Electrical Worker Volume 102

FROM THE SECRETARY: PETER ONG

MAY DAY ACROSS THE

FROM THE FROM THE SECRETARY SECRETARY

Welcome to the first edition of Electrical Worker for the year and 2023 looks like it will bring with it some huge challenges and some great opportunities for our members and Queenslanders in general

After landing the Queensland Jobs and Energy Plan at the end of last year, the real challenge of delivering it begins for government but also for the ETU as the driving force behind the plan The amount of infrastructure to be built to deliver the plan will see us in need of thousands of power/electrical workers to construct 1000s of kilometres of transmission lines, substations, wind farms, solar farms as well as pumped hydro and battery storage

The shortage of skilled labour in Australia, let alone Queensland, will bring a new set of challenges We are going to need to be campaigning to protect our skill sets within our trade to make sure our apprenticeship is not watered down to deliver an electrical/power tradesperson in less than four years We will have to make sure migrant workers have mandatory skills testing to meet Australia’s standards and nothing less, push to maximise the number of apprentices being put on by contractors who will be delivering these projects, and make sure that licensed work is maintained, for instance transmission lines being constructed by licenced lineys rather than riggers and dogmen

All these challenges, and more, will be faced in the next couple of years, one saving grace is at least we don’t have a Morrison/Dutton government in place; however, we must make sure that the Albanese government doesn’t bow to big business and weaken in the face of free trade agreements

Of course, there is a whole lot of opportunities also A skills shortage puts us in a better position to bargain for better wages and conditions, better safety standards, and more apprentices and training – all of the things that went by the wayside with 10 years of consecutive LNP governments I for one look forward to the challenges over the next 10 years and delivering some great outcomes for our members and their families

Enjoy the read as always, there are some great articles from your organisers on wins, achievements and challenges Scott Reichman has the full wash up of some great outcomes in the state government EBA campaigns on page 10

Read about our outstanding up and coming trade unionists with articles about apprentices Noah Chapman, Mitch Wesche, Mary Thatcher, and our Apprentice of the Year Iyesha Paull These are just a few of our outstanding apprentice members, and as the state secretary, I am proud to have such a nursery of strong trade unionist, and I believe the future of our union is in good hands Read the full story pages 12-16

And Strawbs has got an update for our Territory members on all of government negotiations, from a wage freeze to 3% and beyond, as well as the hard fought and won battle by our members working for Rio at Gove Check it out on page 34

To top of everything else that’s going on, we also have our biennial conference in May this year with around 140 delegates coming together to determine the direction of your union for the next two years We are a democratic union that is guided by its rank and file members, so please seek out your delegate in your workplace and pass on any agenda items or initiatives that you wish to put forward to Biennial Conference to be debated

See you on the job

PeterOng

IF YOU DON'T FIGHT, YOU LOSE

TOWNSVILLE ORGANISER SHARKEY AND ONGY WITH SCABBY THE RAT

ONGY WITH RIO TINTO WORKERS AT GOVE

INTERNATIONAL WORKERS MEMORIAL DAY

11:00AM FRIDAY 28 APRIL

BRISBANE

GOLDCOAST

EmmaMillerPlace, RomaStreet PrattenPark, OldBurleighRd

MAY DAY 2023 MAY DAY 2023

Let’s make them the biggest Let’s make them the biggest marches this decade marches this decade

While Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Maryborough, and others celebrate their Labour Day on the 29 and 30 April respectively, for a few of us in Brisbane, Darwin, The Alice and various locations across the state and territory, this year’s Labour Day celebrations fall on MAY 1 – the International Workers Day where tens of millions of workers and their communities celebrate Workers’ Solidarity worldwide.

With the election of the first worker-friendly federal government in more than 10 years, it’s time to remember, respond and rejoice in the wins we have had and the battles still to come. We call on all ETU members to gather up your friends and family and get down to the march near you There truly is something for everyone.

Alice Springs Alice Springs

Monday, 1 May 2023

Assemble 10:00am | Gap Road Memorial car park

Brisbane Brisbane

Monday 1 May 2023

Gather from 9:30 am | Cnr of Turbot and Wharf Streets, Spring Hill

Blackwater Blackwater

Monday 1 May 2023

Assemble 8:30am | CFMEU building No 1

Bundaberg Bundaberg

Saturday, 29 April 2023

Gather from 10:00am | Riverside Parklands, Quay St, Bundaberg

Cairns Cairns

Saturday, 29 April 2023

Gather from 4:30pm | Fogarty Park, Cairns Esplanade

Darwin Darwin

Monday 1 May 2023

Gather from 10:000am | 30 Woods St

Remember

FIVE great reasons to celebrate being union…

While there has been challenges and loss, highs and lows, we as a union are growing in numbers and strength and we continue to fight from the front not only for our members but for their communities and our future generations

The release of the Queensland government’s Jobs and Energy Plan complete with world-first Energy Workers’ Charter. Election of the Albanese Labor government

The opening of the Renewable Energy training facility

The Voice referendum commitment

New IR legislation providing opportunities for workers to bargain and win.

So grab your family and friends, show your colours, and head down to a march and family fun day near you!

Gold Coast Gold Coast

Sunday, 30 April 2023

Gather from 9:30am | Kurrawa Park, Broadbeach

Gladstone Gladstone

Monday, 1 May 2023

Gather from 9:45am | Gladstone Regional Council Office Car Park

IIpswich pswich

Saturday, 30 April 2023

Further details to be advised

Mackay Mackay

Monday, 1 May 2023

Gather from 9:00am | St Patrick’s College

Maryborough Maryborough

Sunday, 30 April 2023

Gather from 10:00am | Waterside Workers Hall, Wharf Street, Maryborough

Rockhampton Rockhampton

Sunday, 30 April 2023

Gather from 1:00pm | Kershaw Gardens, Knight Street entrance, Rockhampton

Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast

Sunday, 30 April 2023

10:00am | Caloundra Sharks Rugby League Club, Gregory Street, Golden Beach

Thursday Island Thursday Island

Friday, 19 May 2023

Further details to be advised.

Toowoomba Toowoomba

Saturday, 29 April 2023

Gather at 9:30am | Gallery Lane Toowoomba CBD (aka Mothercraft Lane)

Townsville Townsville

Monday, 1 May 2023

Gather from 9:00am | Strand Park, The Esplanade, Townsville

Moranbah Moranbah All details correct at time of All details correct at time of publishing, please scan the link publishing, please scan the link to stay posted on updates. to stay on updates.

Monday 1 May 2023

Gather at 9:00am | Tallon St, Moranbah

Don't see your Don't see your town or want town or want more info? more info?

the dead, and fight like hell for the living.

ASSISTANT SECRETARIES

SUPPLY INDUSTRY CONTRACTING & CONSTRUCTION

The Electricity Supply Industry is going through a record growth period, and will do so for the next 15-20 years The $62 billion Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan requires a major rebuild of the transmission network, record programmes of work on the existing networks, private sector renewables, the influx of people moving to Queensland, CopperString 20, Inland Rail and the 2032 Olympics infrastructure is a perfect storm from a resourcing perspective Recruitment and training must be an urgent priority for government and the Government Owned Corporations, as we will need 1000s of extra workers in Queensland

Recruitment is ongoing and we are seeing an increasing number of unfilled vacancies across Energy Queensland (EQL) and Powerlink This is as a result of a worldwide skills shortage, and delays in the recruitment and onboarding leading to good candidates accepting other roles, either due to frustration with delays or better wages and conditions on offer elsewhere

We are attempting to get Powerlink and EQL to urgently focus on training This includes fast tracking the building of the Townsville and Gladstone Powerlink training facilities and rebuilding the existing aging EQL training facilities We also need a long-term resourcing strategy for the future training requirements Trainers must be employed now, so we are ready to train the future electricity industry workers We have contractors approaching us wanting to train over 1000 workers within 6 years There will be approximately 1000 apprentices every year, so we need extra training resources employed now At this stage, EQL and Powerlink have no detailed plan to deliver these workers the training they need 25% of the current workers are over the age of 50 and will retire in the middle of this boom, so management must get their acts together if they have any hope

The work programme and skills shortage pose enormous challenges but importantly a massive opportunity for us, but we must address the current attraction and retention issues as this will only get worse when things ramp up

The 2024 EBA provides us with an opportunity we will never get again as the stars have aligned With the enormous work ahead, that is linked to politically sensitive deadlines, a global skills shortage, and better money and conditions on offer elsewhere, it is imperative that members are educated about the opportunities, are engaged in the EBA process, and prepared to act collectively for us to deliver industry-wide wages and conditions instead of the current situation where there is better money and opportunities on offer elsewhere

If EQL, Powerlink, and government don’t address the attraction and retention issues, we will not have the workers to build the critical infrastructure It’s vital that we continue to grow our membership and our power in the workplaces Every win has been fought for and delivered by ETU members, there is no excuse not to be an ETU member

We have the power, let’s use it in 2024

Comrades, welcome to 2023 As reported in the November journal, this year will be a big year for the contracting and construction sectors of our union, not only do we have preparations for the 2023 EBA in full swing, but we also have key reviews into H&S and electrical safety due to hand down findings and recommendations as well. But wait, there's more… We have a new construction-specific mandatory silica dust Code of Practice kicking in on May 1 While on the jobs front, we have myriad construction projects at various stages across the state with many more in the pipeline.

EBA negotiation preparations hit top gear

Following the delegates conference last year and ongoing sub branch meetings, the final touches are being made to the proposed log of claims, which will be finalised for endorsement at the June conference and subsequent mass meetings The proposed log of claims is a sensible and progressive set of clauses ranging from the reinsertion of all provisions that were removed under the ABCC and Building Code such as Same Job Same Pay provisions (no more use of labour hire at lower rates) as well as casual conversion to permanent work after 6 weeks, to name a couple We will also be campaigning for a minimum 5% pay increase per year. In addition, we will be seeking 26 weeks paid maternity leave, paid in conjunction with the federal government provisions, and an increase to paid partner leave from 2 weeks to 6 weeks* (see note below). We are also working through how to introduce a ratio provision for older workers to ensure vital skills are retained and passed on All details of the above claims and others will be revealed at mass meetings to be held in mid-June following the delegate conference, you will be advised of times and locations, make sure you come along!

