‘Vale Greg ‘GAF’ Fitzgibbon’ Special Edition: The Fight for a Stevedoring Code of Practice
Towards a Stevedoring Code of Practice The Fight to Survive Comrades, its time to step up the fight for a strong Stevedoring Code of Practice. Only one day after our comrade Greg Fitzgibbon, a 56year old wharfie, was killed while working on board the Weaver Arrow in Newcastle, major stevedoring companies and Shipping Australia have made a last minute attempt to block the code and water down stevedoring safety standards. This is an insulting slap in the face to wharfies and the families of those who have lost their lives in this dangerous industry that needs as much safety protections as possible. MUA members have been shocked at the insensitivity of the timing. Safety standards on wharves need to be boosted, not bombed by what we see as greedy employers worried more about the bottom line than a worker’s life.
A note from MUA Newcastle Branch Secretary Glen Williams Comrades, the past few weeks have been a sad and trying time for many of our members, and more so for the family of Greg ‘GAF’ Fitzgibbon. Whilst we continue to grieve the loss of our Comrade, the National Office, the Newcastle Branch, the Committee and the members at Newcastle Stevedores continue to pursue vital changes to workplace safety that is necessary to ensure that no other family has to endure the grief that Greg’s family has had to endure.
The strength shown by GAF’s family during this time has been inspiring and has served to reinvigorate the MUA’s agitation for a Stevedoring Code of Practice. It is for GAF, and for all of our Comrades that have tragically been The MUA and our members have spent years fiercely taken from us while working on the waterfront fighting for better safety standards in stevedoring. Safe Work Australia, the national regulator, has agreed that we will fight for strong and rigorous safety that standards need to be improved through a National regulations for all Members working in this dangerous industry. Stevedoring Code of Practice. Following submissions from more than 1100 MUA members, the first draft of Greg’s tragic passing serves only to further the code looked positive and included key protections reinforce the fact that any death on the Australian such as retaining the hatchman, a vital role that waterfront is one too many. It is incumbent on us oversees workplace safety in stevedoring. all that workplace safety must be the priority But now, major stevedoring employers – DP World, every time we go to work. It is the number one Asciano/Patrick, and QUBE – have joined together priority of the MUA that all Members work under with the representatives of foreign shippers, Shipping safe conditions. Australia, to attack and reject a significant proportion The untimely loss of our Comrade GAF will not be of the content of the draft Code of Practice. in vain. The MUA Newcastle Branch will be doing everything we can to ensure the necessary Just days before a draft was to be agreed, employers have ripped up the draft code. This is nothing short of changes are made to ensure no other family has to suffer the consequences of their loved one outrageous given the tragic fatality that occurred in going to work and not returning home at the end Newcastle on 23 September that demonstrates the of their shift. need for better safety standards in stevedoring. We will not rest until safety on the waterfront is Greg is survived by his wife Linda and daughters secured for workers. The MUA is coordinating a Taylor and Georga and it is with them that Greg’s broad-ranging activist campaign involving legal, ultimate legacy will remain. Vale Comrade. political, workplace and communications strategies to Glen Williams, Newcastle Branch Secretary fight this employers’ war on safety.
A message to Members from the Newcastle Stevedores Committee Comrades, The Newcastle Stevedores Committee and Newcastle Branch Secretary Glen Williams met with Newcastle Stevedores on 16 October 2012 to continue discussions towards coming to agreement on a range of issues, reviews and training requirements following the death of our Comrade Greg ‘GAF’ Fitzgibbon. Below is a dot point summary of the main outcomes so far and a more detailed report will be provided to all members in the coming weeks. • Agreed that the committee, the Branch and National Office in cooperation with Newcastle Stevedores will review and where necessary rewrite all policies relating to safety on the job. • Agreed in principle to the gang system and a commitment to ongoing dialogue though both parties agree that this could prove difficult but not impossible. • Agree to train more HSRs over and above the committee. • Agreed all permanents and GEs will be trained to Cert 111 of the Stevedoring Training Package. Further discussion required about possible training for Supps based on industry trends and the timeline and program for the rolling out of the training. • Agreed that G6s and G5s required updated training on their role and responsibilities of being the PIC. This will be developed with full consultation with the WHS Committee. • Agreed to train all employees in the WHS Act and the role and responsibility of all employees under the Act. • Agreed that WHS Committee, Matt Goodwin and Clive Brett to discuss and develop a full fatigue management plan. • Double/Triple Vertical Tandem Lifts – The committee informed the company that we are placing the matter in dispute on a safety issue and as per section 47 of the WHS Act we are seeking full consultation on the matter and that there will only be single lifts done until we have resolved the matter. This matter will be dealt with by the WHS Committee on Friday and further reports will be provided to members. • EBA – we have initiated bargaining and requested that the company send the representational rights forms to all employees. We will look to have the first meeting possibly week of the 19th of November. Members are encouraged to provide claims or thoughts on the EBA to the delegates ASAP so that we can develop and finalise the log of claims which will need to be endorsed by the membership prior to negotiations commencing. • Agreed to have a paid four hour stopwork meeting at a time convenient to the union and with regard to the shipping schedule. We are looking at a date the week of the 22nd of October and members will be informed once this has been locked in. The meeting was a very positive one and we are looking forward to implementation of the above along with other initiatives with the full participation, consultation and input from the rank and file. For more information on the above please speak to you committeemen. Glen Williams & The Newcastle Stevedores Committee
