Chris Chrisopoulidis . Andrew De Bono . Jason Deans
Paddy Farrelly . Paolo Giumarra . Mark Green (TAS)
Jimmy Harris . Richie Hassett (TAS) . Costa Josephides
Corey Laux . Steve Long . Gerry McCrudden
Drew Macdonald . Mark McMillan . Gerry McQuaid
Jaxon Mahy . Martin Murphy Joe Myles
Mick Myles . Adam Olsen . Kane Pearson
John Perkovic . Brendan Pitt . Mark Tait (Fozzie)
Toby Thornton . Mark Travers . Paul Tzimas
Nick Vamvas . Lisa Zanatta
Indigenous Organiser Joel Shackleton
Political Organiser Elizabeth Doidge
SPECIALIST STAFF
Wage Claims Officer Frank Akbari
Training Unit Coordinator Steve Deer
Teachers and Trainers Claudia Barbaritano . Wilson Chan
Paul Chapman . Mark Devereaux . Andy Duff
Helen Egginton . Barry Kearney . Brad McLuckie
Rose Nechwatal . Liam O’Hearn Karen Odermatt
Dario Pappalardo . Kevin Phelan . Max Ratcliffe
Greg Sansom . Owen Waiomio . Helen Whooley
Magazine Editor Beck Paspalis
Graphic Designer Renee Madden
Photography Jason Cahill
Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety
Unit Manager Gerry Ayers
Safety Advisors Garry Donnon
Industrial/Legal David Vroland . Elyane Palmer
Emma Barnes-Whelan . Nick Grealy . India Baxter
Scarlett McMurtry
Apprentice Liaison Liam O’Hearn
OFFICES
Melbourne
540 Elizabeth Street, Melbourne 3000
T: (03) 9341 3444 / F: (03) 9341 3427
Morwell
Wing 5, Lignite Court, Morwell 3840
T: (03) 5134 3311 / F: (03) 5133 7058
Geelong
6 Gheringhap Street, Geelong 3220
T: (03) 5229 8921 / F: (03) 5223 1845
Ballarat
24 Camp Street, Ballarat Central 3350
Organiser: Paddy Farrelly
M: 0407 286 364
Bendigo
Bendigo TLC, 40 View Street, Bendigo 3550
T: (03) 5443 5173 / F: (03) 5442 5961
Wodonga
7 Thomas Mitchell Drive, Wodonga 3689
T: (02) 6024 1099 / F: (02) 6056 5565
Portland Organiser: Brendan Pitt
M: 0437 989 497
E: bpitt@cfmeu.org
Hobart
196 Campbell Street, Hobart 7000
T: (03) 6228 9595 / E: tasoffice@cfmeu.org
vic.cfmeu.org
Authorised by John Setka, Secretary CFMEU Victoria.
JOHN SETKA
Well brothers and sisters, I hope you and your families have not been hit too hard with one of the worst cold and flu seasons in our history – with Covid thrown in just to make things worse. But now, with Spring upon us let’s hope the worst is behind us and hopefully lots of sun and longer days will be just what we need to get over a long cold Victorian Winter.
We also have a new Labor Government and they have not wasted any time in regards to restoring workers’ rights. While I’ve been one of the ALP’s biggest critics, I am surprisingly confident – after seeing Tony Burke (the new Industrial Relations Minister) in action in Parliament in regards to the conduct of the ABCC, I’m impressed. He has also gotten rid of the building code which restricted building workers’ basic rights, even to the point of dictating what stickers you could have on your helmet. This is not North Korea but right here in Australia!
In regards to Scott Morrison and his team, good riddance to the shower of shit that they were. Like my mum used to say “the more you touch shit the more it smells”. They saw construction workers as the enemy and introduced a lot of undemocratic and un-Australian laws to try and shaft building workers and their hard-won conditions and pay. Under Morrison’s Government, it was illegal to withdraw your labour when there
were serious safety breaches, and we were treated like second-class citizens who had no rights. Most of our families came to this country to escape oppression, violence and victimisation and looked to the lucky country for decent democratic rights and a decent life for themselves and their families, but the former Morrison Coalition Government did its best to destroy that dream and should not be allowed to ever forget that.
We now have Opposition Liberal Leader Peter Dutton calling the CFMEU thugs and maggots! The only maggot is him and his Party… but enough of that shower of shit; they have been voted out and workers across this great country are going to be better off in the future.
I was worried that we would have another Rudd/Gillard Government who, after winning a landslide election in 2007, refused to get rid of the Howard-era ABCC. Even though they won their election on the trade union movement’s ‘Your Rights at Work’ campaign and had a majority, the only legacy we have is the Fair Work Commission, more commonly known as the Unfair Work Commission.
Without going the early crow, I’m hoping that this Government is going to be different, and from what I’ve seen so far I’m quietly confident. Our next EBA negotiations are now not going to be restricted to shit clauses, and we will have the power to go after the non-Union sites that exploit workers, have no safety, and
are a direct threat to our wages and conditions. These sites are at the forefront of a race to the bottom and will affect your future wages and conditions if they’re not tackled. We’re not going to let that happen.
We are going to mail out a members’ survey in the coming months and it’s important for you to take the time to fill it in to have your say on what you want and what you don’t want in the next EBA. The survey will be entirely confidential and we won’t know who sends it back, but it’s your future and it’s your EBA; you pay our wages so we need to know what you – the members – want us to get.
Make sure you have your say to give us a clear mandate for what you want. Don’t rely on your mates filling it in, as they’re probably relying on you so please, brothers and sisters, take a few minutes and make a contribution towards what happens with your future.