At conference and sub branches and following discussions with members who have found themselves in situations where due to medical emergencies and/or family situations they have been unable to provide the care required by their partner or other children within the household Given the EBA provides 4 weeks annual leave, 2 weeks parental leave and 10 days sick leave, a growing number of members have found themselves short of leave in circumstances where the birth and/or recovery from the birth have been difficult and extend beyond 6 weeks.

OH&S and Electrical Safety review updates

The final outcomes from the reviews undertaken last year are expected any day, see Youngy’s article re: Electrical Safety review outcomes which resulted in 120 recommendations currently being considered by the state Government On the WH&S review front, we are still awaiting the recommendations As always stay up to date via our Facebook page or circulars.

Silica Dust Code of Practice for construction

While there has been a lot of much needed ongoing publicity around the deadly impacts of silica dust in the manufactured stone benchtops space, in our industry, a much-needed mandatory silica dust Code of Practice in the construction industry will come into place on May 1 Your union was involved in the consultation process

Know your rights We urge all members to familiarise themselves with this important COP, don’t allow management to control your safety, and stay in control of your working life - it could save your life.

It is no longer just about wearing a mask, this stuff kills and is arguably a bigger threat to workers health than asbestos The following is an excerpt from the Worksafe website providing a brief overview of the Code.

The new Code is Australia’s first silica dust code of practice for the construction industry and will commence in Queensland on 1 May 2023. It applies to all construction work as well as the manufacturing of materials such as bricks, blocks, tiles, mortar and concrete

The Code outlines how duty holders can meet the requirements of Queensland’s work health and safety legislation, including eliminating or minimising exposure to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) at work by

using tried and tested dust control methods that prevent silica dust from being generated or being released into the air, including water suppression and on-tool dust extraction using appropriate respirable protective equipment to safeguard at-risk workers using exposure data from air monitoring to check dust controls are effective providing health monitoring to at-risk workers, with clearly defined triggers for testing based on level of risk consulting with workers, as well as training, education, instruction and supervision of workers.

The Code was developed in close consultation with workers, employers and technical experts across Queensland, building on international best practice to ensure silica dust is managed safely and workers are protected in the construction industry and the manufacturing of construction materials

Project updates

With Jimmy Little, Steve Bravo, Wendel Moloney and regional organisers touching on the progress of specific projects in their areas I’ll keep this section to a broad overview concentrating on a few high-profile areas; Cross River Rail, the QHealth Capacity Project, Renewables and the Olympics

In the case of Cross River Rail, the project is finally starting to ramp up and the demand for sparkies is increasing albeit at a slow steady pace See Jimmy’s report on page 32.

in the case of the QHealth Capacity Project, the first two new hospital builds off the blocks are the $1 3 billion Toowoomba hospital on the Darling Downs and the $1 3 billion Coomera hospital on the Gold Coast Importantly, both projects are subject to state government BPICs (Best Practice Industry Conditions) This ensures decent EBA rates and conditions along with decent health and safety and representation rights, this is good news for members on these projects.

Renewables

Some big state government announcements have been coming thick and fast recently with two of the more notable being the government taking control of the Mt Isa to Townsville $5 billion CopperString project, and the conversion of the old Swanbank coal-fired power station into a Clean Energy Hub Both projects will be publicly owned infrastructure projects built under BPICs ensuring decent wages and conditions for ETU members. Apart from these two significant projects there are also many other projects in the renewable energy space that have either begun or are in the pipeline across the state including wind farms, pumped hydro, hydrogen development, and community and large-scale battery storage projects The future is now, the transition to a renewable, sustainable future is in full swing and the demand for skilled workers will only get bigger as Queensland ramps up to 70% renewables by 2032

Olympics – if managed competently will provide opportunities for many years to come

While the full extent of the opportunities that will flow for ETU members from the infrastructure blitz are not fully known, what we do know is new stadia, facilities and transport links will be needed to revitalise Brisbane and regional Queensland to make us ‘games ready’ We know that projects like the new Gabba will provide opportunities for current and future ETU members to earn good coin for a decent period of time We will be looking to lock in contracts and ensure projects are BPIC complaint as soon as possible to maximise outcomes for members and our communities

Skills shortage could derail benefits

Now more than ever governments need to be investing in TAFE and training to increase apprenticeship numbers to meet the expected surge in demand for our current and future electrical skills, we cannot afford to wait, we need the skilled workers for tomorrow, today, if we are to unlock the full benefits for future generations of electrical workers and ETU members

It’s an exciting time to be an ETU member, stay up to date and contact your organiser for more information

KEY DATES

May 1

April 28

April 29-May 1

June 7-9

Mid-June

July 31

Silica dust Code of Practice for construction industry

International Workers Memorial Day – venues and details to be advised

May Day Celebrations – details to be advised Delegates conference

Mass meetings to endorse EBA Log Expiry of current EBA document

Electrical Safety Act review

The Electrical Safety Act review has concluded, at the end of the review, 120 recommendations went to the government for consideration, and we are now waiting on Minister Grace Grace to announce what the government is doing with these 120 recommendations We expect there to be several Regulatory Impact Statements (RIS) to come out of these decisions There will be lots of work still to do following the RIS being released. The union will then make submissions around these RIS items which we expect to be including solar panel installation, specifically what is electrical work and should be only performed by licensed electrical workers. We also expect there to be a RIS covering Electric Vehicles (EVs) and we will be making a submission on this emerging technology We realistically don’t foresee licensed electrical workers to be building cars, but we say there is a large amount of equipment in EVs that does require licensed electrical workers to install and maintain These are just two big changes we expect following the RIS, which should be released in the coming weeks for consultation. We are pressing government for the full adoption of the 120 recommendations by the end of 2023

Safety first, always

There has been a recent increase in reported electrical shocks, with a couple of saddening reports already being made this year. It’s a timely reminder to stay safe on the job Don’t just do what your boss says, remember that it is your risk, your license, and in very unfortunate circumstances, your life. I’d also take the opportunity to remind members to look out for each other particularly apprentices It’s our responsibility to keep them safe, and step in if and when they are asked to complete work that is either unsafe, or outside their scope of capabilities. Their safety is very often in our hands

Rail industry

The Aurizon Coal EBA is complete. This agreement was completed in the fastest time I have ever experienced with the company We achieved good outcomes for the Aurizon Coal workers, and surprisingly, given their history, the bosses came to the table with a decent approach this time, rather than reacting by making terminations and threats to workers

The Aurizon Network EBA is kicking off with Mackay Organiser Craig Thomas taking a lead role in negotiations as they are in Mackay Between Craig and I, we will have an update for the next journal mid-year. We are seeing the ETU members in Aurizon keen to reverse the terrible agreement that was voted up by a margin of 1 vote last time The biggest problem facing ETU members in the Aurizon Network negotiations is that we are some 300 members in a workforce of about 1000 Last time, apathy amongst the nonETU members saw us lose the “vote NO” campaign we ran by 1 single vote Our members have been active in educating those non-ETU members about what apathy can mean to everyone

We are also kicking off the Queensland Rail EAs some 6 months late due to QR not being in a position to start till now This means that collectively we need to focus in on addressing the issues facing ETU members in QR The primary issue is the pay rates causing highly skilled ETU members to leave QR for better money ETU members in QR have been hamstrung by Government wages policies that mean there is a real wage disparity of $10/hr and if this isn’t addressed we will see no trades staff in QR. It’s a critical EA for so many reasons and one the ETU delegates will be driving the agenda on

Biennial conference

The 35th Biennial Conference is coming up in a couple of months as I write this, and we are busy planning. International guests have been invited for the first time since 2019, so it’s sure to be an enjoyable and interesting conference with international solidarity Our focus for the conference will be renewables and emerging technologies, with the theme being ‘Secure Work, Sustainable Communities ’ 2023 will be a big year for the ETU, with the conference and our union elections coming shortly after

YOUNGY WITH QUEENSLAND RAIL ELECTRICAL APPRENTICES

QUEENSLAND UNIONS NAIDOC AWARDS

2021 BIENNIAL CONFERENCE

STATE OF THE STATE

EBA round up

Righting the wrongs, wage increases across the state sector ranging from 5%pa to 17 5%pa backdated to 2022, and the resolution of some longstanding issues… It’s fair to say we’ve had an outstanding bargaining round

Where it all started – back in the dark days of the Newman LNP government, QBuild was dismantled and work outsourced, QHealth BEMS was a basket case, and TMR was ravaged by cuts and uncertainty Then, in June 2020, at the height of the Covid crisis, the Queensland state government proposed a 12 month wage freeze which was roundly rejected

Fast forward to December 2022, not only is the sector being rebuilt, but we knocked off the wage freeze, and we also kicked massive goals in improving wages and conditions across the public sector for our members who have been overlooked and undervalued for too long

But before we get too carried away, these improvements didn’t magically appear, the government didn’t roll over Members across the sector took innovative industrial action, testing every resolve, smart and decisive actions spearheaded by delegates and leaders who educated and connected members and never lost sight of the prize They stood up and won

Some of the headline outcomes

QHealth – the majority of ETU members will be $404 better off per fortnight on base rates by September 1 2024, while apprentices will be up to a staggering $550 better off per fortnight over the same period, as we were able to increase the pay scales to reflect 55% and 65% of trades rates A massive boost for apprentice wages

QBuild – bargaining in QBuild has resulted in some massive increases of up to 17 5% in the first year being achieved following some fantastic industrial action across the state. Great increases for apprentices flowing from the wider tradie increases, and more to come as we get award parity in the near future

TMR – ETU men and women across TMR spearheaded the push for decent pay increases and arguably, without their commitment, the battles across the state sector would have been much harder to win. They used innovative and collective strategies and tactics, stood their ground, and stared down intimidation From lockouts to strikes, they stood together and won. The average pay increase across TMR for ETU members will be about $506/fortnight, with substantially bigger increases for 1st and 2nd year apprentices.

