SPRING 2016
Pattern EBA
Most of the industry’s EBAs are set down to be negotiated towards Christmas.
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he union will be seeking to meet collectively with its members before this time to finalise a log of claims. This will build on the current agreement. Participation in these negotiations from all members in order to achieve good outcomes is what the union seeks and expects.
Plasterers at Macquarie St
It’s important that we make solid ground through these negotiations to improve the lives of our members and their families.
Focus on Cranes It was great to have our tower crane organiser ‘Longie’ in Tasmania to talk to crane crews for a couple of days.
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here’s no reason why Tasmanian crane crews should be working in conditions any different to interstate crews, especially when it comes to safety. That means four man crane crews, more chains and less dangerous soft slings and lifts on cranes for tower climbs over 30 metres.
Simon Hughes on the Fairbrother UTas NRAS Apartments job said his was the first Hobart job in 30 years with 2 tower cranes. The last one was Grand Chancellor Hotel. ‘Crane crews around Hobart are older, they’ve been around for a while. Crews are coming back from the mainland to do the jobs. It’s good to see them here.’
AS WASHO SEES IT
You’re in safe hands Noel Washington Senior Vice President
M It is with pleasure that I welcome Kevin Harkins into the role of Organiser and OH&S Officer. I will be taking long service leave as Kev takes on the job.
any Members would know Kev from his time as Secretary of the CEPU or Secretary of Unions Tasmania. More recently, you would have seen Kev on site delivering Incolink benefits to Members.
for anyone coming onto the job. If companies come to site with an agreement from interstate with better rates and conditions, the better agreement will take precedent.
Make Kev feel welcome and don’t hesitate to grab him for a chat when you see him or give the office a call if you have issues to raise.
The Union will continue to maintain that locals have the first opportunity at jobs, before companies look interstate or anywhere else.
Hospital Project Agreement
People might have to do a bit.
Negotiations for a Hospital agreement have been going on for several months. They’ve put what appears to be final position, the Union has responded.
We’ve never had any gains just handed to us by bosses. Our pay and conditions have been hard fought and won and further improvements will again require Members to step up and play their part.
The Agreement sets out pay and conditions
s n i k r a H Kev K
Baptism by fire (well, actually a flood).
ev Harkins had only been in his new role a week when a wall of the Hobart Rivulet running underneath the old Myer Hutchinson site was breached and the site flooded.
To all our members and construction workers in Tasmania, it needs to be made very clear that the union will always stand up for safety on sites when we are made aware of these practices happening.
The collapse is unfortunate. The silver lining is that it happened at 3am and no serious injuries or fatalities occurred as a result. If it had taken place during work hours who knows what we would be dealing with.
WELCOME KEV!
The Union was quickly on site to ensure asbestos testing and removal was done to regulation and workers were not put in danger by the builder in their rush to fix the mess. Workers were being sent into confined spaces without the required tickets and training. CFMEU officials were disappointed that Worksafe Tasmania allowed this to happen. When the union asked to meet for an explanation from the regulator they were nowhere to be seen. II Hutchinson’s Myer site disaster
ONSITE tments NRAS Aparr Fairbrothe
DRY JULY
y r D s ’ o Jack July GREAT EFFORT: HUTCHINSON GOES DOLLAR-FOR-DOLLAR
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arpenter with Steven Little Shaun ‘Jacko’ Jackson took on the Dry July challenge and raised a sobering $2,500 for Cancer Council Tasmania.
Jacko took it on as a personal challenge, he normally has a beer every night, but it’s also a good way to raise money for an important cause. The Cancer Council Tasmania is a particularly important organisation to Jacko who has two aunts affected by breast cancer. He knows almost everyone has been affected in some way though, so it’s not just important to him. How did he go? ‘I stuck myself in the deep end when my boss put on free drinks on the 1st of July!’ ‘Then there was a couple of 30th birthdays I went to without having a drink.’ What did Jacko think getting a sober look at his mates on a night out? ‘Definitely don’t want be one of those guys, but I am again now.’ The fundraiser was much more successful than he expected. ‘I only expected $500 and came away with $2500.’ Jacko sends a huge shout out to Hutchinson who went dollar for dollar, all the boys at Macquarie St Hotel who chipped in generously and Second Skin Tattoos who chucked in a generous $100. Jacko is turning 30 in October, so he won’t do Ocsober, but he encourages others to ‘challenge yourself, it’s a benefit to you as well as someone else.’
You can still make a donation to Cancer Council Tasmania or sign up for next year online:
dryjuly.com/users/shaun-jackson
oh&s alert
Precast Panels
l l i K
Incidents across the industry, including the tragic death of two workers this year in Western Australia, are an important reminder of the risks involved in working with precast concrete panels.
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recast panels and elements are sometimes delivered to site in a faulty condition. There is a new Australian Standard for precast concrete panels and elements (AS3850) that requires element (ie. Panel) assessment prior to lifting on site.
