single Labor member of parliament will vote down every single clause of this bill.

“Then I observed the octane rise and his adrenaline flow when he gave confirmation with a second commitment, as he said...”

Greater South Australia Branch Secretary, Wayne Hanson.

So let me just repeat that point, there will be no alibis, there’ll be no excuses, there’ll be no back-room deals, there’ll be no compromises, Labor will vote this bill down.

“Delegates, I was very impressed because what we had was a Labor leader doing it the Labor way, a Labor leader following in the footsteps of Jack Wright and Don Dunstan, a Labor leader who would reach down to those who had stumbled, he was going to extend a hand, pick them up and look after the injured workers and the welfare of their families. This was a Labor leader who would do it the Labor way.

“Then came the ‘back flip’ – not by the Liberals as you would expect, but by Labor: Mike Rann’s Labor Government.

“Delegates, on Sunday, March 12 2006 I, along with many hundreds of other Labor supporters, went to the Norward Town Hall and listened to Labor’s campaign

“As they nestled in with the Liberals, they laughed and they joked about their actions as they turned their backs and walked away from injured workers...”

launch as Mike Rann outlined Labor’s plan for the next four years. Delegates, there was no mention of the need for WorkCover changes and there was no call for a mandate to change workers’ compensation laws.

“Delegates, I made my observations of the passage of the bill through both houses of parliament and I witnessed some of the darkest scenes one could ever wish to see.

I saw every single Labor member of parliament rise as one, they crossed the floor and sat with every single Liberal member of parliament and in doing so they trashed their Labor values and took an axe to injured workers’ entitlements and the welfare of their families.

“But delegates, it did not end there, it got worse. There were three Labor parliamentary colleagues who made light of the situation. As they nestled in with the Liberals, they laughed and they joked about their actions as they turned their backs and walked away from injured workers and the welfare of their families.

“Delegates, the content of this bill is shit and, delegates, this shit has got to stop. We need to tell our Labor politicians that what they did was wrong. We need to tell the community that the industrial movement and the broader field of Labor are poles apart from parliamentary Labor on this issue. We need to tell our Labor politicians that we expect them to retain and treasure their genuine Labor values, not trash them.

“Delegates, it is my hope above all hope, that every single delegate to this convention will stand shoulder-to-shoulder and side-by-side the workers and support this censure motion. Delegates, it is my hope above all hope, that the damage done by Rann Labor will not prove to be terminal to real Labor.

“Delegates, I commend the motion and I urge every single delegate to this convention today who still have genuine Labor values to support it.”  theaustralianworker 41

frontline news whyalla-WOOMERA/WA

Whyalla/woomera News

West Australian News

On the August 20, the WhyallaWoomera Branch invited representatives to attend the 100th anniversary of the Federated Ironworkers Association.

Among those to attend was the former Branch Secretary of the Federated Ironworkers Association, John Watson.

John, along with Branch President Robert Merritt and AWU WhyallaWoomera Branch Secretary Graham Hall, attended the function to honour those who were members of the former FIA which had amalgamated with the AWU. Graham says that it was an exceptional evening with National Secretary Paul Howes and National President Bill Ludwig opening the event which was attended by around 200 guests at Parliament House in Sydney.

Graham says the biggest thrill of the evening on reflection was to see the sight of old boys such as John, and Nando Lally and Laurie Short, the former National Secretary of the FIA, catch up with each other after 30 years.

Graham spoke to John, who said he was amazed to see so many old faces who he had worked with for so many years and he had a great time catching up and talking about the old days.

Graham reflects that it was a wonderful event and enjoyed just being in the same company as these legends of the FIA and to speak with them about their great struggles of the past in the steel industry. The sacrifices and the inroads that they made back then for the young steelworkers of today should never be forgotten.

“Sadly these old-timers are not getting any younger,” Graham said. “So it would be great to get these blokes together on an annual basis to see each other and preserve the memories.

Read about what YOUR union is doing for YOU...

Old days, new ways

42 theaustralianworker

n Floating Production Storage and

Off Take (FPSO)

The offshore oil and gas industry in Australia is currently experiencing a boom in all areas that the AWU has coverage, especially in the exploration, construction and production sector in Western Australia.

The production sector of the industry is an area in which the AWU Western Australia Branch is involved with the Alliance of the MUA and AWU. The Union is expanding its organising process to take in organising members of FPSOs. FPSOs first started in Australia with the introduction of the Aqua Blue in the mid 1980s, then the process was more around ships with a few production people involved onboard, this is now changing to a production facility with a marine crew, so in the event of an emergency or a cyclone the facility can disconnect and sail away.

In the past five years the FPSO fleet has grown dramatically. Originally there four FPSOs, Australia wide, owned by three companies; Coogee Resources, BHP Billiton and Woodside. Now there are 12 FPSOs, 11 of which are located in WA. There will be at least another

four brought online, Australia wide, in the next two years.

Compared to a fixed platform, once the production process is completed the FPSO can move on to other projects, rather than have to go through a decommissioning process.

The offshore oil and gas industry has been centred on fixed platforms in the past. These were predominately in Victoria, with Esso in Bass Strait and Woodside in WA. FPSOs are connected to a riser system attached to the seabed that pumps the product onto the vessel, the product is cleaned of all impurities and stored onboard in tanks below deck and then discharged to tankers for delivery to refineries around the world.

As part of the AWU/MUA alliance, the branch has been involved in a two-day conference held in Fremantle WA. National and branch officials from both the unions attended along with delegates and members from the FPSOs. Resolutions from the conference were passed endorsing the development of a structured organising plan that will be rolled out in conjunction with the objectives of working together to assist in organising workers in the FPSO industry in WA.

AWU, MUA, AMWU and CEPU forge blue collar industrial alliance The AWU has been actively involved in discussions with the main blue-collar industrial unions in WA to develop a framework agreement that provides the basis for these unions to work together cooperatively on major resource projects to further the lot of our members on those jobs.

Only through committing to work together does the AWU believe it can deliver for the working families in this state, during the biggest resources boom we have seen and a skills shortage like no other. We are experiencing cost-of-living pressures in WA that are second to none and the AWU believes that only by working together with like-minded unions can we ensure that working families will share in the spoils

of the current boom. We have been working on a draft agreement for the alliance, which when finalised will be signed by all unions who are committed to the alliance.

Stephen Price, West Australian Branch Secretary, has stated: “This is what our members want, unions working together with the other unions. This allows us to concentrate on looking after the interests of the members, as opposed to fighting amongst ourselves and taking our eye off the ball. Our extremely successful AWU/MUA Alliance is a classic example of how unions should be working together.

“The Blue Collar Industrial Alliance is another example of the proactive approach that unions in WA are taking in protecting the interest of our members.” www.awu.net.au

frontline news wa/tas

(* next 6-12 months )

For further information please contact Rebecca Malysz 0419 907 938. n A Town Called Railton Asbestos is turning out to be the worst industrial poison ever seen.

It’s present in workplaces, it’s present in factories, it’s present in public buildings, in schools, in libraries, government buildings and in people’s homes. An enormous number of people are breathing asbestos fibres into their lungs on a daily basis.

Between 1947 and1986 Goilath Cement manufactured various asbestos-containing materials at Railton in North-West Tasmania.