QHealth spotlight

Right in the middle of our industrial campaign, QHealth threw us a curve ball They got advice that they required a contractor licence to perform electrical work. This made it pretty hard to take industrial action when they already had reduced activities that they were legally allowed to do This did not stop our campaign, with partial bans on paperwork and using technology adding pressure on the department to reach a decent outcome for the EBA negotiations This, combined with massive rallies in Brisbane and around the state, a picket on parliament house, protests at the offices of local MPs and the health minister, all eventually combined to get an outcome that members can be proud of We continue to work toward getting our members recognised at the HBEA 5 classification in their agreement given the skills and knowledge they need to keep our hospitals running Well done comrades

Massive win for apprentices

As the EBA negotiations progressed, the ETU and other unions were working behind the scenes to ensure fairer wages for all state government apprentices We have negotiated directly with the state government to amend the BEMS award to have the percentage of the trade rate paid to government apprentices, reflecting the rate we won in federal modern awards more than 10 years ago A first-year apprentice working for the Queensland government will now be paid 55% of the trade rate, and a second-year will be paid 65% This is a huge increase for their pay, up from 42% and 55% respectively As part of the EBA negotiations, we have forced the government to agree to implement the improved percentages from the start of the agreement The exception is QBuild, but we are working on that and should have it resolved pretty quickly It means a first-year BEMS apprentice’s hourly rate will jump to a minimum of $18.48, up from as little as $11 99 at the moment This is a massive win, and will mean that these workers can enjoy a substantial improvement in their standard of living This would never have happened if all members – including apprentices –hadn’t stood shoulder to shoulder with the wider resources of the union to bring this much-needed change about Queensland government apprentices are no longer the lowest-paid workers in the country, and will instead be some of the higher-paid in the first years of their apprenticeship

Industrial action & collective strength

ETU TMR members have grabbed this campaign by the horns and have forced the government into a great result through the EBA negotiations. When endless delays stalled the negotiations and the government wages policy meant that the department could not negotiate an outcome recognising the skills of these workers, the current crippling inflation and skills shortage in the wider industry, they voted to start an industrial action campaign This involved partial bans on performing some work processes, as well as all-out stoppages Along with the state-wide days of action that members across all three departments engaged in, the TMR members

engaged in an innovative industrial campaign that involved unpredictable stoppages at strategic times, that were sustainable but created havoc for their employer

They were able to pull this off by being incredibly disciplined and having faith in their workplace delegates We were able to organise snap action at a moment’s notice, and at the most strategically useful times, and get everyone back to work at just the right time to ensure our action remained legal and protected at all times

Early on in the campaign, when we kicked off the paperwork bans, one of the depots claimed that our members couldn’t do any of their work if they refused to do the paperwork The depot then locked those members out of their job Once that information circulated to other members, the rest of the ETU membership walked off the job all across the state in support of their comrades This only lasted four hours before the government relented and put the locked-out workers back to work, and paid them for the time This was a great first win in a months-long campaign but highlighted the importance of solidarity and discipline during an industrial blue

We have now come away with pay rates much more reflective of other union agreements throughout the wider industry This has been a great campaign and I could not be prouder to have been involved in this with the mighty ETU delegates and every one of our members.

Members action lead to big win

QBuild members are the biggest winners in this round of negotiations, by far This is because they were coming from a considerably lower starting point that the other departments. Most of our members will receive a huge 17 5% increase in the first year of the agreement This will bring them into line with their comrades in TMR They’ve retained their Single Fortnightly Payment on top of that increase. Our members across the state were at the front line of every battle to get this win When the responsible government Minister turned up at a regional depot to celebrate 120 years of QBuild, they would walk off the job to protest their poor wages. Usually joined by members from other departments, they left the government in no doubt about what we thought of their rubbish wages offer In far north Queensland, ETU QBuild members started refusing to work away, given the partial bans we had in place as part of the campaign This meant that QBuild had to rely on contractors to meet the demands of remote work, which cost them a lot more than just paying our members a decent wage. Again, all the members around the state stuck together and no one crossed that ‘picket line’ Along with that, we had strategic stoppages, picketed government MPs, had huge rallies, and eventually built enough pressure to force the great win we’ve seen

We have secured the Rebuild QBuild program with the government, and the future is looking very bright for these members now with a wide variety of work and a government commitment to assuring great jobs into the future. As noted above, QBuild is only one of the three departments that has not committed to the apprentice percentage lift in their agreement This means that right now, apprentices rates are increasing in line with QBuild EBA increases but not the big jumps that other apprentices have locked in We continue to negotiate with QBuild to bring those rates in and pay apprentices fairly – particularly as we continue to Rebuild QBuild – it is inevitable that we will win this campaign too, and just to lock it in, the award will force the issue in the not too distant future

A long way from Newman's cuts, and stronger than ever

While it is never easy negotiating with governments, it is exceedingly better to begin negotiations knowing jobs and assets are not in the firing line, as was the case during the dark days of Newman’s slash, burn and sell Let’s not forget Newman slashed 1500 QBuild Jobs, removed the job security for every single government worker, and ultimately sacked 14 000 workers. During these negotiations, while our members were taking to the streets in their industrial campaign, your union was in discussion with the government to highlight the important role and the specific issues

tradespeople face working for government. Of course, without us there are no hospitals, roads or public housing, schools (and more) for the public to use

It’s fair to say the outcome showed the Labor government finally recognised the essential nature of the work our members do That recognition is in stark contrast to the LNP New i when it pulled the building trades group of un a meeting to tell us that ‘your work is not cons priority of the government We are going to co the lot and all your members will be finished u They then changed the laws specifically to take away the rights of workers so they could wholesale sack anyone

S c o t t Reichman

FUTURE OF THE UNION FUTURE OF THE UNION

MEET SOME OF OUR APPRENTICES LEADING THE WAY FORWARD

Apprentice of the Year and true internationalist

It’s been a massive year for 20-something, 3rd year QBuild apprentice Iyesha Paull In the space of six months, she was elected workplace delegate, she received an Emma Miller Award in June, won the ETU National Apprentice of the year in October, attended the Global Power Unions Congress in November, and to cap it off she was selected to fill a vacancy on the ETU Executive in December. Wow!

But far from giving herself time to stop and reflect, Iyesha is already focussed on 2023. We caught up with Iyesha after her return from Ireland to discuss the congress, her experiences, and what the next year holds

After leaving Cairns and its balmy mid-thirty-degree temperatures, the ETU’s Apprentice of the Year knew Ireland would be cold and it didn’t disappoint, barely reaching double figures in Dublin and Wexford while she visited. But Iyesha got anything but a frosty reception when she arrived.

“The country is brilliant, and the Irish people are so warm and welcoming, I would go back in a heartbeat.”

On her first visit to the Emerald Isle, Iyesha was struck by the history and culture dating back to Viking times. “It was amazing to see how the country with its complex history was keeping its traditions and culture alive while also evolving as well, I’m really interested in that kind of stuff ”

Before the congress, Iyesha wasn’t sure what to expect, but she was adamant she wanted to put her best foot forward.

“I went into the congress not knowing what to expect, but I am determined to do my best to represent where I am from and to learn as much as I can from the once in a lifetime experience Something I never expected to be doing, it is such an honour ”

During the congress Iyesha was able to network widely with comrades from the more than 20 unions represented

“There was a diverse group of unions from Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, England, Scotland, Ireland, US, Canada, Kosovo and a few others I think there were around 20 unions represented.”

“I spent a lot of time listening and learning about different issues as well as talking with some fellow young women unionists from Scotland, Iceland, and England, some of whom were also apprentices, others who were fully qualified Some unions also had youth crews ”

“It was really interesting to hear their stories and compare them with my journey, many of us were grappling with the same issues of how to encourage more women into the trade and, by extension, into the union, and the same with younger workers Across the congress, there was a big emphasis on educating and recruiting younger workers and apprentices into our respective unions ”

Another important discussion centred around the global switch to renewable energy sources and how different countries are dealing with it Iyesha noted that despite the push by some in Australia for nuclear power, there was little appetite shown at the congress, even from those that already had it

“I got the general impression that unions were steering away from nuclear power and that collectively the power unions were focussed on truly renewable sources; wind, hydro, solar, hydrogen I was amazed to hear that Norway is 99% renewable and that transport is the remaining nonrenewable area I was inspired by that, as renewables is an area that I am really passionate about It was great to see unionists from across the world having the same passion but using different technologies.”

“While we are investing heavily in solar, the Nordic countries are hydro, and Scotland and England more wind and other technologies. It’s fascinating how we all face the same issues but find solutions based on our strengths and policy positions ”

Some of the other issues that sparked Iyesha’s interest were safety regimes, training and different scopes of experience as apprentices and tradespeople.

“We had one woman from Scotland who was fully licensed but had never worked anywhere else except in shipbuilding, while others had far more expansive scopes of experience, they all had great skills As far as I can recall, all the apprenticeships were 4 years. Many of the issues were the same, how to have a safe work-life balance, wage rates, and ensuring we have strong union representation ”

The highlight of the congress for Iyesha was the collective recognition that more needed to be done to harness greater involvement of youth/apprentices and women in the unions.

IYESHA PAULL IYESHA PAULL IYESHA PAULL

“I was proud that I was a member and representative of the ETU (which I noted was highly respected and established within the congress), that have given me so many opportunities to shine I was able to talk about my experiences as a member, apprentice, delegate, and woman. I noted that many other unions didn’t have an Apprentice of the Year award, and I was able to talk about why they should consider implementing one It was great to have my ETU comrade Jason Constable with me at the congress, he was able to speak with authority about the success of the ETU QLD & NT Youth Crew and how raising the profiles and voices of youth in the union is so important in being able to show other young workers the value in being part of their union ”

“As for women’s representation at the congress, there were women unionists there, there weren’t many electricians other than apprentices It is a numbers game and a work in progress, to be honest The issues we face across the industry and the world are similar and the answer is the same –we need more women It is a no-brainer for me, If you are in a trade like ours, you need to be in the union, the process is simple: you start a trade, you join your union, and you stand up and raise your concerns.”

Proudest moment in a big year

“Hands down the proudest moment was meeting the new Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and having the opportunity to deliver a speech in front of him and my colleagues at the ETU National Conference.”