A lot has been said about the Victorian Branch taking over the SA Branch and about the Victorians bringing their thuggish behaviour across the border, chanting “Union Power!” at a Branch meeting over there. We are assisting the SA Branch at their request, and a meeting of members unanimously voted me in as their Secretary. Hopefully we are only there for a short time to help the Branch and its members to get decent wages and conditions, job security and most importantly safety. I am honoured and humbled by their show of
LASTLY, LET’S HOPE THERE’S SOME ACTION ON THE DISGUSTING BEHAVIOUR OF SOME OF OUR FEDERAL COURT JUDGES,
confidence in me – as the biggest and strongest Branch of the Union, we at the Victorian Branch have an obligation to help our brothers and sisters because we’re a national Union and that’s what unions are supposed to do.
Also, a big shout out goes to our brothers and sisters in the mighty MUA who have supported us at every turn, and the SA MUA team that came to the SA Branch’s monthly meeting to show unity. Together, we are going to achieve great outcomes for all the members across Australia.
Lastly, let’s hope there’s some action on the disgusting behaviour of some of our Federal Court judges, whose commentary on the CFMEU is absolutely un-Australian. While most of the judges try to be balanced, there are way too many judges who make their decisions based on ideology – like Salvatore Vasta (whose family are all Liberal Party hacks who hate unions), John Snaden (good mates with former Liberal Party Minister Christian Porter) and Debra Mortimer (whose claim to fame was making personal payment orders against Union Officials and Delegates for doing their jobs, but
didn’t make the same orders against company directors). Even amongst the legal fraternity it is a wellknown fact that with some of these judges, the Federal Court is just a shooting gallery for them to get the CFMEU. We will expose them all, and if you think that because they swear an oath to equally and without prejudice apply the law, think again! Remember ‘Lawyer X’ Nicola Gobbo – what happened to her breaking the oath she took? Nothing! What a hypocritical system!
Remember we will have a State Election in November, and the Liberals are saying that if they’re voted in, they’re going to bring in a State taskforce against building workers. Plus they’re planning to stop a lot of the infrastructure jobs that are happening. In regards to Dan Andrews, I have never spoken to or met him, but l am glad of all the infrastructure work taking place. With the decline in the apartment market due to Covid, if it wasn’t for all the Government work proceeding, a lot of our members would be out of work. In my lifetime, being a Melbourneborn citizen, I have never ever seen so much work going on! And there
are so many other jobs that are about to start which will create thousands more jobs for construction workers in Victoria.
This Government might have made a few mistakes along the way, but during a world-wide pandemic they kept us working and created many thousands of jobs for construction workers which will last for the next 15 years. While I will never ever tell you who you should vote for, I know who I’m going to vote for!
SO WITH THAT, TAKE CARE AND STAY SAFE. THE AFL FINALS ARE BACK IN VICTORIA AND A BIT OF NORMALITY IS COMING BACK INTO OUR LIVES. I HOPE YOUR TEAM MAKES IT, AND I HOPE YOU, BROTHERS AND SISTERS, AND YOUR FAMILIES HAVE A GREAT SPRING SEASON.
JOHN SETKA
ELIAS SPERNOVASILIS
Thank you to all CFMEU members for your ongoing support. My thanks and appreciation extend especially to all those members, and their families and friends, who worked hard - often behind the scenes and as volunteers - to help us to get rid of the Morrison Government. Great work, job done!
As members will no doubt have seen in the media, the newly elected Labor Government has wasted no time repairing our international reputation and implementing its domestic agenda. Importantly, and as covered by the Secretary, the Government has also taken the first step on the road to scrapping the politicised and discredited Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).
This is good news for our industry and good news for our Union, but most of all, good news for our members. We can now get on with our core business of representing the workers who are building this State. And that is very important because there is plenty of work to do.
In civil construction, there is more work than ever before. There are multi-billion-dollar projects underway in tunnelling (Metro and West Gate) and road construction, like the North East link and regional, suburban and airport rail projects. Our civil members and Organisers are doing a fantastic job on all these projects and dozens more across the State. Keep up the great work!
The number of our members from the civil construction sector is growing all the time. And, in this part of our industry and right across the sector, young members are stepping up to get involved in representing their workmates.
Our Young Activists group – which I would encourage all young members to get involved with – has grown to over 160 members, with new faces coming along to every meeting. This is fantastic to see. Our younger members are our future. Bringing younger members of the Union together is an opportunity for the young to learn, and for experienced members to share their knowledge. It is a place to build connections, grow networks and support and encourage one another.
That is what the Union is all about after all - working together to make sure we are all safe on the job and our pay and conditions reflect our skills and knowledge.
Unionism is also about addressing injustice and disadvantage, and one way we can do that is by creating more opportunity, for more people, across the cultural and gender spectrum.
In this context I want to give a big shout out to all the young members we have from First Nations backgrounds. We strongly support measures to create more opportunity for First Nations people. We will continue to work with Indigenousowned and focused companies to develop more apprenticeship opportunities.
CFMEU Indigenous Organiser Joel Shackleton and his colleagues are doing an outstanding job, and there are more Frist Nations people working on construction sites than ever before. Young First Nations men, women, and elders are on site performing a range of roles.
These are opportunities that did not previously exist. Joel and the team, and all those involved in driving
these initiatives should be very proud of creating opportunities which will have intergenerational, life changing impacts. And this is just the beginning.
I do want to also take the opportunity to remind members to take care of themselves and each other – on and off site. As our members sadly know all too well, more construction workers’ lives are lost to suicide than anything else. We all need this to change, and we all have a role to play in that.
As individuals, we all have stressors, and we all feel the pressure from time to time – financial stress, relationship issues, grief, depression, anxiety, drinking too much – whatever. We all have our challenges and sometimes we can be overwhelmed, no matter how tough we like to think we are. As an industry, we need to be better at reaching out and using the help that is out there when we need it.
Through Incolink, members have access to free and confidential support. They have experts to assist, so if you are struggling, or gambling too much or having financial stress or whatever it is that’s keeping you awake at night, reach out and talk to an expert counsellor. It is what they are there for.
IF YOU
ARE FEELING THE
NEED FOR MENTAL HEALTH OR RELATED SUPPORT, PLEASE CALL INCOLINK’S 24/7 COUNSELLING LINE ANY TIME ON 1300 000 129.