The current Cement Australia factory has new management and many ex-Goliath Cement workers. No asbestos products have been manufactured there since 1986.

The AWU Tasmanian Branch recently presented information about asbestos removal and research to a mass-meeting of workers on site. As soon as the AWU became aware of materials containing asbestos (in the buildings) at the current www.awu.net.au

Tasmanian News n Tasmania’s

Photo newspix

The FPSOs in Western Australia are: Cossack Pioneer Woodside Ngnhurra Woodside Northern Endeavour Woodside 4 Vanguard Aust FPSO

Management/Total

Marine Services Modec Venture 11 Modec Management Services Modec Venture 16 Modec Management Services Challis Venture Coogee Resources Jabiru Venture Coogee Resources Front Puffin Aibel/ Offshore

Marine Services Ngjuma- Yin Maersk Australia Griffin Venture BHP Billition *Ningaloo Vision Prosafe *Pryenees Venture BHP Billition/ Modec

Management Services * Montara Venture Coogee Resources.

News report, he did suggest that metalliferous mining mine owners “should not be allowed industry safety is to starve mines of money needed to under the spotlight ensure safety.”

A recent coroner’s inquest The report went on to say that found that Tasmania’s safety there are “fundamental deficiencies” in legislation to be Tasmania’s mine safety laws and that fundamentally inadequate the coroner recommended new urging the need for minelegislation for the industry. The coroner specific safety laws. also revealed that Tasmania is the only The inquest investigated three state that does not have mine-specific deaths at the Renison mine on safety regulation.

Tasmania’s West Coast, where Among his deliberations, the Above Rada Van Der Werff holds a miners Matthew Lister and coroner found that “there needs to be a photo of son Matthew Lister killed in Jarrod Jones both died in a clear definition of the roles of those a Tasmanian mining accident. rockfall at the mine in 2001 and engaged in mining, with their statutory the 2003 death of Sidney Pearce, obligations clearly set out and this should extend to who died in a similar accident. directors and members of boards so they are under no After the month-long inquest, Coroner Donald Jones illusion as to their responsibility in providing adequate found that there was “extreme risk taking” at the mine resources to mine management to ensure compliance as workers struggled to keep it in operation. In his with workplace safety requirements. The legislation findings, released on May 20 this year, the coroner should incorporate appropriate sanctions, including the expressed grave concern at the culture of the imposition of daily penalties for ongoing failures where industry. He strongly recommended more stringent the responsibilities are not complied with, including training, permanent geotechnical staff on mine sites the power to close and suspend a mine.” and a review of fines and penalties.

The coroner’s investigation found that cable bolts While the coroner did not directly accuse the that support areas of the mine were not long enough and operators of the Renison mine, according to an ABC that two of the men killed were using a faulty machine.

Cement Australia site during an OH&S inspection, and of the limited removal program, the Union insisted that particular buildings be demolished, a faster removal program encouraged and various other search programs initiated, such as a search for buried asbestos.

A number of buildings were quickly demolished.

The Union also proposed that a survey of current workers, retired workers and people in the community who may have been exposed to asbestos materials be conducted.

The company accepted the recommendations and a research team will be established with members from three universities. The team includes researchers with excellent international reputations, with some recognised as the best-known in the area of asbestos research.

It is hoped that the investigation will reveal what level of asbestos‑related disease may be present in those taking part in the study and the projected prospect of future disease taking into account the level and length of exposure.

Because much of the “asbestos story” is now shrouded by the passage of time, the Union has recommended that a professional historian be employed alongside the research team. To its credit, the company has accepted this proposal and Dr Beris Penrose has begun preliminary work in this field.

The Union is determined that this project proceeds smoothly and the lessons of the James Hardie debacle have been learnt. Asbestos is killing people, we need to remain vigilant and proactive. theaustralianworker 43

w

meet the officials

Name Stephen Price

Job

And…

AWU West Australian Branch Secretary

Former miner and AWU delegate. Now a proud dad of four beautiful, but tough negotiating daughters!

I

grew up in Harvey, a farming town two hours south of Perth. My parents still live there, so it certainly still offers a sense of “home”. I’m the youngest in the family, with an older brother and two older sisters. I went to a local primary school, but during high school I transferred to a college quite some distance away and it required a one-hour bus ride each way. That experience has stood me in good stead for travelling around the West!

My parents were small-business owners, so there were some differences in our political viewpoints. In fact, I remember telling my dad when I’d first become a Shop Steward – and I don’t think he was too thrilled about it at the time!

As a kid, I wanted to be a phys-ed teacher, but towards the end of my university course the idea lost its appeal and I became a mail sorter.

After less than a month, I knew that certainly wasn’t for me either and jumped at the chance of a mining job.

I started work at Gidgee Gold Mine, in WA’s north east, as a storeman and ended up a process operator, extracting gold from the ore.

The job was fly in, fly out, and the accommodation on site was pretty basic, but as a young bloke, it was great – good money, good mates, good fun. And good luck, too – I met Melanie, a lab analyst, there. We’re married now with four beautiful daughters.

I joined the AWU at Gidgee, but really got involved after moving to Alcoa’s Wagerup Refinery, where I was a shop steward and, eventually, on-site convenor.

I started working for the AWU in January 2007.

My jobs had always been on unionised sites with 44 theaustralianworker

Stephen Price

“I look at someone like Bill Ludwig who has done so much for Queensland and the Union – he is an inspiration.”

decent conditions, but I knew other workers weren’t so lucky. I wanted to look after members and help workers get and keep their rights.

These are challenging times for the movement, there’s no doubt about it.

We need to be proactive and, with a couple of new organisers, we’re making some good progress on building membership.

Workplace safety is another huge issue for me – I get angry when someone is hurt or killed at work – it shouldn’t happen, and we’ve got to get the safety message out there and acted on. I am very proud to be Secretary of the West Australian Branch and want to contribute as much as I can to the AWU and membership. I look at someone like Bill Ludwig who has done so much for Queensland and the Union – he is an inspiration. Howesy (Paul Howes) is doing a great job as our National Secretary and all the States are working together as a united force. It’s an exciting time for the AWU across the country.

For me and, of course, many others around the world, the effect of global warming is a major concern. I’m not much of a scientist and I base my belief that we do have a major problem on the simple fact that the icecaps are melting much quicker than they should. The approach Paul Howes has taken is the correct and responsible approach. Something has to be done, but it has to be both economically and environmentally sustainable. It’s no good cutting our nose off to spite our face.

My aim as Secretary is to grow the Western Australia Branch of this great union of ours. I want the AWU to become the dominant union in Western Australia. We will achieve this through re-establishing ourselves into our traditional areas, providing better services for our members and working together with other unions.

As with most Branches, we have a wide range of concerns being raised by our members. There are a lot of members who are not part of the resource industry and they are suffering through increased costs of living.

Wages outside the resource industries couldn’t seriously be considered living wages.

I’m really hopeful about the future, I want my girls to grow up healthy and happy. And it would be a wonderful thing if they ended up working in some capacity within the union movement. I love the idea of it being a generational concern. I pity their boyfriends in the future, though.

While they are still only young, they are developing into very good negotiators – and they practice on me! www.awu.net.au

meet the delegates

Name

Dave Arnold

Job

And…

AWU Delegate at Boeing Williamstown, NSW

Adopted at the age of 54 by a young miner and his wife.