“That experience and the others this year have all inspired me to take more action and use the opportunities that my union has given me to this point to make a difference for workers in our industries and to educate younger workers about why they should join with us to make us even stronger ”

“My favourite thing about being in the ETU is the people I meet They are my people, they have passion and drive to make things better.”

The future

Far from resting on her laurels, the energetic and committed Iyesha is excited about what the new year brings, and she has some big plans

Attending the conference has inspired Iyesha to spread the union message far and wide starting in her own backyard

“I want to establish a Cairns-based youth crew along the lines of the successful Brisbane-based crew and the Bundy crew. The issues faced by young members in Cairns can be very different to those faced by Brisbane-based workers, so by acknowledging that we hope to give space for those issues to be discussed ”

“I am committed to helping establish an International youth crew involving youth

representatives from the unions at the congress and beyond, we will plan to meet via zoom at regular intervals throughout the year, we aim to create a safe space for youth members from across the world to share stories, discuss issues and develop

strategies to resolve them. "I'm really excited about theprospect for international solidarity at a youth level ”

And to cap it off, she is also completing her final year of her apprenticeship, including her capstone

A big year ahead, but if the last 12 months is anything to go by, anything is possible for Iyesha

Congratulations comrade, you do us all proud with your passion, energy and commitment!

But it doesn’t stop there… she also has international aspirations as well

IYESHA WAS ELECTED APPRENTICE DELEGATE IN 2022

MITCH MITCH

TWO 2022 APPRENTICE CONFERENCE DELEGATES

Late last year, ETU apprentice delegates from across Queensland and the Northern Territory gathered in Brisbane for their annual conference. With exciting opportunities on the horizon, and huge demand for workers with electrical skills, there has arguably never been a better time to be an electrical worker.

With an aging workforce and skills shortages, much of the heavy lifting going forward will fall on the shoulders of ETU apprentices and their delegate leaders We caught up with some of the new breed of leaders when they attended the conference in October 2022

Noah Chapman

Noah Chapman, a 20 year old 3rd year electrical fitter mechanic apprentice from Biloela who is employed at Batchfire Mine Callide, represented ETU apprentices employed by group training provider Apprentice and Trainees Queensland (ATQ)

Noah was attending his first conference after being elected delegate earlier last year While there was a lot to take in, Noah was impressed with the content, delivery and camaraderie “It was great meeting apprentice delegates from across different areas, exposure to different sectors, construction and commercial, which I don’t get a lot of in Biloela I learned a lot about the union’s history and what unionism is, lots of information about programmes and issues, some which are like ours around TAFE and wages, others that are different around health and safety etc It has been a great experience. “I took a lot out of the conference, but for me the learning how to communicate issues effectively with other members and gaining a greater understanding of apprentice issues around the state and territory”

His advice to young tradies out there is get educated about what the union is, does, and its history and morals “I want to get people to join the union by showing them what the union has done in the past, what we are currently doing, what the union stands for, and how by being in the union and working together, their jobs are better protected”

His dad Warren works as an electrician at the Callide mine and is also a proud ETU member, and Noah rates his biggest influence as his workmates and fellow ETU apprentices “We have four electrical apprentices, and all four are members of the ETU, which is great We also have two electrical trades delegates as well as 11 apprentice fitters and an AMWU apprentice delegate Many of our issues are similar and we are negotiating an apprentice-specific agreement”

Noah was elected apprentice delegate in 2022 and is part of the EBA negotiating team “We’ve had a few meetings so far up, and at this stage we are setting up the frameworks.”

APPRENTICES NOAH & MITCH

Noahlikesthevarietyofworkandtheopportunitiesandexposuretogain newskills “Igettododifferentthingseachday,learningaboutandfault findingthetrucks,draglinesandinfrastructure Thereissomethingnewto learnandskillstoacquireeachday”

What does being ETU mean to you? The future

“Weareallproudunionmembers,workingtogetherforacollectivecause, decentwagesandconditions,withnooneleftbehind”

Noahasathird-yearapprenticeknowsthathisfutureisprettybrightwithall thenewprojectsplannedforthefuture Assuch,helooksforwardtogaining awiderrangeofskills “Withallthenewindustriescomingalong,itgivesme theabilitytolearnawiderangeofskills Wehavewindfarmspoppingup aroundourlocalarea,alongwithnewindustries.I’llbelookingtoget trainedinasmanyaspectsofthetradeasIcan.”

WhileNoahislookingforwardtodevelopingnewskillstomeetthedemands createdbyemergingindustries,heisalsoawarethatwithnewtechnology comeschallenges “Itwillbesoimportantthatwehaveenoughskilled workerstodotheroles,thatwillmeanpropertrainingandretention programstoprovideopportunitiesforlocals”

Beingbroughtuponacattleandcroppingfarm,Noahenjoysfarmwork, whileheisalsoakeensoccerplayer–playingforthelocalBiloelateam BiloelaValleysFootballClub “Yeah,IenjoyplayingsoccerforBiloelaValleys FC WeplayintheCentralCoastSouthDivision1Men's,withmostgames playedinandaroundGladstone,130kmaway”

Mitch Wesche

Mitch Wesche is a 20 year old, 3rd year apprentice fitter mechanic from Mackay, who’s employed at the Dalrymple Bay Coal Terminal – he represents ETU apprentices employed by group training provider MRAEL at the terminal.

This is Mitch’s first conference after being elected delegate, representing the ETU apprentice members on site Mitch has found it interesting talking to and connecting with other groups of delegates and hearing about their struggles and successes

“It’s been really interesting to hear from other delegates about their struggles, strategies and campaigns, and I have really enjoyed hearing from Luke about the union’s strong values around inclusion It’s great to see headway being made to create equal opportunities for women, First Nations People, and migrants It’s also been really informative to learn about how different delegates are dealing with issues around union recruitment and dealing with management”

Mitch was elected delegate in 2022, has seen firsthand some of the management tactics used in negotiations and knows full well that if nothing changes, nothing changes, he is well aware that it’s a numbers game “Recruitment is so important and breaking down some of the misplaced views that as apprentices on a union site that they will be looked after by the tradies whether they are members or not It’s my job to show them the reality, and share the facts that we are exposed and at the mercy of the company if we don’t get and maintain a strong collective voice Some forget we are negotiating an agreement for electrical and fitter apprentices only, not the rest of the site Our success will be based on our ability to make an impact”

There are 22 apprentices on site, 11 electrical and 11 fitters, there is also an AMWU apprentice delegate

"I found the conference very interesting and informative as we heard from activists, journalists, the head of the Ombudsman and the Electrical Safety Commissioner Probably the most important bit was learning negotiation tactics from other members."

Why did you join the union?

“Ijoinedtheuniontoencourageafairandequalworkplace,whereeveryone enjoyscomingtowork”

Advice for other young electrical workers?

“Whennegotiatingyou’vegottohaveagameplan,talkwiththeworkgroup, andlistentowhat’sgoingoninothersitesandindustries Thiswillgiveyou abalancedviewofthesituation”

Biggest influences on career

The biggest influence on Mitch’s career is his dad, “he always believed that getting a trade was a great grounding that opened up opportunities and was always something to fall back on As for my union journey, I think I took on the role of helping fellow apprentices before I was elected delegate and it was a natural progression I’ve always been interested in looking after people.”

Best thing about being a sparky?

The variety of work and the opportunities ahead are what Mitch likes best about being a sparky “You’re never doing the same thing, and there are so many different places it can take you, especially with the huge changes coming up over the next 20 or so years ”

What does it mean to you to be part of the ETU?

“Beingpartofabiggerfamily,notjustonebutallofthemembersinCentral andNorthQueensland,fightingtogetherforacommoncause,decentwages, conditionsandfairness”

The future opportunities and challenges

Mitch sees great opportunities ahead with what he describes as the rapidly evolving energy landscape, and he wants to be part of the transformation “I’m keen to get involved in the power generation and transmission area especially around the grid expansion work that will be needed to connect the booming hydro and hydrogen industries ”

While he is optimistic about the future, he also sees some challenges ahead “It will be crucial to find and retain skilled workers and ensure quality doesn’t suffer to meet tight timeframes It will require good leadership and ongoing investment into skills and training.”

How do you feel about being part of the EBA negotiations?

Mitch quotes from the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise to describe his experience being part of the negotiating team that has seen little movement from management despite negotiations being ongoing for more than 6 months

“You have to be lost to find a place that can’t be found.”

Despite the frustration over the lack of progress, Mitch is learning a lot “It is frustrating to not have achieved more in six months, we seem to be negotiating with the middleman not the decision-maker Having said that, I am learning heaps about how to navigate the misty mysterious waters of negotiation, while also learning about processes. I think I’m learning some valuable life skills as well ”

Spare time

In his spare time, Mitch enjoys working on the family farm and wake boarding

“I head down to the Mackay wake park and do a bit, it’s great fun.”