DEREK CHRISTOPHER
Our Union is strong. We are the CFMEU, and we have a healthy membership base that is in fact growing daily, largely thanks to our ‘Union of Opportunity’ campaign that is currently on radio, and across social media. This campaign not only highlights women in construction, but also our culturally diverse member base, comprising many different backgrounds from the four corners of the globe, including at home, here in our own backyard, with our Indigenous brothers and sisters. By now most of you would have met Joel Shackleton, the Koorie Organiser for our great Union. Joel is not only the voice but also the ears and eyes of our indigenous members, making sure they are safe, represented and protected. It is vital for our brothers and sisters to be culturally connected so they can flourish within the construction industry.
Koorie Construction is focused on working with indigenous-owned companies to empower the next generation of indigenous kids with real opportunities for a career path in construction, through trade training and apprenticeship programs.
We are working hard behind the scenes to combat racism, so please be vigilant on site as it only takes a few to undo all the hard work when there is racism in the ranks. Remember, there is no place for racism in the workplace. There are many Australians continuing to endure it from organisations and individuals in their daily working lives which is not acceptable in today’s society.
Racial discrimination is when a person is treated less favourably, or not given the same opportunities as others in a similar situation, because of their race, the country where they were born, their ethnic origin or their skin colour. Remember, one slight
remark, no matter how trivial you may think it is, or because it’s said as a joke, is insulting and hurtful to the recipient and may just shatter that person’s confidence. Please keep that in mind because racism is not funny.
Racist behaviours and attitudes are not welcome on our sites.
OUR
GREAT UNION
IS BUILT ON
CAMARADERIE. TOGETHER WE ARE STRONGER, SO NO MATTER WHAT SKIN COLOUR, ETHNICITY, OR RELIGION, REMEMBER, WE ARE ONE. WE ARE CFMEU MEMBERS.
A LWAYS ALWAYSWAS
KOORI construction
ROB GRAAUWMANS
Welcome to this Spring 2022 edition of your Union magazine. First up, I want to thank all CFMEU members for the reliability and strength you have shown over the past couple of years as we all dealt with the challenges of the pandemic. As we all know, Covid is still around, and the pandemic is not yet over. However, and happily, because vaccination rates in the community are high, and because we continue to take sensible practical measures on site to stop the spread, the day-to-day level of disruption has eased significantly.
I know it has been said before, but it is worth reminding ourselves that one of the key reasons the Australian economy was able to weather the storm of the pandemic was because the construction industry found ways to keep going. Yes, there were disruptions and there were sacrifices made. But we designed the safe work protocols and created solutions. We worked collaboratively with employers, and enabled the life blood of the Australian economy – the construction industry – to find the way forward. You, the men, and women of our great Union, can and should take a great deal of the credit for that.
The Australian community has done a great job facing down the challenges of the pandemic. They have done an even better job facing down and then throwing out the tired and stale Morrison-led government. Former Australian Prime Minister Paul Keating famously said that “when you change the government, you change the country”. Never has that statement had so much resonance as it does in 2022.
Throwing out the coalition and reforming the Parliament into something that better reflects the Australian population is a very positive step forward for our country. Justice and fairness will be back in fashion in Canberra and, after it was so coldly rejected by the former
government, the Indigenous Voice to Parliament is back on the agenda.
The pandemic may be winding down, but the construction sector is in full swing. The pipeline of works in Victoria and Tasmania, and right across the country, is bulging. From Hobart across to Perth, and from Adelaide up to Darwin, major public infrastructure projects and large private sector projects are underway or soon to start. From new state-of-the-art health infrastructure to once in a generation city-shaping road, tunnel, rail and port developments, the country is alive with construction activity. Demand for the skills of our members – in all States and Territories - has never been higher.
In this highly competitive and dynamic national environment, it is vitally important that we, as a national organisation of workers, ensure that all our members have effective representation, and access to fair pay, appropriate safety, and contemporary EBA conditions which reflect the modern Australian workforce.
It is in this context that changes have recently occurred relating to the governance and administrative arrangements of the CFMEU’s South Australian Branch.
Members may have seen media reports that the Victorian and Tasmanian Branch has “taken over” the South Australian Branch. This is not the case, and I want to explain directly to members what is going on with the SA Branch.
The South Australian Branch is a vitally important Branch of our great Union. It has a long and proud record of representing thousands of South Australian members, delivering great pay and conditions, and protecting workers’ safety on site for decades. Recently, the Branch has faced some challenges. In the course of vigorously representing members, the Branch incurred some financial penalties and experienced some operational challenges.
Rather than “taking over” the Branch, the Secretary of the Victorian and Tasmanian Branch, John Setka, and myself will be directly assisting the SA Branch. John will act as the Branch Secretary, and I will serve in the role as President of the SA Branch.
The media, especially the Murdoch press, want to paint the move as some sort of hostile takeover. That is not true. This is a mutually agreed, necessary and interim administrative arrangement. The intent is to assist the Branch to navigate some of the difficulties it is currently experiencing, and to provide assistance and guidance to the leaders of the Branch. This will be done with a view to John and I stepping back from these interim leadership roles when the time is right.
Also unfounded are the fears expressed by some in SA, including Premier Mr Malinauskas, that the move could lead to an outbreak of “militancy and thuggish behaviour” on SA construction sites. That is just flat wrong.
We will be focused on driving up opportunities for South Australian members. We want to take the opportunity of the high demand for workers to embed some real progress around things like increasing the number of women in the industry, job sharing arrangements and developing more inclusive workplace facilities and cultures. We will make sure there are more opportunities for South Australia’s First Nations people to gain apprenticeship and work opportunities.