Read on to find out why!

I

was adopted by a young miner and his wife when I was 54. I wasn’t a Barnardos boy, I was a Boeing boy, in the middle of a nine month strike.

We went out in June 2005, never dreaming it would be February before we walked through the gate again.

The support for us from the local Hunter community was unbelievable. The tin was kicked around, people would drop cartons of eggs and loaves of bread off at the picket line. Sweet little old ladies brought down big pots of food.

The AWU arranged our adoption papers, and people from all over the country lined up to help us out – I met my ‘parents’ while picketing local MP Bob Baldwin’s office. He wasn’t there,

w

Dave Arnold

but it was great to meet and thank my ‘parents’.

My wife Shirley was definitely worried as the strike dragged on, but she stuck to her guns and picked up some work delivering papers and pamphlets to keep us going, the grandkids helped with it too.

The picket line was a long way from where I started out – in the RAAF, first as a clerk, then in aircraft maintenance. I’d wanted to be a pilot, but mild colour-blindness knocked that on the head.

I met Shirley and her three sons in the early ‘70s in Brisbane, and we were posted to Victoria and NSW then to Malaysia for three years.

After 20 years with the RAAF, I spent a decade with Qantas before moving to Lake Macquarie and joining Boeing.

It was pretty tense when we went back to work, but it’s settled down now, and I’d say we have 95 per cent of what we went out for.

I went to the AWU National Conference on the Gold Coast in 2007 and it was fantastic to see how proud all the delegates were of us Boeing boys.

AS told to Cath sullivan Photo fairfax photos

“I went to the AWU National Conference in 2007 and it was fantastic to see how proud all the delegates were of us Boeing Boys.”

Left Workers on the picket line at the Boeing strike at Williamtown in November 2005.

www.awu.net.au

theaustralianworker 45

born to be wild – final

high on the hog It’s said that if you can remember the 1960s, you’re lying and didn’t really live through that crucial decade. With the clarity of hindsight, it’s a fair bet that Harley-Davidson would like to forget the ‘60s even though it did live through them – and survived…

I

WRITTEN BY boris mihailovic Photos david hahn/Harley-Davidson Motor Company Archives “copyright Harley-Davidson”/buell Motor Company Archives

n 1966, Harley-Davidson introduced its Shovelhead motor (so called because the heads vaguely resembled the blade of a shovel) to the world and riders rejoiced. The new donk was stronger and better designed than the Panhead it replaced – and things were looking good for the company.

But both domestically and internationally, things were not looking so good for the USA. The Cold War was in full swing and the US was deeply enmeshed in Vietnam. Massive civil unrest was everywhere and the shooting of students at Kent State University by the Ohio National Guard was imminent.

A different shooting took place for Harley in 1969, a year before the Kent State disgrace. A company called American Machine and Foundry (AMF) bought Harley-Davidson, shot it in the metaphorical foot, and ushered in what enthusiasts now refer to as “Harley’s Dark Age”. And it was very dark indeed.

If you’ve ever been tenpin bowling, you’d have seen the ubiquitous AMF logo on the pins – which was only a small part of its leisure product line. It made everything from speedboats to golf clubs to garden furniture – and it was now making HarleyDavidsons. But not very well. This wasn’t because it purposely set out to do a crappy job, but because AMF’s efforts to streamline Harley-Davidson’s production practices resulted in massive employee dissatisfaction and strike action. Quality began to suffer and it wasn’t long before Harleys were being christened “Hardly Rideables”. They were expensive, unreliable to the point of being ridiculous, and completely overshadowed in performance by a new wave of Japanese imports.

Sales, quite understandably, went into the toilet and the company teetered towards bankruptcy. But it was a teeter that took 12 years, and it was 1981 before something was done. Willie G. Davidson (the grandson of William, one of the founders), Vaughn Beals and 13 other investors (most of whom were faithful employees) engineered an eleventh hour buy-out of the company from AMF for a paltry $US80 million.  46 theaustralianworker

www.awu.net.au

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theaustralianworker 47

born to be wild – final

“The year following the employee buyback of Harley from AMF proved to be the most important in Harley's long history.”

The Twin-Cam 88B Balance Crankshaft

Vaughn Beals and Willie G completely revamped the way the company built motorcycles by introducing the "Just In Time" system, an inventory-management strategy that saves money on warehousing by insisting that items are only produced when they are needed, and not before or after.

At the same time, the company successfully lobbied the government to protect it from competition (in the form of cheaper imported bikes) and, in 1983, the US International Trade Commission imposed a 45 per cent trade tariff on imported bikes over 700cc.

That was also the year Harley-Davidson created the Harley Owners Group (HOG), which rapidly became the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world. Within six years its membership soared to 90,000; by 2000, HOG had more than 500,000 members.

But the year following the employee buy-back of Harley from AMF proved to be the most important in Harley’s long history. The new Evolution motor made its debut in 1984 and suddenly nothing was ever the same again for Harley-Davidson.

The new engine proved a major leap forward for the company – overnight, Harleys were now reliable. They stopped leaking oil, stuff stopped falling off and they actually went quite hard.

Celebrities started buying them and by the end of

the 1980s a new Harley-riding creature called the RUB was born – the Rich Urban Biker. The gleaming attitude-laden machine that was once the exclusive province of the outlaw was now grasped between the less-than-mighty thighs of accountants, stockbrokers and other middle-aged men looking to recapture their lost youth.

Sales went through the roof.

Cleverly, Harley-Davidson chose not to compete with the Japanese, focusing instead on the nostalgia and tradition of its brand and building its bikes accordingly. But it did not put all its eggs into one basket and as the ‘90s drew closer, Harley began to diversify.

The company had already bought a motorhome manufacturer in the ‘80s (Holiday Rambler Corporation), but in the ‘90s it looked at the work of Erik Buell, a national AMA road racer and founder of the Buell Motorcycle Company, who wanted to build a pure American sportsbike to compete with the Japanese and Italian manufacturers. Harley liked what it saw and bought a minority share in Erik’s company. In 1998, it bought the rest of it, and now produces a true American sportsbike, the Buell 1125R. And yes, Harley did finally give up on using its own parts and turned to Austrian motor-building giant Rotax for the engine, but the end result is quite competitive from a performance perspective.

Harley-Davidson was now in its period of

Introduced in 1984, FXST Softail was an industry trendsetter in styling, using the method of "hiding" the motorcycle's rear shock absorbers. The 80 cubic inch Evolution motor and styling helped make the 1984 FXST Softail one of the most popular motorcycles.

The popularity of the Softail family of motorcycles, to this day, demonstrates enthusiast's love of the classic "hard tail" look.

On February 26, 1981, thirteen Harley-Davidson senior executives sign a letter of intent to purchase Harley-Davidson Motor Company from AMF. By mid-June, the buyback is official, and the phrase "The Eagle Soars Alone" becomes a rallying cry.

48 theaustralianworker

www.awu.net.au

peak demand. Everyone was buying Harleys it seemed, so the company decided to expand its dealer network, while at the same time its current dealers could not fulfil customer orders and had waiting lists of up to a year. Interestingly, it was then revealed that Harley-Davidson was recording sales, not when a punter bought a bike, but when the bike was delivered to a dealer – making it quite simple to inflate sales figures by making a dealer accept more inventory that he needed – a process called “channel stuffing”.