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The Fight for a Stevedoring Code Of Practice || UPDATE || By Warren Smith, MUA Assistant National Secretary Comrades, The battle for a National Stevedoring Code Of Practice (NSCOP) is well and truly underway. A range of actions have been taken by the MUA to ensure that we will not be defeated in our fight for safety on the waterfront. While the future of the NSCOP relies upon the activism of EVERY Rank-and-File Member of our great organisation, the MUA is working to ensure that we establish a strategic and consistent campaign that highlights the real dangers that all of our members face on a day to day basis under the current safety regime that consists of a lack of sufficient regulation of the stevedoring industry. Currently, the MUA has taken the following action to agitate for our position that advocates for a fair and safe National Stevedoring Code Of Practice: ∗ The MUA and ACTU have written to Safe Work Australia (SWA) with the aim of having the Stevedoring TAG meeting convened as soon as possible to discuss outstanding issues and attempt to resolve the finalisation of the NSCOP. ACTU Secretary Dave Oliver has signed off on an ACTU letter to SWA along with MUA National Secretary Paddy Crumlin, fully fledging support for our position on this issue. This action has been successful already with the TAG being convened for November 16-17 ∗ The MUA has written to all of the employers on the industry group and have expressed our concern and opposition to each company's position and method of operation. ∗ The MUA has contacted all employers involved via phone and identified the flaws in their arguments and expressed our opposition to them and our intention to campaign against their actions. ∗ We have developed a response to the employers paper. The industry paper was shown to use dodgy and misleading sources to underpin the employers argument. When stripped bare the main arguments are COST. We ask what is the cost of a workers life. ∗ The MUA has actively sought the support of the Federal Workplace Relations Minister, Bill Shorten MP, to ensure that SWA adopt a more pro-active response in rejecting any misleading attempts by stevedoring companies to stomp out a NSCOP on false, unreasonable or misleading grounds. ∗ The MUA will focus a campaign of action upon Shipping Australia and its affiliates. Shipping Australia’s actions can only be viewed as cynical and reactionary as they do not even employ one worker on the waterfront. Shipping Australia is acting as the cheer squad for the stevedoring companies involved and with their usual disregard for human dignity and their persistent lack of decency they are supporting the stevedores in ensuring COST is the main issue when it comes to safety. This campaign is wide-ranging and will rely heavily upon the support of all Rank-and-File Members of the MUA. You can take immediate steps by going to the campaign page of our website: http://www.mua.org.au/campaign/10/. There you will find a range of resources to assist in your on the job activity around this vital campaign. Safety, and the well being of EVERY member of our Union must now be at the forefront of all of our operations. A guide to what every MUA Member can and should do at every workplace on the waterfront is included in this special edition of the Newcastle Branch News.
In Unity Warren Smith, Assistant National Secretary
Proud to be Union I have been given the opportunity to talk about my other family, that being the Maritime Union of Australia, the mighty MUA and my experience of the tragic loss of Greg ‘GAF’ Fitzgibbon. The week after the tragic events of 23 September, 2012 I had to go into the Newcastle Branch to go over what had happened and to be true to myself, to be with the people I love and who would understand what I was feeling and going through because I was there on that terrible night. What I saw was one of the most inspiring warm dedicated things I have seen for a long time. Lead by our infectious leader Branch Secretary Glen Williams and his fearless offsider Assistant Secretary Dennis Outram the Branch was humming with activity. Everyone doing their job and more, our union logo Organise, Unite and Fight is so true and while it was a very sad and terrible situation we had found ourselves in, all of those words in our logo were present that week in abundance. Our office Manager Cherie Simone, one of the most organised, caring, sensitive and funny women that I have the pleasure to call my friend, was fantastic. While Cherie has only been with our family for a short time you would never have known this, in fact you would think she was the cement between the bricks. Mal Lingard from the Veterans Association was tireless in his approach to the members there that week and
to the family of our dear fallen Comrade Greg “GAF” Fitzgibbon. As the week unfolded members would come and go we would hug and cry and support each other and all the time knowing that the MUA family was there for all of us to draw on. Greg’s family came into the Branch, his wife Linda and their 2 girls, Georga and Taylor spoke to all of us and supported all that were in there at the time of their visit. I have never seen or witnessed 3 stronger women than I did that day, but then again they are MUA so it shouldn’t be a surprise to me. That’s what we are; it’s in our blood, in our soul, our DNA - union and not just any union, the mighty union, the union of the MUA. Just as GAF did, I love this family, the other family we all have. Its strong and healthy and always looking out for the best for its kin. So to finish off I just would like to say let’s not lose sight of our struggle. I think we owe it to all our fallen comrades, whether they be at sea or land, to Organise, Unite and Fight for the struggle. To get our Code of Practice in the Stevedore industry up and running, protecting our family so we can go home after our shift and hold our daughters, sons, wives and husbands tight to fight another day. MUA HERE TO STAY By Mark Gloeckner
By Mark Gloeckner