JOHN AND I ARE HEADING TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA SEEKING TO HELP CREATE OPPORTUNITY, NOT CONFLICT. WE WANT TO WORK POSITIVELY WITH GOVERNMENTS AND PROJECT DEVELOPERS TO MAKE SURE THAT MAJOR SA PROJECTS - LIKE THE MASSIVE NEW ROYAL ADELAIDE PROJECT, WHICH WILL EMPLOY UP TO 1500 OF OUR MEMBERS - ARE DONE SAFELY, BUT ALSO THAT THE WORKFORCE ON THOSE PROJECTS REFLECTS THE DIVERSITY OF THE SA COMMUNITY.
MICK MYLES
With the slowdown in the private sector and apartments in particular, government work has been vital to continuing employment for our members. The State Government has stepped up as far as creating work, with schools, hospitals, social housing, and infrastructure being built throughout the State. While this is welcome, social housing in particular has been given to shit bag builders like Ironside through developers like MAB – who are just trying to get an earn with taxpayers’ money. To make the most for themselves, they employ builders who rob subbies, refuse to work safely, and don’t employ anyone full time let alone pay compliances.
The fact that government money is going to these grubs needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later. The Andrews Government has announced a Fair Jobs Code as a means to deal with this. The
code says that companies doing government work must have a certificate showing they are compliant with safety and industrial law, with the last three years of operation being taken into account. Jobs over $10 million will be required to have a plan that shows a provable relationship with employee representatives and decent safety plans.
While this is a welcome start, it unfortunately doesn’t deal with the majority of the construction sector. Only subcontracts of a certain value and those subbies with direct contracts with the builder will be covered. This will leave most of the workforce not being dealt with by the code. It will however allow input from dispute panel findings and WorkSafe notices. This will hopefully begin to remove a few of the grubs from our industry.
More builders like Ironside and Valeo would fail to be certified by the Fair Jobs Code and the chances
of getting a notice written for unsafe work practices is as rare as hens’ teeth, with very few inspectors. The legal support for inspectors to write notices is nonexistent and the lawyers at WorkSafe are more worried about avoiding payouts then prosecuting shit employers. That’s why your Union and the rest of the construction unions have asked for a totally new inspectorate. One with the ability to enforce legislation, the legal backing to do so, and at least some knowledge of our industry.
Currently, WorkCover is losing money hand over fist, and instead of enforcing safety standards and reducing claims, the answer from the regulator is to spend money rejecting injury claims and avoiding payouts. WorkSafe certainly accepts some shit conditions for construction workers.
BOTH THESE AREAS OF PROCUREMENT AND SAFETY ARE VITAL FOR OUR MEMBERS AND THE UNION. WE NEED TO CONTINUALLY PRESSURE THE ALP INTO DELIVERING FOR WORKERS. EVERY JOB THAT IS GIVEN TO THE GRUBS FROM IRONSIDE IS ONE WHERE WORKERS EARN LESS, ARE PUT FURTHER AT RISK, AND HAVE NO SAFETY NET TO FALL BACK ON. WORKSAFE CAN’T KEEP GOING THE WAY IT IS - THINGS NEED TO CHANGE AND CHANGE NOW.
RICHIE HASSETT
Wowee, the construction industry and CFMEU members should be feeling a lot more optimistic about our futures with the recent changes of late!
But historically, governments come and go – both Liberal and Labor. The Liberals have always been open about their hatred toward us, and Labor pretends to be our friend when it best suits them. But no matter what, one thing has always remained the same. Your Union is still here, standing strong for workers regardless of all the attacks, bullshit arguments, lies and dodgy laws thrown at us!
The new government defunding the ABCC rendering it completely ineffective, is a small win for you all, but don’t be fooled. Rest assured your Union will not rest until this disgusting overreaching arm of the law is legislated to the confines of history and the untenable Building Code thrown in the bin. THEN we all can celebrate!
Locally construction wise it would seem there is plenty of work to go around and enough future projects to have everyone confident of their prospects moving forward. The Union has also been in discussions with several interstate builders showing a keen interest in setting up shop and tendering work which I say is a good thing. The benefits to the membership far outweigh the negatives with the possibility of Tier 1 builders in Tasmania.
There have been several companies continuing to filter through and sign up to the pattern EBA. The Union is proud to announce as a result of a long running strategic campaign in the North and Northwest, we now have a pattern EBA signed off and in operation. At the time of writing this, there are two more major builders that we are working with to spread this document to all construction workers in the area.
New Organiser - Mark Green started with us on the 20th of June. Mark’s background in representing workers is extensive, having worked with another union previously. He also spent many a shift out representing the crews at the Nyrstar Smelter for a decade. Over the coming weeks and months, you will all get the chance to put a face to the name. Mark’s skills are going to be nothing but a bonus to CFMEU members in Tasmania.
Mole Creek Mine – A quick shout out to the lads that were involved with the EBA campaign. The boss decided to put a pretty shit agreement on the table initially with everyone voting NO to. Basically, it was around 6% over three years with the boss deciding on what increases would be in the last year themselves. “Shove that up ya arse” the crews said, and after some back and forth, the company finally stopped resisting and we extracted 15%. A huge win for the crews at the mine! A special mention to Ricky Gale who worked wonderfully alongside CFMEU Construction.
In finishing, I would like to take the time to thank Kevin Harkins for his contribution to this Branch of the CFMEU. Kevin has decided a slower pace is needed as his priorities change – which is something we all have to confront at some stage. Personally, Kev has guided, mentored, been a friend and shoulder to cry on when things haven’t worked out the way I envisaged, but also a partner in crime when it came to celebrating workers’ wins. There is not one single Union Official in the State of Tasmania that has done more for their members over a 30 plus year career than Kevin Harkins. Yes, he has made some enemies along the way, as we all do, but that’s one trait I think we should all admire. He has never cared if someone got upset along the way as long as he was getting the best possible result for those he was representing at the time. A true unionist in every sence of the word.