So, when demand did slow down (like after 2003 when Harley celebrated its 100th anniversary and produced a lot of desirable centenary models), the company’s share price fell dramatically.

Another scandal followed when the retiring CEO, Jeff Bleustein, made a quick $42 million exercising employee stock options, which then prompted numerous class-action lawsuits from investors who felt they’d been defrauded by Harley.

But there was no stopping the juggernaut that Harley had become in the 21st century. Factories had been opened all over the world and Harley was now having many of its parts made as far afield as Brazil. Its motorcycles became better made, faster and even more reliable, and a new motor (the Twin-Cam 88B) was introduced in 2000 to great media and subsequent owner acclaim.

More recently, Harley-Davidson weathered a huge and quite damaging workers’ strike. In The detail of a 1975 HarleyDavidson chopper on show during the Harley-Davidson 100th Anniversary Open Road Tour held at the Sydney Showground, 2003.

February of 2007, some 2700 employees at Harley’s largest manufacturing plant in York, Pennsylvania, went on strike after failing to agree on wages and health benefits. The company responded by refusing to pay for any portion of the striking workers’ health care during the strike and hundreds of employees were laid off during the two-week long dispute.

And thus we arrive at today, 105 years after we started, and mere weeks after Harley-Davidson announced it acquired what is probably the most respected and adored Italian motorcycle brand on earth – MV Agusta – a move which has motorcycling purists shaking their heads in wonder.

As a brand, Harley-Davidson is still as evocative and desirable as any marketing guru could ask for.

Its motorcycles are unique, beautiful and a singular joy to ride. As a company, it has weathered wars, scandals and revolutions, and continued to produce motorcycles that people always want to buy. It is a phenomenon that has made history, entrenched itself in the western world’s cultural consciousness, and shows no sign of backing off or slowing down.

It is truly the stuff of legend. ◆

“In February 2007, some 2700 employees at Harley's largest manufacturing plant in York, Pennsylvania, went on strike after failing to agree on wages and health benefits.”

The 2009 model Buell 1125R. In 1998 Buell and Harley Davidson joined forces and now produces this true American sportsbike.

...the Aussie connection!

Harley Davidson truly is a global concern. We were chuffed to receive this letter from AWU member Matthew Eckert…

Howdy All. Hope things are well.

My name is Matthew Eckert and I’ve been a shop steward for about five years. I work for a company in South Australia called New Castalloy. We make motorcycle wheels for Harley Davidson and send them to their factories in the US. There are 180 AWU members who work here. The AWU convener for the workplace is Peter Lamps from the Greater South Australia Branch.

I have had a lot of feedback about the current articles about Harley Davidson in our magazine – The Australian Worker. It is good that AWU members from my workplace enjoy the history and information about Harley from the Union publication. But they were asking whether the Union was aware that we manufacture Harley wheels and are actually a subsidiary group of Harley Davidson. Keep up the good work. We are proud of our Union.

Kind regards, Matt Eckert Shop Steward … and we are proud of Matt and his workmates, too!

www.awu.net.au

theaustralianworker 49

wrestling On for young and old!

Ron Miller

F

orget the pumped-up show ponies of today’s imported wrestling shows, back in the 1960s Australia’s World Championship Wrestling reigned supreme. Characters with names like "Brute Bernard" and "Skull Murphy" were larger than life, as "goodies" and "baddies" wrangled for supremacy.

Forty years ago, another, Ron Miller couldn’t exit an Australian airport without a mob descending. As part of the World Championship Wrestling (WCW) troupe, Ron grappled and grunted his way around Australia (and through airport crowds) as one of this country’s premier wrestlers. They were heady times.

wrestling Brute Bernard

Contemporary wrestler Mimic from Adelaide's Riot City Wrest ling.

50 theaustralianworker

www.awu.net.au

“Because we were on TV every week, we became instantly recognisable. You’ve only got to imagine Skull Murphy and Brute Bernard stepping off a plane and trying to blend in with the crowd,” says 66-year-old Ron, referring to a pair of his menacing mates from the halcyon days of WCW. “We were constantly on the move. There were over 300 live promotions around Australia every year and, at its peak, we were drawing up to 9000 fans at one venue.”

Attendances were high, but television was the key to the sport’s success. Throughout most of the '60s and '70s, highlights from the weekly biffo were broadcast by Channel Nine twice every weekend. That came to an end

(WWE), but the endeavour can never be questioned. The only pills these guys popped were a handful of blood capsules to sneakily chew and dribble onto an opponent’s head.

“Yes, times have changed,” concedes Ron. “The WWE pulls in these odd characters and they’re pretty impressive a lot of them, but you can just see by the physiques that steroids are a problem. It’s just crazy. They’re all dropping like flies at 40 years of age. It’s a long way away from the wrestling I knew.”

Although his ringside demeanour has more in common with the WWE, South Australian wrestler Mimic (aka Chris Basso outside the ring) agrees with Ron Miller. The dreadlocked

with the past Back in the '60s and '70s the hammerlocks, pile-drivers and atomic drops of World Championship Wrestling held television audiences captivated...

WRITTEN BY michael blayney Photos Courtesy of ron miller/greg tingle/riot city wrestling

when Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket took hold of the timeslot in 1977.

However, many people still recall with clarity the ringside antics of the international stars Mario Milano, Spiros Arion, King Curtis, Killer Kowalski and Abdullah the Butcher.

Such wrestling luminaries as Harley Race and Andre the Giant – Hulk Hogan’s nemesis in the 80s – also tried their luck on the lucrative Aussie circuit.

Reliving Aussie wrestling’s heyday, Ron recently produced a DVD set, Ruff, Tuff & Real, compiling the best clouts, clobbers and clotheslines from the days of WCW. The action may be less turbocharged and the bodies flabbier than today’s pumped-up action figures of World Wrestling Entertainment www.awu.net.au

and face-painted Mimic performs for Riot City Wrestling (RCW), an Adelaide-based organisation that promotes monthly shows in the city of churches/riots.

“WWE and its never-ending soap opera is a little bit off-putting to a lot of wrestlers around Australia and the world,” he says, stressing that RCW is drug-free. “If I was taking steroids, I’d weigh in at 130 kilos.” (He currently weighs 90.) “It’s a very extreme measure, a last resort for a lot of guys who are desperate to make it in the industry.”

Although Mimic may have grown up on a steady diet of American wrestling, the 23-year-old has a healthy respect for Ron Miller and the wrestlers who paved the way.

“I’ve been trained by a few of the guys from 

Where are they now?

• King Curtis: One of wrestling’s true enigmas, showman Curtis hires out surfboards on Hawaii’s Waikiki Beach.

• Mario Milano: A WCW legend, Melbourne man Milano recently married for the third time.

• Spiros Arion: Now living the quiet life in Greece.

• Killer Karl Kox: Post-wrestling, the hard man worked as a Texas prison warden.

• Steve Rackman: Became Paul Hogan’s drinking buddy, Donk, in the Crocodile Dundee movies.

• George Barnes: Worked in the trucking industry, currently living on NSW’s south coast.

• Brute Bernard: Died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound in 1984.