ENGINEERING A ENGINEERING A ENGINEERING A CAREER IN CAREER IN CAREER IN ENERGY ENERGY ENERGY MARY THATCHER

For proud ETU member and 3rd year apprentice Mary Thatcher, the journey to the ETU took some time, but once involved, like everything else in Mary’s life, she’s giving it a red-hot crack

After completing a four-year mechanical engineering degree followed by 4 5 years working in the engineering field, 30-year-old Mary decided it was time for a new challenge, taking up a matureaged electrical apprenticeship in the mining industry Oh, and while working as an engineer completed a master’s degree in maintenance part-time as well

“I started studying science majoring in maths at university and switched to engineering when I realised it was essentially applied maths anyway – I was up for the challenge Coming out of university, I had a list of companies, a spreadsheet and just kept applying until I got a couple of offers Financial security was a high priority at that stage, I took the highest paid offer ”

When the pandemic hit, Mary started to reassess what she wanted to do Being a reliability engineer, she saw a lot of electrical issues come through – stuff she didn’t understand It got her thinking about new challenges, and she decided she wanted to understand another field

Worn out with desk work and seeking some work-life balance, Mary made the decision she wanted a change

“So, I took the plunge, seized the day, applied and was successful in gaining an electrical fitter apprenticeship One apprentice opportunity, one interview, one offer I took it and ran with it I got the impression that they don’t come around that often ”

Mary is adamant her studies and experience have put her in great stead in her new career

“While moving from being a mechanical engineer to an electrical apprentice took a bit of getting used to, I really enjoy the challenge, they are similar but different They both rely on spatial awareness, and past experiences do count ”

“I am a firm believer in not having regrets, I go through life with what I have in front of me I go with my interests, and I love challenges ”

Making the transition to apprentice hasn’t always been easy, but again Mary takes it in her stride and reaps the rewards Common factor is dealing with humans “Some people are warm and make life enjoyable, some are not, it’s no different in the workplace Given I’ve had a fair bit of experience working with people in my previous position, I get through. Even though sometimes I need small personal acts of resistance to keep on track ”

Being ETU

“Being in the union collective, it’s not all on your shoulders, and I find it creates optimism and I feel supported While sometimes it might feel like you ’ re the only one experiencing the challenges associated around respect at work or dignity at work (access to facilities and period products) or more general power imbalances; the reality is you aren’t alone, and the union is one way of sharing strategies to cope with the challenges And that is super uplifting ”

While not working with any qualified female electricians in her current role, Mary seeks out opportunities to connect with other women at work and those connections have had some great results It helps break down the loneliness and creates a sense of solidarity

It was through one such connection that Mary became more involved in the ETU

“I was having a chat with one of the women I knew in the union, she was talking about how she was looking forward to attending the ETU women ’ s conference and how great it will be to meet so many likeminded women, finally she said ‘why don’t you come as well?’ I thought why not, so I expressed interest and got an invite I came back from the conference buzzing, and my union journey took off ”

In the future, Mary, like many of our apprentices and newer members, has a keen interest in the rise of renewables and the opportunities they will provide

“Once I get my trade certificate, the world will be my oyster, and I want to make sure I use my skills and expertise to make a better, more sustainable future There are going to be lots of opportunities in the renewables space across, manufacturing, construction, maintenance, and what to do about repurposing renewable infrastructure such as solar panels I’m interested in reducing landfill and how we can create a circular economy which reuses and repurposes stuff like solar panels ”

Mary loves that her new career provides what she calls universal skills that can be used inside and outside of work

“I like that I learn new skills, some that haven’t been in accessible by women historically, I like that fact that, culturally, things are changing, and I am part of that change Simple transferable skills such as using power tools provide opportunities for resistance and empowerment ”

Mary has some sage advice for women thinking about a career in the electrical trade: just do it!

APPRENTICES APPRENTICES

As expected, 2023 has kicked off with a bang in the apprentice space with inductions of new apprentices across the contracting, rail, transmission and supply industries, occurring in numbers we haven’t seen in many years, this is great to see Welcome aboard to all the new ETU apprentice members receiving the journal for the first time!

With the uptick in work, we ’ ve also seen a lot of existing apprentices switching employers This has brought some issues to the surface regarding profiling

I’ve come across a number of employers getting spiteful and refusing to approve profiling once the apprentice has pulled the pin If this is happening to you, please get in touch as there are a number of ways we can rectify it This is also a good reminder for apprentices to ensure they keep their profiling up to date and accurate so that their employer has less of an opportunity to try to do you out of your hard worked hours

Industrially, there is a lot going on this year for apprentices

We’re about to begin bargaining with MRAEL for their Black Coal Industry EBA and at the end of this year we’ll be looking at the renegotiation of the Electrogroup Apprentice EBA

CENTRAL

QUEENSLAND

QAL

ETU members at QAL - Rio Tinto recently had a huge win in their EA campaign Under the previous system, the employer decided each year the percentage value of their pay rise in line with QAL management’s own ‘market appraisal ’ Members then had to attend a PER (personal evaluation review) interview with their superintendent to decide what percentage of the market percentage they would receive. This disadvantaged anyone who raised safety issues that could be seen as ‘troublemakers’, anyone who had personality clashes with bosses, and led to favoritism given to bosses mates

QAL ETU members were understandably frustrated, and this was the number one claim in their log of claims, and, after a year of negotiating, being brushed off by management and the agreement being voted down numerous times, members voted to take protected action. Actions included: no working overtime, no higher duties, no working with contractors, and a number of rolling stoppages with Scabby the Rat in attendance Geez, don’t the Rio’s of the world hate Scabby rocking up and standing side by side with disgruntled workers! AMWU members were also involved, but, unfortunately the third union represented onsite was busy hiding under a rock and was nowhere to be seen.

Bay Coal Terminals EBA with both of these expected to be finalised by the time this goes to print

We’ve also got a couple of new union EBAs in the contracting group training space over the line with apprentices now working under ETU documents which see them getting industry standard entitlements well above the award, and jump-up provisions ensuring they’re paid in-line with host agreements

There is no reason any apprentice sho working in our industry under bare aw conditions, and we need to continue to agitate on the job to change it Better rates and conditions are there for the taking, apprentices just need to be willing to get involved, stand up together as union members with their union and take them!

LukeEllis

EAs in progress

• I&C Instrumentation and Electrical

• Austrak

• QMG Kunawarra

• QMAG Parkhurst

• Downer

• UGL APLNG

• UGL GLNG

• Cement Australia

• Mono’s Curtis Island

• WICET -Wiggins Island Coal Terminal

• Longreach Regional Council

ETU Gladstone Office has now moved to 81 Hanson Road (opposite Toyota, next to the Silver Grill, I should be set up by the time this goes to print

hS a wn Higgins Shawn

THEDRUMSOF THEDRUMSOF PEACE PEACE

By Andrew Irvine By Andrew Irvine

Late last year, I had the opportunity to attend and contribute to the annual Independent and Peaceful Australia Network (IPAN) conference, AGM and associated meetings The conference brought together a wide variety of activists committed to working towards an independent and peaceful Australia

While listening to professors, eminent researchers, media people, academics, retired and current military, unionists and activists, I was struck by the diversity of the groups and heartened by the commitment they all showed towards striving for peace Then my mind turned to a comment made by peace activist and longtime newsreader Mary Kostakidis when she stated that the Charting Our Own Course Report “calling for an independent foreign policy in the is country is akin to heresy” and as such it was a ‘brave thing to do’ It rocked me, standing up for Australia’s sovereign interests and peace, is a brave thing to do Let’s just let that sink in for a minute

The conference and the report talk about the pursuit of peace and independence in ways that make sense, this isn’t just hippies and anarchists giving peace signs and providing no tangible alternatives, these are thoughtful experts who understand the need to protect Australia and its people from all threats, experts who observe the increasing militarisation of Australia as a threat to our sovereignty and our democracy If we want peace, we are going to have to care enough to campaign for it There is no easy option, but there are alternatives to our current course that arguably leaves us more susceptible to foreign aggression than less despite the massive outlays in military spending

What are the alternatives to an increasingly one-sided US alliance? What could we as a country do with the hundreds of billions of dollars attached to the AUKUS Sub deal These were some of the questions posed during the three days While we didn’t have all the answers, they are questions that deserve to be considered and debated

UN RESOLUTION: It is a fundamental human right to expect to live in peace

Almost 40 years ago, the Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace was passed by the UN General Assembly resolution 39/11 12 – November 1984 which stated among other things that:

Solemnly declares that the preservation of the right of peoples to peace and the promotion of its implementation constitute a fundamental obligation of each State;

Emphasizes that ensuring the exercise of the right of peoples to peace demands that the policies of States be directed towards the elimination of the threat of war, particularly nuclear war, the renunciation of the use of force in international relations and the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means on the basis of the Charter of the United Nations

Do you believe our current and former governments actively pursued/are pursuing peace?

Current Labor government

Rubber stamped a $368 billion AUKUS Nuclear subs and military deal that benefits the US and UK far more than Australia while costing Australian taxpayers massive amounts of money Money that could be better spent on housing, health, education, infrastructure and employment and training in new energy technologies Hesitancy in signing and ratifying the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) and think of the secrecy surrounding the ‘gifting’ of US nuclear-capable B52 bombers to be stationed in Darwin For the so-called party of progressive politics, they are yet to show real backbone in pursuing a foreign policy that has peace and Australia’s interests as its goal

While the previous government was more honest, they never pursued peace, championed by warmongerer Peter Dutton, they seemed hellbent on provoking a war with China, with the infamous Prepare for War rhetoric and the menacing pre-election text messages and post-election hawkishness Meanwhile, Morrison was quietly destroying our sovereignty by tearing up the French submarine deal that would have been in the national interests, providing a local protection made here, employing Australian workers, and providing a boost for local manufacturing – in favour of an AUKUS sham Hardly the promotion of peace

MILITARISATION

It is estimated that as much as 90% of military hardware manufacturing companies operating in Australia are foreignowned with profits going overseas.

AUKUS COSTS AND RISK

The AUKUS Pact signed by Scott Morrison and rubber stamped by Anthony Albanese commits the Australian taxpayers through the budget forward estimates to spend up to $368,000,000,000, that’s right $368b over the next 20-30 years, funds that could help eradicate poverty and homelessness and fund all of our health and education needs as well as our electricity grid updates and still have billions left over. The Anti Poverty Centre summed up the hypocrisy "The government has proven that poverty is a political choice with its latest military spending announcement $368 billion for submarines over 30 years we can afford. Keeping people housed, fed and the supports they need to survive? Apparently we can’t afford. People are struggling to keep a roof over their heads..." Meanwhile we have LNP leader Dutton advocating cuts to the NDIS to cover some of the initial $3b funding to prop up US shipbuilding… the world has gone mad.

NUCLEAR RISK, SOVEREIGN RISK

DID DID YOU YOU KNOW KNOW ?

The ports of Brisbane, Newcastle and Wollongong are being suggested as suitable for housing these nuclear submarines. Newcastle and Wollongong Councils have publicly opposed the proposal, Brisbane City Council has not.

WAR POWERS

Unlike the US where Congress approval is required to send troops to war, that decision in Australia is made by the prime minister, either acting alone or with a handful of cabinet members The process bypasses the need to debate and consult with our elected representatives in Parliament and provides no opportunity to ask critical questions such as: the exact purpose of the deployment; the legality; the Iikely human costs; the economic costs; what would constitute success; and alternatives to military action in dealing with the situation.