ENJOY THE GREENER PASTURES AND SLOWER PACE, YOU’VE EARNT IT KEV, AND I’M SURE YOU WON’T BE A STRANGER TO BUILDING SITES AROUND TASMANIA AS UNION BLOOD WILL ALWAYS FLOW THROUGH YOUR VEINS.
THANKS KEV!
DR. GERRY AYERS OHS MANAGER
CLARKY GREAT JOB
After almost 15 years, the CFMEU’s OHS Asbestos expert Peter Clark has decided to “pull-up-stumps” and retire!
Clarky first came on board way back in 2008, after a very distinguished career as a Shop Steward and OHS Rep. His first role with the Union was to put together a workers compensation book, describing in both words and pictures what construction workers actually do, so when doctors needed to describe/ advise alternate duties for injured workers, those doctors knew exactly the tasks, roles and physical and mental capabilities that we all work under. It proved to be a master stroke for injured workers – finally they could describe to the medical fraternity what they did, and what they were capable of doing, or not doing - until they could fully recover.
After this monumental task, Pete joined our OHS Unit and took up the role of asbestos advisor with great gusto. Not only did he advise, but through all his work, research and readings, he became our asbestos expert. In fact, Clarky is one of only a handful of people I know, who when he walks onto site, warmly welcomed, but his knowledge, detail and experience of asbestos means that workers,
employers and WorkSafe actively seek his opinion and follow his instructions to the letter – because they know he’s right (they’re only human after all...)!
But most importantly, Clarky looked after the asbestos workers not only in terms of their health and safety, but also in terms of their rights as workers - making sure they all understood what they were entitled to. If they weren’t getting what was legally and rightfully theirs, Clarky was always there to speak up for them and represent them; ensuring they finally got what they were entitled to get.
We’ll miss your laconic and humorous manner, that laid back smile and easygoing relaxed nature (until you got riled up...watch-out then people!!!). Enjoy your retirement Clarky, and look after yourself and Le – you made the asbestos industry a much safer place for one and all.
Cheers my friend!
Left: Peter and Mark Devereuax raising awareness about the dangers of asbestos overseas.
Right: Peter featured in the article, ‘Heroes or Villians? Inside the CFMEU,’ back in October 2014.
ANDREW DE BONO
Andrew started out in the construction industry in 1998, and joined the Union in 1999, working on site as a carpenter through until the late 2000s. He then moved across to precast, where he continued as a chippy and concreter for 10 years before becoming a Delegate. For the last two years, Andrew has been an Organiser and is really enjoying the challenges of his job.
Overseeing 15 yards and factories, Andrew says, “the awareness around precast has come a long way of late. There’s a lot more focus and attention on it now, whereas in years gone by, precast was out of sight out of mind due to factory locations out in the suburbs, so the boys have a voice now which is great. Some employers in the past have taken advantage of that fact as well. Because the spotlight wasn’t on precast, employers would cut corners and not be as vigilant with health and safety issues as they should have been. Thank goodness that’s a thing of the past now, with eyes and ears on every site – thanks to the Delegates – employers have lifted their game when it comes to health and safety”.
And how has this affected the boys on the ground? “It’s made for a better workplace, and having a fixed workforce in the yards and factories, we have been able to build some good moral which all stems from the health and safety measures we have in place”,
NICK VAMVAS
The precast industry has come a long way since Nick Vamvas started in it 28 years ago.
“Back then, the industry was overseen by the AWU but we saw a dramatic change (for the better) when John Cummins took on the AWU in the 90s, coming out as victors and signing up precast workers to become CFMEU members.” Nick said, “The CFMEU trained us, educated and supported us. I was even on the committee that formed the Blue Book, which is now the industry standard, referred to as ‘the bible’ for the precast industry”.
Nick is proud of his career. After 28 years in precast, he became a Delegate for two and a half years before starting his role as Organiser. He was, in fact, the first Organiser with a precast background.
Today, he oversees 14 precast sites with health and safety as his number one priority. Nick said, “There are health and safety issues on a daily basis in this industry. There is pressure from developers on employers, so the employers put pressure on the workers to cut corners. But not on my watch! Short cuts can cost lives, and I won’t have that”.
We saw two of Andrew’s sites – Citywide precast where Andrew Noble is the Delegate, and Lux Precast where Daniel Mansell is the Delegate. Both boys agree that a good team is a tight team and that’s a result of a safe workplace.
“These boys have got each other’s backs and all work well together.
It’s testament to Union values”, they said.
Nick took us to three of his sites – Westkon, AMA and CPS Precast where we got chatting to their respective Delegates, Sergio Carneiro, Matt Magri and Elias Tannous. All three agreed on the same thing when talking about their blokes on site, saying “They’re a tight knit team, and there is real unity when working day in day out with each other, so when we hire new blokes it’s not just about the person, it’s also about their personality – they need to fit in with the crew”.
And Nick had the final word when asked, “What do you love about the precast industry?”. “I love it. It’s the foundation of the construction industry”, he said.
PRECAST
Daniel was a residential carpenter before moving in to precast where he’s spent the last five years as a commercial form worker. He loves the industry and loves his job. Daniel was voted in as a Delegate in June and is enjoying the challenge of his new role.
In his own time, Daniel enjoys fishing, camping and 4-wheel driving. And getting away as much as possible, when he’s not too busy with his young boys aged 5 and 8.
And finally, a shout out to his wife Amy.
DANIEL MANSELL
ANDREW DE BONO ORGANISER
MICK MYLES ORGANISER
THE
CBD GADSDEN
RRICK BRADLEY DELEGATE
ick’s a cracking bloke and let me tell you he has a story or two… but they’re for another day.
Overseeing The Gadsden development in West Melbourne, Organiser Rick Bradley (who’s been in the industry for 11 years) talks about his members like they’re family. That’s the vibe you get – he really is all about his members.
So I asked him, what is it that makes you tick? And he said, “it’s simple. I love my job, I love coming to work, I love saying good morning to everyone, and most of all I love representing the members. My job is all about the members. I get involved with them; I want to know how they are, if they’re doing ok, and I always ask if there’s anything I can help them with. I’m
a hands-on Organiser, which means I like to get in and show how things are done and help when I can”.