• Larry O’Dea: Ron Miller’s tag team partner passed away in 1997.

• Killer Kowalski: Died this year, but married for the first time in 2006 at the age of 79. His bride was 78 – he did it because she told him she was pregnant!

• Skull Murphy: Died from a sleeping pill overdose in 1970.

• Roy Heffernan: Died in 1992, Heffernan was one half of the popular tag team, the Fabulous Kangaroos.

• “Playboy” Gary Hart: The slick American manager died in March this year, aged 66.

• Abdullah the Butcher: Now a restaurant owner in North Carolina.

theaustralianworker 51

wrestling

that era. Even Mario Milano was training blokes until recently. Sure, it looks slower and the moves aren’t as exciting, but that was the time and it was massive. In some ways, it looks a lot more legit than some of the things you see today.”

In reference to the sport’s legitimacy, both Mimic and Ron are happy to “break the code” about the scripted nature of the sport.

“Yes, sometimes the outcome of a match would be sorted out beforehand,” Ron says.

“But if I wanted to get into the main event, I had to be respected. The majority of the fans understood the nature of it, but they also appreciated the skill, innovation and the time it took to get there. They also appreciated that the pain and injuries were all very real.”

Ron knows what he’s talking about.

Now retired in Tweed Heads, he has all the aching side-effects of past punishments; joints have been replaced and arthritis is a daily battle. His worst career setback involved semi-paralysis and concussion.

“I landed on my head and neck and lost feelings in my arms there for a while. That

The Big Chief with the big heart

Anyone who recalls the glory days of wrestling in Australia will remember with much affection Big Chief Little Wolf – the Navaho Indian who hit the ring in shows right across the country. Here, the Chief’s son David tells journalist Greg Tingle about his time in Australia touring with his dad…

"During our travels across Australia, with our tent show, or with Ashton’s Circus, we visited nearly 300-350 cities and towns.

Several times we were visited by native Australians. None had never seen a native person of another race, and were, of course, curious. Without exception, they always brought us gifts. Most important, they called my dad 'Brother'. They somehow knew that native Americans and themselves had many, many things in common. I have no idea how these people knew about Dad. Perhaps they got the word from Aborigines employed by Jimmy Sharman, or those employed by the circus.

My dad was moved by their plight and was very sympathetic toward them. I remember once overhearing him tell a tribal leader that 'a change would come, so be patient, and don’t push too hard'.

We cherished the gifts from those wonderful people, and my dad would try and give them money, but they would not take it.

I think that if my dad had not had the strokes, he may have become an advocate for the Aussie natives."

www.awu.net.au

was pretty scary. I just lay there and they had to drag me out of the ring,” Ron says.

“I was on the sidelines for eight months.

Of course, there was no medical insurance.

They wouldn’t insure us anyway. We were like jockeys and race-car drivers. Untouchables.”

Although Mimic is yet to be seriously injured, he likes the idea of a wrestling union.

“There’s no wrestlers’ union in the world, unfortunately,” he says. “In the big leagues, guys who’ve tried to start one up were fired as a result. Most of us here in Adelaide have full-time jobs, and a union would definitely provide some security.”

Until then, RCW continues to put on a show and tour the state with its brand of high-octane entertainment. Crowd numbers are growing and the product is looking more polished as time goes on.

“It’s a total package and we’re getting there,” he says.

But despite Mimic’s best efforts, one can’t help thinking that the hype and hysteria of Ron Miller's WCW will never be repeated.

Not in this country, at least. ◆

“There's no wrestlers' union in the world, unfortunately. In the big leagues, guys who've tried to start one up were fired as a result.”

Big Chief Little Wolf

theaustralianworker 53

KIDS

Your kids will love banging around with percussion group The Sambanistas.

kidding around

A big day out for the family needn’t cost a fortune. In this issue, Jayne D’Arcy takes a tour of Perth to discover some fun, family-friendly activities to please everyone. when: 24 hrs daily, Visitor Information is open from 1. Kings Park and Botanic Gardens There are three playgrounds on this 1000-acre site, and you take your pick depending on how old your kids are. The Ivey Watson and Arthur Fairall playgrounds are quite far apart so you may need your own car. Plan for big walks (in beautiful Australian bush surroundings) or pay $6 per adult for the Kings Park Tram Tour, which circles the park.

The Ivey Watson Playground is enclosed and shaded and ideal for kids aged up to four to five years, with castles, swings, sandpits and slides under paperbark trees. There are scooter and bike paths too. The Arthur Fairall Playground is where the big kids want to be; it’s a rugged playground with dinosaurs for climbing, high ‘tree-top’ walks, twisty slides, water fountains.

On a busy day, it’s a noisy, chaotic place. There’s a rainforest on an island and ducks seek out respite in the ornamental lake.

If you’re not afraid of heights, and your kids can’t jump too high, don’t miss a walk on Kings Park’s Federation Walkway. It’s a high, 620 metre-long glass bridge that takes you up to the branch levels of some huge trees. No scooters or bikes are allowed, and the park advises parents to hold young children by their hands – you’ll see why when you get there! Catch a bus there – route 37 (39 on weekends) is free if you’re heading to Kings Park.

54 theaustralianworker

9.30am-4pm and Federation Walkway is open 9am-5pm. where: Kings Park, Fraser Avenue, West Perth. contact: 08 9480 3600.

2. Drumming in a Samba Band Ever wonder what your child is going to be when they grow up? Has ‘drummer’ ever crossed your mind? A good way to check if they’ve got some drumming/musical potential is to take them along to a samba drumming rehearsal. Not only will they get to smash out some of that kid energy, but they’ll also get the chance to be part of something bigger – a whole band. If they’re good they might even get to drum along with the Sambanistas during their regular festival appearances. The Sambanistas reckon that their group is suitable for anyone who can count to two and walk at the same time, and real littlies might just enjoy listening to the noise that a bunch of community members (some skilled, some still practising) makes. when: Saturdays 2pm-4pm. where: City Farm, Lime Street, East Perth (next to Claisbrooke train station). contact: www.sambanistas.com www.awu.net.au

WRITTEN BY jayne d’arcy Photos Tourism western australia/getty images

3. Discovery Centre, Western Australian Museum Poo in drawers? Yes. But wait, there’s more. Perth Museum’s Discovery Centre is especially designed for entertaining and educating kids. Its walls are lined with drawers that are made for opening (no child-safety locks needed here!) and they contain surprises like poo, spiders, bones and other museum favourites. Most of the rest of the stuff is at eye-level for two-year-olds, including the cute (living) green tree frogs.

There are drawing activities, and having one of the kids’ masterpieces laminated costs just 50 cents. Playing with the giant plastic dinosaurs, giant floor puzzles and touching skulls, skins and more bones is all free. Yes it’s fun and, yes, it’s hard to get the kids to leave. BUT you can try persuading them by mentioning the very life-like dinosaur (carnotaurus sastrei) that lives upstairs on level 1.

This is also the place to bring that unknown specimen that the kids found under the swings – the resources are here to help you work out what it is. when: Daily 9.30am-5pm. where: Ground Floor, Hackett Hall Building, Perth Cultural Centre, James Street, Perth. contact: 08 9427 2836. web: http://www.museum.wa.gov.au/ whatson/discovery/discoverycentre.asp

4. Tractor Parade For all the tractor lovers out there (and come on, who isn’t!) Whiteman Park brings out its collection of restored, vintage tractors once a month and everyone’s invited to watch them as they’re driven from the park’s Tractor Museum to the Mussel Pool. Once there, they turn around and are paraded right back to their museum home.