There are also minimum requirements for safe transport and unloading of all precast elements that come from the safety and road regulators. Concrete elements/panels MUST not be loaded onto trucks until they are cured for at least 72 hours. “A” frames must be certified. All panels must be individually secured/restrained. All chains are to be annually checked and certified for their strength and safety. If any of the above points cannot be proven and/or complied with – the precast element/panel shall not be unloaded. The trailer that the precast is on shall be safely
ONCE UNLUCKY, 6 TIMES John Holland have made it clear that they will only do what state government tells then to do in terms of eradicating asbestos before workers go in. The CFMEU position is that asbestos must be removed. The Liberal State government doesn’t appear to share this point of view. We’ve had six exposure incidents at the hospital involving either workers, hospital
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CFMEU WORKER
staff or patients as a result of the State Government and John Holland stance. We will continue to insist that work areas are audited for asbestos before work commences and if asbestos is identified it must be removed entirely before work can take place.
SPRING 2015
oh&s alert unhitched from the transport vehicle, and safely secured on site until such time as it is able to be unloaded safely. Prior to lifting, all elements/panels need to be checked for any defects which may affect their structural integrity, especially: a Misalignment of lifting inserts. b Loss or incorrect orientation of lifting inserts. c Poor compaction of concrete around inserts. d Inadequate concrete strength e Cracks in the element passing through or close to lifting inserts. Erection crews are often put under pressure from builders to lift questionable panels/ elements. If you (panel crews) are in any doubt and are not satisfied that the panel is safe to lift – Don’t! Ask for a full engineering assessment and notify your CFMEU Rep immediately!
S IS BAD MANAGEMENT
SPRING 2015
CFMEU WORKER
05
NYRSTAR MEMBER PROFILE
Meet David Holmes, Health and Safety Rep David Holmes has been a union member for 38 years, initially with the Iron Workers Union and now with the CFMEU.
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hat’s even longer than our long-serving organiser and friend of David’s, Marshall Reeves!
The Zinc Works turns 100 next year. New EBA coming up: Marshall and senior delegate Michael Vandercamp will take a leading role in that. As a Solution Control Officer, David looks after cells and electrolysis. He started in manual work at the Zinc Works, going from manganesing all the way up to be relief shift boss. Not always happy about the direction the place was heading, David gave that up 25 years ago to go back to the floor. All that experience means David has often had opportunities to move up, but he says he’s always been thick with the union and chose to stay on the floor.
‘I’ve always believed in unions. For your own security you’re better off in the union.’
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CFMEU WORKER
As a delegate on site, David has been involved in everything from job design to EBA negotiations. The last few years saw him stepping back a bit, but he is now a Health and Safety Representative so he’s still looking after members. ‘HSR is a different thing to what it was a few years ago, it gives you a bit more sway. You can get more done in the role. The Union has always been pretty strong.’ David is worried about where safety has been heading, with too many electric shocks suffered by workers in recent times. ‘We’re supposed to provide a safe working place and at the moment in electrolysis it’s not, they need to find the money to fix it.’ He’s taking pictures to record safety concerns - the proof is in the pudding he says. A mad St Kilda supporter, David loves his football. With nine grandkids to keep him busy he enjoys spending a lot of time with them too.
What people might not know about David? He keeps birds - mostly parrots and budgies - with a big aviary at home. His Dad used to raise pigeons, so that’s how he got into it. Now the oldest person in the cell room, there’s a younger workforce at Nyrstar and David reckons it’s time for someone else to have a go and learn the ropes. ‘The company preaches safety, they’ve got to stand by it. This place is a gold mine, but they’re not spending what they should to make the place safe.’
SPRING 2015
ONSITE
ONSITE
t Hotel MacquarieoSn job – Hutchins
Fishing for fun The Tasmanian trout fishing seasoned opened on what turned out a beautiful sunny winter’s day.
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arly reports indicate recent heavy rains have filled most lakes and many rivers are still at high flow.
Fishers were out in force all around the state with many good fish taken. This early in the season soft plastics were the weapon of choice but large wet flies and a quick retrieve picked a few up here and there. I spent opening day at Lake Leake with a great group of blokes and we landed four nice fish between us. Sadly I didn’t manage to open my own account but like all of us know it’s just a matter of time. Tight Lines! Kev
SPRING 2015
CFMEU WORKER
07
HOW WOULD YOU RESPOND TO A 65% WAGE CUT? N
o good worker or union member in Australia will stand by while long-time and loyal CUB workers in Melbourne suffer this unprovoked attack on their jobs and rights –
Cascade Members will stand with them all the way. While C.U.B. attack their workers in Melbourne, the truth is they are owned by a multi-national beer conglomerate
that made a $4 billion profit in 2015-16 and whose CEO, Alan Clark, is likely to take a $96 million payout this year.
Read the full story on page 18 of the full CFMEU Worker Spring 2016 issue.
Cascade Members show their support for C.U.B. 55, sacked without notice and offered individual contracts that would result in a 65% pay cut.
C.U.B. ING CRUSHERS K R O W RIGHTS
NEW HI VIS. Be seen, be safe, be CFMEU Jumper: $50 Shirt: $35 Available at the CFMEU Office or through your organiser Richie.
CFMEU Tasmania
33A New Town Road New Town TAS 7008 Ph 03 6228 9595 Email tasoffice@cfmeu.org
cfmeu.org.au/tas CFMEU TAS 51534