“It’s all about being part of a team. Think about it – if the members are happy, and I’m happy, the happiness transcends up the line”. Not a bad philosophy Rick.
At its peak, The Gadsden will see around 200 members throughout the development, and I reckon Rick might know just about all of them by their first names! That’s the type of guy he is.
And when it comes to a shout out, Rick said, “Rick Eagan and Rex Perham were there in the beginning” but he’d like to thank everyone in the Union for providing him with the opportunities they have.
Oh, and don’t let me forget this parting little gem of a saying from Rick.
“There is no problem in the world that is so great that it cannot be solved when shared by the many.”
Ponder that, folks.
Rick with his grandson, Jake.
CONSTRUCTION STATS
PROJECT BUILDER: Hamilton Marino
MEMBERS AT PEAK: 200
START DATE: Mid 2021
END DATE: April 2023
JOB SCALE: this takes up an entire block
CONCRETE SLABS: a combination of precast panels and concrete
BUILDING FEATURES: town houses and apartments with a special finish.
FROM PRECAST YARD TO SITE
MEET JESS DALE -
WELCOMES THE PRECAST TRUCKS ON-SITE
We were on site at the Gadsden Apartments construction site in West Melbourne telling Jess Dale about some of the precast factories and yards we visited for this issue when a truck loaded with precast panels pulled up to be unloaded. That’s good timing, I thought as we watched the truck position itself into one of the three loading bays. As Jess said “two of the three loading bays are very active at the moment” while members swung into action to get the truck unloaded.
Jess has worked in the construction industry for 12 and a half years now. Currently with Hamilton Marino Builders, Jess started out in traffic but has since gone on to get her tickets in fork, alimak, first aid and labour through the CFMEU education and training unit.
“There are great opportunities for women in construction now, and I don’t just mean doing traffic. There are a lot of women getting into trades now as well which is great,” said Jess.
A country girl at heart, when Jess isn’t at work, she and her hubby head to country for some 4-wheel driving.
Thanks Jess! It’s great to see the Union has afforded you so many opportunities to upskill and further your construction career.
PREVIOUS OCCUPATION:
I was a Delegate for the Bell to Preston level crossing removal before becoming an Organiser.
HOBBIES:
Spending time with family and friends is what I like to do – supporting the North Melbourne footy club.
FAVOURITE MOVIE:
I’ve got three: the Sopranos, Breaking Bad and Tears of the Sun.
FAVOURITE BAND/ ARTIST:
Lil Wayne and Drake.
FAVOURITE FOOD:
Greek food of course, anything Greek.
WHAT HAS THE TRANSITION BEEN LIKE FROM DELEGATE TO ORGANISER:
It’s been pretty smooth for me, having the support of the Civil Organisers, and seeing how they go about their day-to-day work has been great inspiration. It really is a privilege to be an Organiser. Also, Joe Myles is a great role model.
MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF THE ROLE: Keeping Joe happy.
MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF THE ROLE:
The most rewarding aspect of the role is getting wins for the members. Keeping builders honest and making sure they stick to the EBA. And making sure everyone’s benefits, rates and entitlements are what they are supposed to be.
PREVIOUS OCCUPATION:
I started in the industry as a Carpenter with Walter Construction, finishing with Toorak Formwork before becoming an Organiser.
FAVOURITE MOVIE: Happy Gilmore.
HOBBIES:
My hobbies are my two boys - they are 4 and 6 and keep me super busy.
FAVOURITE FOOD: Pizza and lasagne.
FAVOURITE BAND/ ARTIST:
Pearl Jam and Paul Kelly come to mind; I like a lot of different music though.
WHAT HAS THE TRANSITION BEEN LIKE FROM DELEGATE TO ORGANISER:
It’s been pretty good; I’ve had heaps of support from other Organisers which is fantastic. They call me, or I can pick up the phone anytime. I’ve been in the industry for about 23 years, starting out as an apprentice at 15 so I have a good understanding of the Union. I got involved with the Young Activists very early on, attended Branch Meetings and became a Steward for various builders. This sure has helped in my development and my confidence to succeed in the role as an Organiser.
MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF THE ROLE:
The most challenging part of my role is doing the right thing for the members - that’s what it’s all about and I want to make sure I’m available for them and doing enough.
MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF THE ROLE:
Getting the members what they are entitled to. Helping them out and being there for them.
PREVIOUS OCCUPATION:
Shop Steward for LU Simon before becoming an Organiser.
FAVOURITE MOVIE:
Crocodile Dundee.
HOBBIES:
The great outdoors - I love my fishing, camping and 4-wheel driving.
FAVOURITE BAND/ARTIST:
Red Hot Chili Peppers and Foo Fighters.
WHAT HAS THE TRANSITION BEEN LIKE FROM DELEGATE TO ORGANISER:
It’s been a natural progression for me. When I was on the tools I cared about health and safety, as a Shop Steward I made sure I had a safe site, and now as an Organiser it’s my duty to oversee the members and shoppies, making sure everyone is safe. Health and safety is my number one priority.
MOST CHALLENGING ASPECT OF THE ROLE:
The most challenging aspect of the role are the current IR laws. The system is broken and we’re fighting with one hand tied behind our backs.
MOST REWARDING ASPECT OF THE ROLE:
Looking after the members, maintaining their conditions and being across all aspects of health and safety. When you get a result it’s all worthwhile.
this experience has been life changing and I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of it. rachel mccann “ “
As a qualified electrical engineer in Ireland, I migrated to Australia in 2011 and worked as a white goods technician, but after a while I felt the need for a more fulfilling role in a challenging work environment.
“I really wanted to work in the Building and Construction Industry.
“In 2017 I took a job as a casual Traffic Controller, and although I was enjoying the role, working as a casual was of concern because I wanted a mortgage and to be able to plan for my future.