If the kids prefer bigger things or things that they can get in, take them to Whiteman Park on Mondays, when the Whiteman Explorer (a vintage bus restored by members of the Bus Museum of WA) is unleashed. You can hop on and enjoy a 45-minute free guided tour of the park from the best (restored) seat in town. when: Tractor Parade is on the second Sunday of every month at 1.30pm. The Whiteman Explorer departs the Village bus stop at 11am and 1pm Mondays. where: Whiteman Park is 22km from the city.

Buses run on Sunday and take an hour to get there: catch route 60 from Esplanade busport in Perth, change to route 336 at Morley Bus station and hop off at Lord Street, before Youle-Dean Rd. It’ll take you 30 minutes by car from Perth city – take either the Great Eastern Highway or Guildford Road to the Tonkin Highway. Travel north along the Tonkin Highway and turn right onto Reid Highway, then left into Beechboro Road. contact: 08 9209 6000. web: www.whitemanpark.com.au/attractions/ whatson-event.asp?event_id=167

Above Tractor parade on the second Sunday of every month.

Below Tractor Museum at Whiteman Park.

Above Playing the didgeridoo at dawn in Perth’s Kings Park Botanic Gardens.

Below If your child has an aptitude for drumming why not try the ‘Sambanistas’ to unleash their talent.

(See activity 2).

5. Art Gallery of Western Australia Art galleries are becoming the place to be for kids, creating special pockets where they can muck around making their own art and parents can either help or take a well-earned break in a nearby chair and watch. The Gallery’s family activity space, Wonderland, is upstairs, and its themes change according to what’s on in the gallery, so even if you’ve been before, you and your kids might not recognise it now.

If you’re up for a little discovery walk with www.awu.net.au

water as the theme, pick up a Wonderlust Water Walk brochure and map at the gallery entrance.

Another way to get familiar with water is to watch the kids try out the toddler-sized water fountain on the ground floor near the entrance. when: 10am-5pm daily. where: Art Gallery of Western Australia, Perth Cultural Centre, James Street Mall, Perth. contact: 08 9492 6600. web: www.artgallery.wa.gov.au ◆ theaustralianworker 55

quick & easy recipes

a toast to roasts While just about everyone loves a baked dinner, the traditional roast has had a makeover – with sumptuous flavours from around the world...

Slow-roasted portuguese chicken serves 4 prep time 15 minutes cooking time 2 hours 1.6kg whole chicken 1 fresh small red thai chilli, seeded, chopped finely 1 tablespoon sweet paprika 3 cloves garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons salt ½ cup (125ml) lemon juice 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh oregano 1. Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan-forced.

2. Wash chicken under cold running water; pat dry with absorbent paper. Using kitchen scissors, cut along both sides of

cook

tip

backbone; discard backbone.

Place chicken, skin-side up, on board; using heel of hand, press down on breastbone to flatten chicken. Insert metal skewer through thigh and opposite wing of chicken to keep chicken flat. Repeat with other thigh and wing.

3. Combine remaining ingredients in small bowl.

4. Place chicken in large baking dish; pour chilli mixture over chicken.

Roast, uncovered, brushing occasionally with pan juices, about 2 hours or until chicken is browned and cooked through. Remove skewers. Serve with roast vegetables, if desired.

• Add one or two more chillies to the spice mixture for a hotter flavour. • If desired, marinate chicken in chilli mixture, covered, in the fridge overnight. • You can use chicken pieces rather than a whole chicken: use whole thighs and drumsticks, marylands or whole breasts…

Veal loin with baked figs, port sauce & polenta 2. Preheat oven to serves 6 prep time 10 minutes cooking time 50 minutes

800g piece boneless loin of veal roast ¼ cup (60ml) balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 clove garlic, crushed 9 medium fresh figs (540g), halved 1 litre (4 cups) water 3 cups (750ml) milk 1½ cups (255g) polenta 40g butter ½ cup (125ml) cream 4 green onions, chopped finely ½ cup coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley ¹⁄³ cup (80ml) port 1 cup (250ml) beef stock 1 tablespoon cornflour ¼ cup (60ml) water, extra 1. Place veal in large bowl with combined vinegar, oil and garlic; coat veal all over in marinade. Cover; refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

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200°C/180°C fan-forced.

3. Drain veal; discard marinade.

Heat large flameproof baking dish; cook veal, uncovered, until browned all over. Roast, uncovered, in oven 30 minutes. Add fig halves; roast, uncovered, further 10 minutes or until figs are just tender.

4. Meanwhile, bring the water and milk to the boil in large saucepan. Stir polenta into liquid, stirring constantly.

Reduce heat; simmer, stirring, about 20 minutes or until it thickens. Stir in butter, cream, onion and parsley.

5. Remove veal and figs from baking dish; cover to keep warm. Place dish with pan juices over high heat, add port; bring to the boil. Cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add stock; bring to the boil, cook 3 minutes. Stir in blended cornflour and extra water, stirring, until sauce boils and thickens.

6. Serve veal on polenta, topped with figs and drizzled with sauce.

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Harissa lamb leg & warm couscous salad serves 4 prep time 40 minutes (plus standing and refrigeration time) cooking time 1 hour 5 minutes

1. Soak chilli in boiling water for 1 hour. Drain; keep ¼ cup liquid.

2. Dry-fry spices in small frying pan. Blend spices with chilli, reserved liquid, garlic and puree.

With motor operating, add oil in thin stream; blend until smooth.

Reserve ¹⁄3 cup harissa to use in another recipe.

3. Pierce lamb all over; rub with remaining harissa.

Refrigerate 3 hours.

4. Preheat oven to 200ºC/180ºC fan-forced.

5. Pour enough water into large baking dish to 5mm depth.

Place lamb on rack over dish; roast, uncovered, about 1 hour. Cover lamb; stand 20 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, make couscous salad; serve with sliced lamb. couscous salad place kumara on oven tray; spray with cooking oil. Roast alongside lamb for last 30 minutes.

Combine couscous, peas, rind and the water in large heatproof bowl; cover, stand 5 minutes. Stir in kumara and remaining ingredients.

Photos Ian Wallace/Steve Brown/Brett Stevens. Styling Sarah O’Brien/Wendy Berecry/Jane Hann/Julz Beresford/Marie-Helene Clauzon/Louise Pickford.

30g dried red chillies, chopped coarsely 1 teaspoon ground cumin 1 teaspoon ground coriander 1 teaspoon caraway seeds 2 cloves garlic, crushed ¹⁄3 cup (90g) tomato puree ¹⁄3 cup (80ml) olive oil 2kg leg of lamb couscous salad 2 small kumara (500g), cut into

1cm pieces cooking-oil spray 2 cups (400g) couscous ½ cup (60g) frozen peas, thawed 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind 2½ cups (625ml) boiling water 1 small red onion (100g), chopped finely ½ cup finely shredded fresh flat-leaf parsley ¼ cup finely shredded fresh mint 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar ¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice

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quick & easy recipes

Roasted vegetable & haloumi salad serves 4 prep time 15 minutes cooking time 45 minutes 1 medium kumara (400g), chopped coarsely 2 large carrots (360g), quartered lengthways 2 medium parsnips (500g), halved lengthways 2 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil 2 large red onions (600g), cut into wedges 4 baby eggplants (240g), halved lengthways 4 fresh long red chillies, halved 250g haloumi cheese, sliced 75g baby spinach leaves lemon and basil dressing ½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons lemon juice ¼ cup coarsely chopped 58 theaustralianworker

fresh basil 1 teaspoon white sugar 1. Preheat oven to 220ºC/200ºC fan-forced.