TREATY FOR PROHIBITION OF NUCLAER WEAPONS

Labor was elected on a commitment to sign and ratify this treaty Six months in, the government has failed to keep its promise.

What can I do? What can I do?

• Join IPAN and commit to being active.

• Read the report

• Lobby state and federal MP’s and mayoral candidates to support the following peace initiatives.

1 The declaration of Queensland and the NT as Nuclear Free Zones.

2. The signing and ratification of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons

3. A ban on the construction of new and/or use of existing Qld or NT port facilities for the refuelling or stationing of any nuclear powered submarines

AUSTRALIAN INVOLVEMENT IN A US-INITIATED WAR WITH CHINA IS NOT INEVITABLE THERE ARE CHOICES

How unions can play our role in drowning out the drums of war orchestrated by our outdated US military alliance.

VALEMURPH VALEMURPH REMEMBERINGJEFFREYMURPHY

27 Nov 1947 - 30 Sept 2022

We regret to advise of the passing of Honorary Member Jeffrey Murphy Those who knew Jeffrey will remember that he always had the best interests of his fellow workers at heart. Jeffrey Murphy commenced his Electrical Apprenticeship at North Ipswich Railway Workshops in January 1963 and qualified as Electrical Fitter/ Mechanic in early 1968

He resigned from Queensland Rail not long after and moved to Western Australia to work in the mining industry and returned to Ipswich from Western Australia in 1974 after his father was tragically killed in the Box Flat mine explosion in 1972 He then regained employment at North Ipswich Railway Workshops after a short stint of employment with Ipswich electrical contractor, RT Edwards He transferred to Redbank Railway Workshops shortly after where he became active in the ETU on-site before being elected as Shop Steward.

His skills and abilities as a Union leader and negotiator were further recognised when he was elected as President of the Redbank Workshops Combined Unions Committee

He stood down from the ETU Shop Steward position in 1983 but remained active as the Deputy Shop Steward and also President of the Combined Unions for several more years

Up until the early 1990’s the operations of the Queensland Government Railways and its employees was governed by the Railways Act Under this Act all employees’ performance was covered by By-Laws, including a disciplinary process which required that employees be subject to legalistic type charges for breaching these By-Laws They were then required to either plead guilty or not guilty to the charges. If they were deemed by Management to be guilty of the charge and either fined, suspended or dismissed, they were then entitled to lodge an appeal to an Appeal Court which consisted of a Stipendiary Magistrate, a representative of the Commissioner and an employees’ representative Employees were also able to access this court if they were unsuccessful in being appointed to higher grade positions Jeffrey once again stepped up to represent his fellow workers and was appointed as one of the employee representatives on the Board which required him to undertake a considerable amount of training and responsibility and travel to various Rail Centres around the State

MACKAY MACKAY MACKAY REGION & REGION & REGION & COAL COAL COAL

Coal industry Coal industry

There's plenty happening in the mining sector, with a shortage of skilled workers, the mining companies are scrambling to secure workers to keep their operations running

Currently (at time of writing) negotiating first and second tier operators Enterprise Agreements, the ETU has secured some major changes in recent months, especially within the BHP Coal (BMA) Agreement which will need to be the new level for agreements moving forward

Olive Downs has commenced the construction phase but still only getting started This work will be ongoing for (approx) two years Thiess has the operations of the mine once up and running

During the 1990’s the Southern Division of QR’s Workshops which then consisted of significant operations at the historical North Ipswich Workshops as well as Redbank and Banyo, went through a restructuring and downsizing to consolidate operations onto the Redbank Site To help deal with the impact on employees the Unions were able to achieve the temporary appointment of a number of Peer Supporters whose role was to provide advice and assistance to their fellow workers who were considering their options for a career change either within QR or with alternative employers or even redundancy Given his experience Jeffrey was a natural choice and was appointed to one of the Peer Supporter positions from 1996 to 1998.

Over all these years Jeffrey was heavily involved with his local ALP Branch But with great disappointment he decided to resign his membership in 2010 after the Bligh State Government proceeded with the selloff of State Government assets which included QR’s Freight, Coal and Workshops operations

Jeffrey’s commitment to serving his fellow workers is also demonstrated by his long involvement with the Redbank Workshops Canteen Committee which provided a facility on site where a considerable range of food and drinks etc was available for purchase

Another thing that Jeffrey was passionate about was maintaining good morale and comradery amongst his fellow workers So as well as all his other activities he also took a leading role in the site’s Social Club, organising raffles and other fund raising and social events for fellow workers to participate in

Jeffrey retired from employment with Aurizon as it is now known in 2011

So as you can see much of Jeffrey’s life was committed to serving his fellow workers Sadly QR’s Railway Workshops no longer exist and many who worked there over the years may have mixed memories of their time there, but surely the good memories will be because of people like Jeffrey Murphy. RIP Murph.

Article contributed by Clive Cooke, Shop Steward, Redbank Railway Workshops 1983 – 2012

Contracting Contracting

There's not much happening at the moment in the Mackay region for construction There are some smaller ongoing jobs including service stations and re-fits of buildings, but nothing on a project scale except Olive Downs

Olive Downs is not on the same scale as the Carmichael Mine project, and there is no enterprise agreement in place With multiple contractors on the site, there may be issues throughout the works

Membership info Membership info

During a recent round of site visits, it was identified that we had members with incorrect details on the ETU membership system, I urge every member reading this journal to make sure their employer and personal details are up to date so that we can make sure we get relevant information to members and if needed, we can provide updates on matters relating to their employer

TOOWOOMBA & SOUTH WEST

QUEENSLAND

Vale Mark Stehn

Recently we were saddened by the passing of Comrade Mark Stehn

After a long battle with cancer and with his family by his side Mark passed away peacefully

A long-term ETU member of over 19 years, Mark will be remembered fondly “Affectionally known as Big Fella, Mark was a real comrade and very respected brother in the Toowoomba and SW region, always the first to put his hand up to help in any campaign that would improve the working lives of his fellow ETU members and will be sadly missed by members in those parts ” said Former ETU President Chris McGaw

Mark was also well known for his opinion on “Right-wing media bullshit” as most of us will agree

On behalf of the Electrical Trade Union of Queensland and the Northern Territory we pass on our heartfelt condolences to Mark’s family, friends and work colleagues

Vale – Mark Stehn.

McIntyre Wind Project

The project managers and main contractor at McIntyre Wind Farm, Acciona, continue their record of poor safety with multiple vehicle/plant incidents

The latest being a mobile crane coming into contact with a 127KV SWER powerline whilst moving a water tank on a property adjacent to the wind farm The operator of the mobile crane was a very lucky worker, jumping from the cab as the mobile crane caught on fire Workplace Health and Safety Queensland visited the scene and issued several improvement and prohibition notices to Acciona

On a positive note for members, we have Yurika Energy about to commence work on the project Yurika will bring a level of safety and professionalism that will lead the way and hopefully show Acciona what is expected on Queensland’s major projects UGL continues to build transmission lines and substations for Powerlink to connect the project to the national energy grid

Gatton Prison

Construction continues slowly after the Christmas break with safety issues and weather delays continuing to plague the project The ramp-up in employment hasn’t happened as we had expected With Easter fast approaching, a change in attitude toward safety and weather will be very welcome

BIG T – (Lake Cressbrook Pumped Hydro)

BE Power have commissioned Bechtel to plan for the $12 billion, 400MW pumped hydro project Once planning and financing is complete, the hope is that initial road works for access will start towards the end of 2023 Construction and commissioning is believed to take the best part of four years

New Toowoomba Hospital Project

Initial haul roads have started to be constructed for the highly-anticipated new Toowoomba Hospital The Hospital is to be built on the Baillie Henderson site in North Toowoomba Conjecture around the make-up of companies that will build the $13 billion project continues with tenders still open at the time of writing

Wandoan South Solar Project

Wandoan Solar Farm is currently under construction with Mega Watt Power doing the bulk of the electrical works On recent visits to site, we reminded Mega Watt Power of their obligation to workers and will continue to work with GRS and Mega Watt Power to improve amenities and facilities for members

Western Downs Solar Project

This project is coming to the end of construction, and commissioning of the solar project is continuing UGL has won the tender to build a 200MW battery to provide up to 400MWh of power storage

Ergon Energy

A big shout out to all our members who continue to do the hard yards by keeping our distribution network up and running during storm season On our recent visit to Charleville, we saw first-hand the important work that all Energy Queensland employees do When a 66 KV concrete pole failed in an extreme wind event between Charleville and Cunnamulla, all hands were on deck with help from the local council to build an access road, resulting in a temporary pole being put in place to get the power back on

Damo

ROB

46 YEARS ON THE RIGHT TRACK

was born in Moranbah in 1989, she now lives in Bundy and works in a vet clinic. The youngest Hayden was born in Bundaberg in 1993, he is in the army, and while he is now based in Amberley near Ipswich, he was based in Darwin, he also has two children

it's not every day that an ETU organiser presents a 40 year membership certificate to a union member In 2023, Sunshine Coast and Wide Bay organiser Dan Bessell presented one to Queensland proud member Rob Bickmore

Retired signals electrician and proud 40+ year ETU member

Our great union is made up people from all walks of life, cultures and communities, for some, electrical work was not their first-choice career for many more it was We are proud of our history and excited about the future

Rob Bickmore’s story is one of performance, expertise, and longevity. The following is snapshot of Rob’s career spanning 46 years in Queensland Rail, 42 of them as a proud ETU member During his career Rob has at times gone above and beyond the role to save lives, while a other times, the important role he performs has been under the microscope One thing for sure Rob has left a legacy, and he will be missed.