“I discovered I could do that when I learnt about the mobile crane traineeship.
“As one of four women in my class, throughout the two-year traineeship I not only met some great people and comrades but gained so much confidence in myself while gaining so many new skills.
“We’ve not only completed courses like First Aid and OHS which are extremely important in our industry, but a range of high-risk licences such as basic and intermediate rigging, CN up to C6.”
As Rachel only attended the trainee unit on average one day per week, she was able to secure employment with Associated Rigging, who offered her a variety of roles on different projects.
She said, “They’ve been an amazing support throughout the traineeship and the people I’ve worked with are
fantastic and always willing to mentor and show me the ropes”.
The CFMEU High Risk Centre is incredible and a stateof-the-art facility. “I’ve experienced firsthand the high level of training and education offered. I’ve really enjoyed having Organisers and Delegates on site too, showing their support and encouragement to all the trainees.
A big shout out to Ann Duggan and the highly skilful team of CFMEU trainers; as well as Kylie Owen, Training Coordinator at VMCTA”.
Rachel added, “This experience has been life changing and I’m so lucky to have had the opportunity to be a part of it. The crane industry is high risk, high demand and being able to get my foot in the door through the traineeship has been so rewarding. I am excited for the future and what opportunities may arise for future trainees, including an increase in female applicants who are looking for a chance to become part of this fantastic industry.”
Waitlists are no longer! That’s right, kicking off with some positive changes, we have moved to an online enrolment system, so participants are now able to find the course they are after and register for it then and there, eliminating any wait lists which is great.
Another major milestone this year was the graduation of groups 2 and 3 of our crane traineeship. After two years of hard work, our graduates leave with not only a Certificate III in Construction Crane Operations (CPC32920) but a wealth of knowledge that will stand them in good stead throughout their careers in the industry. Furthermore, we are also continuing to work closely with the Victorian Mobile Cranes Traineeship
book online
Association (VMCTA), which saw our fifth intake earlier in the year! And we’ve just welcomed our newest group of trainees which started at the Education and Training Unit in September.
For those that have been waiting with bated breath for the resurrection of our Tower crane, I can now happily report that it is fully assembled and currently undergoing commissioning.
We have also recently made a couple of purchases, the first being a confined spaces trailer, which will allow us to deliver our confined spaces training to rural areas. The second is a 100-ton crawler crane which will assist us in our intermediate rigging and allow us to deliver the C1 licence - TLILIC0021 – Licence to operate a slewing mobile crane (up to 100 Tonnes) on site.
In our Carpentry area, our pre app course is flourishing and we are working closely with Koori Constructions and Dardi Munwarro to ensure we are giving every opportunity for our indigenous brothers and sisters to enter the construction industry.
This year will see our greatest return of apprentices for our CPC30220 - Certificate III in Carpentry with over 40 new and returning apprentices.
We have some additional courses on offer this year with 10830NAT - Course in Crystalline Silica Exposure Prevention, and 10894NAT - Course in Workplace Impairment Prevention being added to our course lists.
We are now open on most RDOs and have recently trialled an evening class for our BSB41419 - Certificate IV in Work Health and Safety which runs from 4.00pm –7.00pm.
Next year will see us roll out the Scaffolding Traineeship CPC30920 - Certificate III in Scaffolding as we work closely with the newly-formed Victorian Scaffolding Traineeship Association (VSTA).
And finally, after a lot of hard work by the staff I can announce that we have passed our re-registration and are now registered for another seven years, which is fantastic.
Crane Trainee graduates.
TOWER CRANE IS BACK! CRAWLER CRANE!
Crane Trainee graduates.
Below: The team that assembled our new 100T Pin Jib crawler. A huge thanks to Metcalf Cranes, Rigweld Cranes, Johnson and Young Cranes, Eastern Cranes and Rigging, Premier Cranes and Mckay United. Without all of your generous support it wouldn’t have been possible.
PRECAST
NICK VAMVAS ORGANISER
MEET THE DELEGATE
Sergio has been in and around precast for the past 22 years and he couldn’t see himself in any other industry. “It’s a great job, and this is a great yard to work in with a really good bunch of guys.”
Away from work, Sergio is into his fishing and shooting, and really loves travelling Australia. He wants to see as much of it as possible.
Married to Alex for the past 22 years, they have a 16-year-old daughter, Natasha, who loves her fashion and working with designers. And 17-year-old Noah who’s an apprentice boiler maker at Westkon.
SERGIO CARNEIRO
PROJECTS
AAMI Park
Royal Childen’s Hospital
Peninsula Link Freeway
Monash University Student Accommodation
STEVE LONG ORGANISER
DOCKLANDS SILO D
The silo is 34 metres in diameter, and will be 71 metres tall, plus an extra 15 metres for the delivery bins on the roof.
It will contain 45kt of cement and will have the capacity to deliver to four B-doubles simultaneously. It will be the largest multi-compartment cement silo in the world. The precast cone allows us to get the mechanical delivery gear directly below the product, ensuring efficient delivery and space savings.
The precast cone is made from 64 individual massive pieces. The lower 36 are the largest, weighing in at 38t and being over 12m long, all placed within a tolerance of 10mm. The cone is then separated into three stages: lower, upper and cap. This cone shape allows for the extreme loads above to be distributed to the walls lower down.
The walls for the first 10 metres are 1.2 metres thick, and full of so much steel you can barely get a hand through, including reinforcing bars 32mm in diameter and 12 metres long, which requires a minimum of three men to weave it through.
The technical nature of the silo demands that every reinforcing bar is in its exact location, or within only millimetres. There is no standard way to build it, unlike all the other slabs.
We are about to embark on our third major phase with the slipform, a shutter that is constantly moving up, and must be fed steel and concrete at the same rate. This final slipping phase will operate 24 hours a day continuously until 71 metres is reached.
When running the site, the team spirit between all members of the job shines, equally from management to labourer, with everyone in this together.