2. Combine kumara, carrot, parsnip and half the combined garlic and olive oil on large shallow oven tray. Combine onion, eggplant, chilli and remaining oil mixture on separate shallow oven tray. Roast kumara mixture, uncovered, about 45 minutes and onion mixture, uncovered, about 30 minutes, or until vegetables are cooked and browned lightly.

3. Meanwhile, blend or process ingredients for lemon and basil dressing until smooth.

4. Just before serving, cook cheese on heated oiled grill plate until browned lightly on both sides.

5. Combine roasted vegetables with spinach; divide among serving plates. Top with cheese and drizzle with dressing.

veg • This delicious roasted vegetable & haloumi option salad is a delicious menu addition if you’re catering for a vegetarian.

Recipes are from The Australian Women’s Weekly Roast, ACP Books, RRP $19.95, available from selected bookstores, newsagents and online from www.acpbooks.com.au

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Salt-baked whole ocean trout in saffron cream sauce serves 6 prep time 30 minutes cooking time 1 hour 10 minutes 3kg cooking salt 4 egg whites 2.4kg whole ocean trout 1.5kg baby new potatoes 3 whole unpeeled bulbs garlic, halved horizontally ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil 15 sprigs fresh thyme 350g watercress, trimmed saffron cream sauce ¾ cup (180ml) dry white wine ¼ cup (60ml) white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice Pinch saffron threads ½ cup (125ml) cream 170g butter, chilled, chopped finely 1. Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced.

2. Mix salt with egg whites in medium bowl. Spread about half of the salt mixture evenly over base of large baking dish; place fish on salt mixture, cover completely (except for tail) with

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remaining salt mixture.

Bake 1 hour.

3. Meanwhile, combine potatoes, garlic, oil and thyme in large shallow baking dish; place in oven on shelf below fish. Bake, uncovered, about 50 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

4. Make saffron cream sauce.

5. Remove fish from oven; break salt crust with heavy knife, taking care not to cut into fish.

Discard salt crust; transfer fish to large serving plate. Carefully remove skin from fish; flake meat into large pieces.

6. Divide watercress, potatoes and garlic among serving plates; top with fish, drizzle with sauce. saffron cream sauce Bring wine, vinegar, juice and saffron in medium saucepan to the boil. Boil until mixture is reduced to about a third. Add cream; return to the boil, then whisk in butter, one piece at a time, until mixture thickens slightly.

Pour into medium jug; cover to keep warm.

Roasted pork belly with plum sauce serves 4 prep time 20 minutes cooking time 1 hour 55 minutes 800g boneless pork belly, rind on 2 teaspoons fine sea salt 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 cup (250ml) water 1½ cups (375ml) chicken stock 2 tablespoons soy sauce ¼ cup (60ml) chinese cooking wine ¼ cup (55g) firmly packed brown sugar 2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly 3cm piece fresh ginger (15g), sliced thinly 1 cinnamon stick, crushed 1 teaspoon dried chilli flakes ¹⁄³ cup (80ml) orange juice 6 whole cloves 1 teaspoon fennel seeds 4 plums (450g), cut into eight wedges cucumber salad 1 lebanese cucumber (130g) 1 fresh long green chilli, sliced thinly 2 ⁄³ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 teaspoon caster sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced. Place pork on board, rind-side up.

Using sharp knife, score rind by making shallow cuts diagonally in both directions at 3cm intervals; rub combined salt and oil into cuts.

2. Combine the water, stock, soy sauce, wine, sugar, garlic, ginger, cinnamon, chilli, juice, cloves and seeds in large shallow baking dish. Place pork in dish, rind-side up; roast, uncovered, 1 hour 20 minutes.

Increase oven temperature to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. Roast pork, uncovered, further 15 minutes or until crackling is crisp. Remove pork from dish; cover to keep warm.

3. Strain pan juices from dish into saucepan, skim away surface fat; bring to the boil.

Add plums; simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until thickened.

3. Meanwhile, make cucumber salad; serve with sliced pork and sauce. cucumber salad Using vegetable peeler, cut cucumber lengthways into ribbons. Place in large bowl with remaining ingredients; toss to combine.

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nepal

Nepali politics stretches across the political spectrum, with strongly left-leaning parties now visible and vocal on the streets.

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a himalayan enigma While its capital city, Kathmandhu, was once a mecca for hippies back in the '60s, Nepal is a land of mystery to many. Here we explore this former Himalayan kingdom and its highly charged politics.

A

WRITTEN BY sandy mcPhie Photos getty images/newspix

gang of boys advances down a dusty lane towards us, their expressions fierce. They look like they mean trouble, but as they pass, one calls out, “A new Nepal!” and they all raise their arms. Those fierce expressions are national pride. Like everyone we’ve met here, they are hoping for a brighter, more peaceful future for their troubled country.

It’s election day in Pokhara, central Nepal, and the mood is buoyant. Men and women sit on the ground behind makeshift tables, crossing

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voters off the electoral rolls. In the grounds of a small school, people mark and fold their ballot papers. It doesn’t seem all that different from polling days in Australia.

But here they’re voting for members to represent them in a constitutional assembly, which will have the difficult task of deciding the future of Nepali politics and the role, if any, of the royal family which has dominated this small land-locked country for 250 years.

This election has been a long time coming – the first in nine years. Since the introduction

Below left A shop-lined alley in Bhaktapur, an ancient town in the east corner of the Kathmandu Valley.

Below right In Hindudominated Nepal, cows wander at will through Pokhara's busy tourist district.

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nepal

“There was an amazing sense of solidarity. One good thing (about the coup) is that it drew people together to make the essential push for democracy."

of democratic politics in 1991, the country has seen numerous changes of government, infighting, corruption, a bloody 10-year campaign

by Maoist rebels, the massacre of the royal family by a disgruntled prince, two states of emergency and a royal coup.

With nearly 100 different ethnic groups, finding common ground is no easy task. But since the Maoists laid down their arms in 2006 and agreed to take part in the creation of a new constitution, positive change finally began to seem possible.

Now Nepalis are hoping that April 10, 2008, was the date that marks the beginning of a free and democratic Nepal and a resurgence of much-needed tourism.

Best known for Himalayan treks and mountaineering, this tiny country has so much to entrance visitors – not least its people.

Despite being one of the poorest populations in the world, Nepalis are endlessly hospitable.

From the busy capital of Kathmandu to the tiny villages of the Annapurna foothills, we’ve been welcomed by children eager to practise their English and adults keen to share their

knowledge of their region, its history and its politics.

We’d been warned that violence could erupt, but apart from reports of trouble in the south, everything has been peaceful.