The early days, family and starting a lasting career

Originally from Brisbane, Rob started his electrical career as an Apprentice Electrical Fitter Mechanic at the Queensland Rail Banyo workshops in January 1977. In 1981, he completed his apprenticeship and soon after, joined the ETU in October of that year, remaining a member throughout his career After stints in Mackay and Moranbah, in 1991 Rob secured a position as a signal electrician in Bundaberg, a place where Rob and his wife of 40 years, Susanne, raised their family and made home for the rest of Rob’s career

Rob and Susanne met at the Homestead Hotel Zillmere in 1979 and got married three years later in October 1982 Back in the 80’s The Homestead wasn’t just another pub, it was a thriving live music venue that hosted some of Australia’s iconic bands including INX, Crowded House, Midnight Oil and Cold Chisel

“They used to have live music at night at the Homestead back in the day where we first met. Last year we celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary, and we have three children and two grandchildren ”

Like many members who move around in their job, Rob was no different, so much so that he and Susanne had a child from each place they were based Samantha was born in Mackay back in 1986, she now lives in Ipswich where she works in hospitality and day care, Amanda

“Our granddaughters now 4 and 5 years old were born in Bundaberg, but with Hayden being in Darwin we didn’t see them in person for a while, now they are in Ipswich we get to see them regularly, which is great.”

While not brought up in a strictly union family, Rob knew what his father believed, and those beliefs did influence his views on life and careers including whether to join the union or not

“My dad Len had a strong dislike of Bjelke Joh He was a strong Labor man who believed in a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work. And when it came to discussions about working as an electrician and joining the union, he thought my career choice was a good one and suggested I join the union when I could It’s fair to say my father’s views did have influence over my career choices and view on life ”

After 46 years keeping trains on the right track, it’s time to turn off and enjoy the next journey.

Becoming a sparky

“The job appealed to me and as stated above, dad thought it was a good idea as well, so I applied for a few apprenticeships and Queensland Rail was the first to offer me a job I did some signals training and work in Brisbane, but mostly in Mackay and qualified as a Signal Electrician Grade 1 in August 1983, I then got my first grade 1 job in Moranbah and then transferred to Bundaberg I enjoyed working outdoors and the fault finding could be challenging We don’t have a lot of backups or spares in the regions, so you must think on your feet to get the results required.”

After 46 years in the railways, Rob will miss the people he worked with the most “I will miss my workmates and seeing the younger ones in our team improving their skills ” According to long term workmate and Bundaberg depot delegate Barry Schmidt, one of Rob’s great passions was passing on his knowledge and skills to younger electricians

Improvements and challenges over 46 years

Back when Rob first started his career, safety was primarily reactive and initiatives like fatigue management were essentially non-existent. The improvement in workplace safety over the years has been a big highlight for Rob and he reckons the massive changes around fatigue management is a huge win for workers “There have been some big improvements to workplace safety since the 80’s when I started,” says Rob “I would have to say fatigue risk management programmes are one of the biggest highlights for me There was virtually zero fatigue management in the early days at QR and now we have some of the best.”

While the headlines around Bjelke Petersen’s attack on workers were often limited to SEQEB and PowerStation workers, in a sign of the times Rob was also caught up in the spiteful premier’s attacks “The SEQEB dispute was a massive dispute for the union, and I can remember we all got suspended and threatened with the sack at the Mackay QR depot if we supported the SEQEB industrial action We needed to stand together and support our fellow members in their industrial action, so we went on strike as well. The suspension lasted a fortnight before it was scrapped, when they realised, they wouldn’t have any one if things went pear shaped ”

Rob’s seen a lot of changes and faced a lot of challenges in his almost half century career with Queensland Rail but some challenges spring to mind for vastly different reasons As a signal electrician, Rob’s job either on his own or in a team is to maintain the integrity of the signalling system from points to signalling at level crossings where the rail infrastructure interfaces with road transport, it also includes fault rectification and battery back-ups

Rob recalls a particularly weird day when he had to maintain his composure when responding to a call out following a level crossing accident that had resulted in a fatality

“It was a very strange feeling seeing this fella and his bike at the side of the road after having collided with a train on a level crossing, from looking at him you couldn’t tell he was dead, he looked like he was asleep The crossing had to be thoroughly tested while the person was still there The number of tests was comprehensive, and I had to be very thorough I then also found myself in the witness box at the Coroners Enquiry. That was another level of stress again, suits and all that, it was nerve racking. But I kept my composure and proved the crossing was working correctly ”

Having an ability to assess situations and work through things methodically and with a level head is something that wife Susanne admires about Rob

“A few years ago, I had a fall in the backyard and cracked my head on the concrete, Rob was very calm and level-headed, called the ambulance and reassured me. He even got a clean tea towel from the kitchen, I thought he might have got a rag from the garage which was closer, but he didn’t ”

During a search for a suitable picture frame for a funny picture about grandkids visiting and the mess they leave behind, Susanne and Rob came across a commendation Rob received back in 2004 for going above and beyond his role

“Yeah, I got a commendation for helping a bloke out at a truck crash, I remember I was en route to a fault, when I came across a truck overturned and on fire with the driver still in it, I assessed the situation and was able to drag him out to safety ” Once again, Rob’s level headedness enabled him to assess and act safely

One of the biggest challenges Rob and his crew faced was rebuilding after the devastation the Bundaberg community suffered at the hands of extropical Cyclone Oswald is 2013 Rob recalls

“Another challenge that was very different from the ones mentioned above due to the enormity of its impact, was the Bundaberg floods in 2013 The devastation in North Bundaberg was unbelievable I can still remember driving into North Bundy on the designated route and seeing all the houses and businesses that were destroyed. That caused a lot of work for us and with the support from other depots which was much appreciated, we were able to rebuild ”

Most memorable union campaign

“The ETU ran Not4Sale campaigns that got rid of Bligh and Newman were highlights for me They were great campaigns by the ETU which got the outcomes we wanted ”

QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS

What does being an ETU member mean to you?

For Rob, being an ETU member has been a very positive experience, he’s proud of the improvements the union has made in safety and conditions “I am glad I joined the union it has been a very positive experience The ETU has done a great job of improving safety and conditions over the years I also always felt the ETU dealt with issues related to our jobs and industry better than other unions.”

Favourite holiday destination

“My sisters cattle farm in Victoria, Birdsville was great and I really enjoyed Norfolk Island as well.”

What’s something your mates wouldn’t know about you?

“Nothing really, what you see is what you get good and bad ”

“Rob was passionate about passing on his knowledge and skills to apprentices and younger members, he was never afraid to share what he knew and took on an unofficial mentoring role with ease, he will be sorely missed.”

Proudest personal moments

“Would have to be my family’s milestones with marriages and births and just seeing the children moving on with their lives ”

Favourite thing to do to relax?

“I don’t know if you could call it relaxing all the time, but I enjoy my Old Holdens, and the Club activities associated with them ” Rob has two Holdens one is a HR Premier sedan Which he says “Is a little bit rare because it has a 186S engine, a four-speed gearbox and a Limited Slip Differential. The other is a base model WB One Tonner four speed with a Blue 202. Both are close to original, the HR more so.”

Rob’s interest in Holdens led him to the Bundaberg Early Holden Club of which he has been a member for many years, president for four years and is currently serving as vice president

I guess that qualifies me as an enthusiast. I was in disbelief when Holden was shut down and disappointed to see them cease racing, there was a great and successful history there, it will never be repeated ”

What are you looking forward to doing most in retirement?

According to Susanne “Travel we are planning to go travelling to Tasmania as well as the Cape ” Rob agrees “Yep, travel is high on the agenda we now have a caravan so I would like to travel with it, Susanne and I used to go on driving holiday’s with a camper trailer, so I look forward to continuing that, but in more comfort.”

What his comrade and delegate Barry Schmidt has to say about Rob. Barry has known Rob for at least 30 years – while working out of the Bundaberg QR depot including 11 years as his delegate.

Rob has always been interested in finding out what is going on, especially around EB time, where he would provide input and seek feedback during the process. Rob was one of those members who was committed to achieving outcomes for himself and other members as well, he was interested in knowing what concerns were doing the rounds and how they could be resolved, he was/is a good solid unionist

He was passionate about passing on his knowledge and skills to apprentices and younger members, he was never afraid to share what he knew and took on an unofficial mentoring role with ease, he will be sorely missed around here.

“He’s taken a wealth of knowledge and expertise with him, and it’s sad that businesses often underestimate and take for granted the skills and knowledge people like Rob have.

We’ll miss you mate, but all the best with your retirement

THE BEST THE BEST TRADE FOR TRADE FOR WOMEN WOMEN

With a significant skills shortage in our very near future, the industry is scrambling for more electrical workers. Latest estimates tell us we’ll need an additional 100 000 workers nation-wide to complete upcoming construction projects and build infrastructure for, and to maintain renewable energy assets With women representing only 2% of workers in the electrical industry in Australia, we’re currently missing the potential for recruiting around 50% of the population There’s a myriad of reasons women are underrepresented in our industry, and in all blue collar industries in Australia and across the world, but they all stem from one.

Studies tell us that by the time a child is two or three, they have internalised gender stereotypes With less representation of women in blue collar industries, most girls of just a few years old will have subconsciously ruled out a career on the tools For a teen or young woman to reconsider a trade, she will have to unlearn and relearn what a tradesperson looks like.