This harmony, team spirit, and co-operation as we work as one is paramount to achieving our goals safely. We take pride in ensuring that everybody at every toolbox has a voice. Johnny V makes sure of this, thinking of ways we can do a little better every day.
Together, we believe this makes us the happiest site in Melbourne! We care about our team’s safety – not just achievements – which is a very important value while 38t is passing over your head.
CONSTRUCTION STATS
MEMBERS AT PEAK: 160
START DATE: November 2020
END DATE: Early 2022
CONCRETE SLABS: 10,000 m3
PRECAST
ANDREW DE BONO ORGANISER
MEET THE DELEGATE
ANDREW
NOBLE
A
ndrew has spent the last nine years of his working life with Citywide Precast and the last two as a Delegate. He has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to precast having spent the past 22 years in the industry, working mainly as a steel fixer and concreter.
Outside of work, Andrew loves fixing up and playing around with old cars and is always looking for the next project. Andrew wanted to give a shout out to his partner Gabrielle and 11-year-old daughter.
PROJECTS
Wyndam Resort - Torquay
M Docklands
Santa Maria College - Northcote
Aldi - Bundoora
Wrap Apartments - Southbank
LISA ZANATTA ORGANISER / WOMEN’S OFFICER
IWD international women's day 22
International Women’s Day (IWD) is a significant day on any activist’s calendar and boasts a long and proud history around the world.
IWD emerged as a result of women in the labour movement rallying for better working conditions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with people from many countries across Europe and America demonstrating around issues that aren’t dissimilar to the issues women are still facing today – gender equality, equal pay and eliminating gender-based violence.
The VTHC organised this year’s IWD rally, which saw both women and men take to the streets of Melbourne demanding all elements of equality and inclusion. One of the rally cries was the demand for 10 days family and domestic leave pay for all workers. At the time of writing this article, the FWC has finally agreed in principle to what Australian workers need – and that’s the protection of 10 days paid family violence leave. The CFMEU is very proud of our efforts over the years campaigning on this issue, and we look forward to the union movement’s work in cementing this leave entitlement in the NES. The CFMEU thanks its Officials, Delegates and members who attended the IWD rally.
As part of the ‘Women’s Rights at Work’ activities, the CFMEU/ MUA held a networking opportunity for women members to attend an ‘Organising for Equality and Sisters Get Political’ event. This event was well attended, with guest speakers including VTHC Acting Secretary Wil Stracke, Women’s Lead Daria Healy-Aarons and MUA National Officer Mich-Elle Myers.
The CFMEU welcomes all members from our diverse backgrounds to participate in Union activity in our pursuit of fairness and equality.
MEET THE DELEGATE
Matt has been in the precast game for around 17 years. He started out as a labourer, concreter and has always loved what he does. For the past four years, Matt has been a Delegate, overseeing a team of 65 blokes on the floor, and he says “they’re a good crew to work with”.
Away from work, Matt is into his fishing and barracks for the mighty Blue Baggers! And like anyone with young kids, he is kept very busy on the home front with his two boys – Lucas who’s 8 and Marcus 9 – enjoying family time with his partner of 11 years, Vickie.
MATT MAGRI
NICK VAMVAS ORGANISER
PROJECTS
St Boulevard - St Kilda Road
Latrobe Street
Burwood East Retirement Village
Church Street - Cremorne
Argyle Apartments - Abbotsford
PRECAST
MEET THE DELEGATE
Back in 2011, Elias started out in concrete as a labourer before moving into commercial in 2014 doing concreting, form work and steel fixing.
In precast as a steel fixer, he worked under Delegate Andrew De Bono before he himself was voted in as Delegate around five years ago, and he currently works under Organiser Nick Vamvas. Elias said Nick has been the best Organiser to work under by far, and said “he has taught me so much, he is a great mentor.”
Elias loves his footy and was born a Collingwood supporter! He is kept pretty busy with his two young kids, Ivy who’s 3 and Noah, 5. And a little known fact: his wife of four years, Elizabeth, was actually born on the Queen’s Birthday, hence her name.
ELIAS TANNOUS
NICK VAMVAS ORGANISER
PROJECTS
The Shrine - St Kilda Road
Knox Private Hospital Car Park
MY80
Living Carlton Stage 2
Box Hill Tafe
Ups and downs are a normal part of investing
This year, we’ve seen investment markets respond to a range of global issues such as, rising inflation, the Russia/Ukraine crisis, and fresh waves of the Covid-19 pandemic.
These market conditions have led to a challenging year for all super funds, including Cbus, with investment returns lower than in previous years.
Growth (MySuper) investment option
While drops in performance can be uncomfortable, it’s important to remember that super is a long-term investment, and that ups and downs happen.
Over our 38-year history, we've delivered strong long-term outcomes for members. As the graph below shows, this is only the fourth negative financial year for the Fund and the first since the GFC.
Since inception average 8.88% p.a.*
We’ve been through difficult times before, and together, we’ve gotten through them, and this time will be no different. When looking at your investment options, it's important to consider your long-term goals and that changing to lower risk investment options or making frequent switches can, over the longer term, leave you with lower retirement savings. Cbus is one of Australia’s top performing industry super funds with strong returns over the long-term and we're here to help. If you're unsure about anything, please contact our Advice Services team:
Email advice@cbussuper.com.au or call 1300 361 784 8.30am to 6pm (AEDT/AEST) Monday to Friday
*Since inception in 1984 to 30 June 2022. Over the past 38 years, the Growth (MySuper) option has returned 8.88% on average. This example is for illustration purposes only. Balances have been calculated using financial year returns compounding annually. The crediting rate is based on returns minus investment fees, taxes, and until 31 January 2020, the percentage-based administration fee. Excludes fees and costs that are deducted directly from members’ accounts. Past performance is not a
indicator of future performance. Media Super merged with Cbus on the 9th of April 2022. The historical performance prior to this date relates to Cbus