In the medieval city of Bhaktapur, half an hour from Kathmandu, we were caught up in a socialist rally making its way through the narrow, cobbled streets. Far from being threatening, the atmosphere seemed festive as we joined the crowd in Taumadhi Square, surrounded by magnificent buildings with the Nyatapola Temple, a five-storey pagoda, at the centre.

Nepal’s incredibly well-preserved architecture – whole villages that make you feel you’ve stepped back at least 100 years – was one of the things that first drew Western visitors in the early 1960s.

In the hilltop village of Bandipur, the wide main street has been closed to traffic and its beautiful old brick and tile buildings are slowly being restored. The village has an other-worldly charm, intensified by its incredible view. As we sipped chai on the terrace of our guest house, the

Right The Trisuli Centre, on the Trisuli River, runs leadership programs for local youngsters, as well as rafting trips. Far right Stalls of natural dyes, flowers and souvenirs line the way to the sacred Pashupatinath complex in Kathmandu.

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Nepali women celebrate the election of an anti-monarchist election candidate.

Unity in action

clouds cleared from the horizon and we were treated to our first sight of the magnificent Himalayas. Words like breathtaking and aweinspiring simply don’t do those magnificent white peaks justice.

From Pokhara, 80km further east, the mountains look tantalisingly close, but we were told it would take a week to walk to their base.

We contented ourselves with a shorter trek through the Annapurna foothills which had us back in time for the election.

In an effort to avert trouble, the country went into lockdown on the eve of the election. United Nations observers were about the only people on the roads and the bars and restaurants were www.awu.net.au

deserted – a rare sight for this tourist town.

As one of the main centres for trekking, Pokhara is one of Nepal’s major tourist hubs.

The lakeside area is packed with hotels, cafés, restaurants, bars and shops selling pashminas and local crafts. It’s hard to believe that until the late 1960s this was an isolated village, accessible only by foot.

For travellers hoping to glimpse a mysterious land, untouched by time, the decades of political unrest have one small silver lining in having slowed tourist development. Now, along with all the other challenges facing this optimistic “New Nepal”, there is the need to find a balance between development and preservation. ◆

ACTU president Sharan Burrow has spent a lot of time in Nepal, working with the local unions and travelling for pleasure. Her visit in early 2005 is probably her most memorable. Then president of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, she was in Kathmandu for an ICFTU Asia-Pacific region conference when King Gyandendra seized political power with the support of the military.

Sharan and the delegates who had arrived prior to the conference spent four days locked in their hotel. With them were a number of Nepali women who had come from around the region to attend the country’s first ever women’s trade union conference.

“It was such an irony,” says Sharan. “We were there for a conference designed to look at support for a more unified approach.

“Communications were cut. We had to borrow a sat-nav phone from the ILO office to ring the BBC and make contact with the outside world.”

Once the initial shock subsided, the officials realised they were not at great risk and went ahead with the conference.

“We were there to support the Nepali, so the best thing we could do was continue with the work,” says Sharan.

“There was an amazing sense of solidarity. One good thing [about the coup] is that it drew people together to make the essential push for democracy.”

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father's day

tribute to

Austra ia's dads Step-dad & daughter

“The natureversus-nurture question is something I also think about a lot.

Even though my dad isn't related to me technically, he's the person in my family I mirror the most.”

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Nihat Ziyalan, 72, Stepdad to Dilvin Yasa, 30 I was in the room when Dad asked my grandparents for my mum’s hand in marriage and I practically squealed with excitement. I’ve always felt that if I could choose a dad, he’s the one I would go for. But I’m especially lucky because my dad feels the same.

As he tells it, “I loved Dilvin as my own the moment I laid eyes on her. When you love a single mother, her kids are part of the package and the love for them comes naturally. Children instinctively know when they’re loved and they respond accordingly so Dilvin and I never had any teething problems. She was only five at the time, but incredibly supportive about me marrying her mother.

“Even though we’re both Turkish, I had to remember that Dilvin was born into a different country, a different culture to mine and the same rules I would have used back in Turkey wouldn’t apply here in Australia. I changed the person I was for her sake – I didn’t want her growing up to have the same issues other kids born to immigrants can have.

“I tried to influence Dilvin without her realising what I was doing. I believe books can change your world so I worked hard at getting her to have the same love for books and words that I had – I would even give her $10 to read a book and then tell me all about it. Obviously it worked, because she’s now a writer and I’m the proudest father in the world.

Nihat with Dilvin on her wedding day.

“I look at Dilvin and although she’s her own person first and foremost, I can see a lot of me in her and that pleases me. We’re closer than most biological fathers and daughters I see around.”

And that, the nature-versus-nurture question, is something I also think about a lot. Even though my dad isn’t related to me technically, he’s the person in my family I mirror the most. We’re so alike, I sometimes think I’m like a 30-year-old Nihat trapped in a female body! www.awu.net.au

While she celebrated with her beloved stepdad on Father’s Day, Dilvin Yasa thought about the notion of fatherhood. After talking to lots of Aussie dads, she found that there are many out there who have happy and loving relationships with their kids – but don’t necessarily fit the classic married-with-2.5-children mould.

WRITTEN BY dilvin yasa Photos ACP DIGITAL

Big family dad

David Ulberg, 36, Dad to Vicaella, 11, Christian, 9, Gregory, 7, William, 6, Charlotte, 4, and Zane, 2 “I come from a big, loving family and I’ve always wanted that for myself. I know two or three kids is the norm in Australia, but back in Samoa, where I’m from, it’s not unusual to have five or six. My wife is currently pregnant with our seventh and what she swears is our last!

“Having so many kids is wonderful, but it can be challenging so we’ve got a military-style schedule in place. Each child gets half an hour with either parent to go over homework of an evening and we always make sure we spend time with every child equally.

“I used to work the 6am to 6pm shift and that was really difficult for both me and the family. By the time I got home, it would be dark and the kids would be going to bed so I felt like I never saw them. I’d get a few days off but I’d be so exhausted from working that I was never really myself. The money was so good that I probably did it longer than I should have, but things came to a head a couple of months ago and I realised I’d have to change my lifestyle. I changed to a 6am to 3.30pm shift and it’s great because now I can take the kids down the park and play with them and still have the energy to help my wife out with the groceries or the medical centre run.

“Getting the family/work balance is difficult for any working parent but when you’re doing shift work and you’ve got six kids at home www.awu.net.au

depending on you, it’s something else entirely.

That’s why I got involved with the AWU. They’ve helped me out when I’ve needed to get a bit more balance in my life and they also paid for the cost of an ambulance when my son Christian was taken to the hospital during an asthma attack.

"It’s a busy life but there’s nothing like having six kids come running to the door when you get home from work. There’s a saying in my homeland – you rule your family with a loving heart – and that’s what I try to do always.” ◆

“Getting the family/work balance is difficult for any working parent. That's why I got involved with the AWU.” David with his family – and another on the way!

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kids’ page

Illustration Myles

T

here’s an Aussie folksong called The Springtime It Brings On The Shearing – and guess who’s just been shorn! Bindi & Ringer’s mate Bill is what’s known as a “Gun Shearer” – the fastest in the shed. He took the shears to Ringer and now he’s bald! Colour in our picture – and don’t forget that Ringer’s wool is black.

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