Many ETU women began their trade because a brother, father, or uncle is or was an electrical worker, but plenty of young women and girls will not have had this experience As the old saying goes, you can’t be what you can’t see The less women we have in the industry, the less will consider the trade, and the circle continues

For many women in our union, the trade has not always been easy. Many tradeswomen are the only women on their site, depot, or workplace, which can be an isolating experience A significant number of women report wanting to quit their apprenticeship due to workplace harassment, bullying, or discrimination These events, predicably, are more prominent on non-union sites

The challenge is that while many workplaces are unfriendly to women, how do we encourage women into the industry? With young school leavers commencing the trade at 17 or 18 years old, it can be an intimidating and daunting experience to enter a workplace Most apprentices will have or have had this experience, regardless of gender

The women’s rights movement has always walked alongside the union movement Women’s rights at work have been advanced by the union movement. It was less than 50 years ago, in 1974, that the ‘females minimum wage’ was abolished, creating one minimum wage for all adults This was due to ongoing campaigning by the union movement ETU members know that being treated equally in the workplace is a fundamental part of unionism

All unionists also know that there is power and strength in numbers

More women on the tools, more women in the trade, means more power to stand up for what’s right at work. Your union is around 95% men, and your workplace likely sits at around the same Union members also know that we call out behaviour that’s not right, whether it’s an unsafe workplace, bullying or harassment from bosses, or discrimination based on gender

No matter your gender or your position at work, look out for your workmates and call out the bullshit. Whether it’s the boss giving a woman a hard time or your workmates making sexist jokes – it’s not okay, and it needs to be called out, just as you would call out a safety issue on site Harassment, discrimination, or bullying at work is a workplace health and safety issue, and should be dealt with as such whether this means speaking to your delegate or calling your organiser

As a union we can make our industry better for women, whether that be in construction or the supply industry, in government and council roles, or in remote depots in outback Australia. The electrical industry is already known to be one of the best trades for women, with high pay, and good conditions won by your union Together we can make it even better and see more women entering the trade as our industry leads the way into a renewable future

QUEENSLAND

QBuild, TMR and QHealth QBuild, TMR and QHealth

At the time of writing, I am pleased to advise that members at each of the government departments; QBuild, TMR and QHealth have agreed in principle to the relevant offers It is pleasing for me to stand shoulder to shoulder with these staunch members who did not take a backwards step throughout negotiations and forced their respective employers to put a reasonable offer on the table

Members in QBuild held management to account by engaging in Protected Industrial Action and refusing to work away jobs, which expedited the negotiations The QBuild members were respectfully vocal when the minister attended site, and he would have been left very sure of the passion and resolve of the membership as they rolled up their sleeves during the campaign TMR members also refused to work away and staunchly defended their comrades when locked out in the Central Region This resulted in strike action and the matter was resolved within hours QHealth members have been through their own set of challenges in recent years with recalcitrant management running at them for any and all issues They were hardened for the battle but did not have to exert as much as the other departments locally, partly because of the reputation they had gained over the previous

Farewell but Farewell but Farewell but not goodbye not goodbye not goodbye

At the end of 2022, we said farewell to North Queensland organiser Wal Giordani, who has since commenced the role as Field Officer for CBus Super While Wal is no longer an official of our union, it's not goodbye Wal has already begun attending mass meetings as the CBus rep, and is assisting members in transitioning to retirement. Wal had a few words to say to members as he prepared to transition to his new role last year

Over the past 17 years I have been the ETU North Queensland organiser, but the time has come for me to step aside and pass the baton on to the next generation of staunch unionists This was not an easy decision to come to but from what I’ve seen with the next generation of organisers, under the leadership of our state secretary Peter Ong, the union is in good hands and will only go from strength to strength into the future

Over my period as organiser, the ETU has faced many difficult challenges, Work Choices and the Newman government’s Privatisation Bill to name a few, but united together we have been able to stand strong and overcome these issues for the betterment of the union movement and its members

I have also met many wonderful and interesting people in my role as organiser Firstly, the bonds and friendships I have made with my ETU

campaign and since, but also because the current crop of lower level managers have been floated into positions of influence from the floor, and their model is to treat workers with respect and consult through issues Such a refreshing change for a workplace that was once the very worst industrially in the region due to bosses’ attitudes As I said, I would happily have any of these members in my corner any day and it is a privilege to work with and for them

Construction has again slowed in the region with the Cairns Convention Centre and the Mental Health facility the only real jobs of note under construction

There is a HPS high rise that is nearing completion and an Ergon Energy depot refurbishment that is out to tender currently In good news, a massive hospital project and the second stage of the Cairns Naval Base will require construction sparkies in the near future

CleanCo are entering into negotiations with us and the other relevant unions as we speak It is still early days, and the agreement hasn’t expired yet, but CleanCo seem very wedded to the GOC wages policy and it may take a little flexing to drag a decent offer out of them

Queensland Rail's EBA is also up for renegotiation, and although members have fed their log ideas to Coordinator Jason Young, it is early days, watch this space

It was pleasing to be a part of the Ergon Energy Apprentice Inductions recently when 24 new apprentices started There were a few that were internally sponsored apprentices, all varied in age and there were quite a few women entering this male-dominated industry, which was pleasing to see We know that 25% of the blue-collar Ergon workforce are at retirement age in the next 10 – 15 years and this current crop will go some way to filling some of that gap

There are imminent job opportunities in QBuild, which is about to advertise two trades positions Ergon Energy, who need to ramp up to address their current record works programme, and vicariously the Supply Industry Contractors will no doubt flex up as well, and the Cairns Convention Centre will also ramp up soon

RobHill

Hilly

comrades, both past and present, in Brisbane, across the state and nationally will last a lifetime I have also formed strong friendships and relationships with many other organisers and unionists from other unions as we battled to represent workers’ rights

But the most important people have been the members that have stepped up to the plate in their own workplaces to become ETU delegates Without these men and women, I, on behalf of the ETU, would not have been able to achieve half the outcomes I have I urge all members to support the delegates within their workplace as these members play an important role within the ETU in protecting workers wages and conditions

It has been an honour and privilege to have been given the opportunity to represent members and stand up for workers’ rights I have always given 100% to my role and I hope I have done the ETU and its members proud

I'll take this opportunity to thank all members within my region for your support over the last 17 years and remember, be “PROUD TO BE UNION and PROUDER TO BE ETU”

Wal Giordani

ETU North Queensland Organiser

2006 – 2022

MEET SHARKEY

Introducing Liam Sharkey, the ETU’s newest organiser taking over the north Queensland patch so well represented by Wal Giordani for over 17 years

“Fighting and standing up for workers isn’t a job to me, it’s a passion! Being able to make a difference in someone’s life, achieve wins and outcomes for workers is what drives me to get up, keep fighting and give my all for members every day!”

Back in May 2019, Liam was an ETU delegate attending his first Biennial Conference, fast forward to December 2022 and Liam is settling into his new role as state organiser for the North Queensland region Back in 2019, we wrote a short piece about Liam’s experience at the conference, and even back then you couldn’t question his commitment and passion for standing up for workers

“I chose to put my hand up [to be a delegate] as I have always been vocal with raising issues and believe I am reasonable and fair in my dealings I enjoy being someone my workmates can turn to for help and advice, raising issues and helping come up with solutions to better our workplace for everyone, and most of all achieving positive outcomes for all our ETU members in our workplace and industry.”

Liam was born in Australia’s Sugar Capital, Mackay, but has lived and worked most of his 32 years on the Gold Coast Born in 1990 to Leo, 73, and Therese, 72, Liam joined older sister Karen, born 5 years prior, to complete the clan Both parents migrated from Europe, with Leo hailing from Ireland and Therese from Malta While their families were from different parts of the same continent, they did have some striking similarities

“Both my parents grew up on farms, my dad on a beef farm in Ireland while mum grew on a cane farm in Mackay after her parents migrated from Malta”

The Sharkey clan has another thing in common – they have all been proud members of their union at one time or another

“My dad, while he is retired now, was an electrician by trade After moving out to Australia when he was 20, dad worked in various jobs ending up with QANTAS where he worked for more than 30 years and was a passionate member of the TWU and a workplace delegate at various times While his mum performed various administrative roles from the age of 15 onwards including a 10-year period with AGC Finance where she was a member of the old Federated Clerks Union (ASU) Later in life, she worked in the office at Catholic Education until she retired at 70” While Liam’s sister Karen is the Women’s Heath Pharmacist working out of the Gold Coast University Hospital with Q Health “My sister Karen has been in pharmacy since leaving school and is a long-time member of her union, UWU”

The journey begins...

“I decided I wanted to be an electrician after completing work experience for a big EBA company Richard Flanagan and Company working on the Gold Coast Casino upgrade 2 days a week in year 10 when I was around 15 years old Following that positive experience, I completed an electrical pre-vocational course with Electrogroup while I was in year 12 Once I completed high school I applied for an apprenticeship through Electrogroup, but while I couldn’t find a host, I did find the union, or more accurately, it found me An organiser from the ETU came into to talk to the new recruits about the union what it did and so on and I remember going home to get dad’s opinion He explained the benefits and advised me ‘to join and get involved’ which I did”

Following a short period of time Liam was successful in getting a directly-employed apprenticeship with the same company he had completed work experience with, RFC Armed with his union membership and a desire to learn so began Liam’s electrical industry and ETU journey

Liam says working in a decently-sized EBA company was a massive plus Not only did he get experience in construction, service and solar but most importantly he got a great union education as well “Being a large

“I decided I wanted to be an electrician after completing work experience for a big EBA company Richard Flanagan and Company working on the Gold Coast Casino upgrade 2 days a week in year 10 when I was around 15 years old Following that positive experience, I completed an electrical pre-vocational course with Electrogroup while I was in year 12 Once I completed high school I applied for an apprenticeship through Electrogroup, but while I couldn’t find a host, I did find the union, or more accurately, it found me An organiser from the ETU came into to talk to the new recruits about the union what it did and so on and I remember going home to get dad’s opinion He explained the benefits and advised me ‘to join and get involved’ which I did”

Following a short period of time Liam was successful in getting a directly-employed apprenticeship with the same company he had completed work experience with, RFC Armed with his union membership and a desire to learn so began Liam’s electrical industry and ETU journey

Liam says working in a decently-sized EBA company was a massive plus Not only did he get experience in construction, service and solar but most importantly he got a great union education as well “Being a large EBA company I was lucky to work around plenty of great tradies and staunch unionists who took me in and educated me They also instilled proper union values into me from the beginning of my electrical career which have stuck with me and shaped me into the person I am today”

The good, the bad, and the downright ugly

Over the next 13 or so years Liam worked in a variety of roles across different sectors of the industry He’s been in construction, service, solar, state government and FIFO During this time, he has regularly been elected to the role of delegate by his peers and before taking on the organiser role, he was a state senior delegate

Like so many in our industry, Liam has experienced the camaraderie of FIFO life, the euphoria of victory and the outrageous realities of industrial bastardry firsthand He talks us through some of the most poignant

“One highlight for me would have to be while working over in the west building a big mining camp With all of us being away from our families on a 4 week on 1 week off FIFO roster the crew we had on that job created a workplace culture which was like one big family From the storeman to the project managers, we all looked after each other, and genuinely cared about each other Lifelong friendships were created on that job, it was really something special to be a part of”

“The worst workplace I have ever worked in is a particular depot I was at, which was purely on the back of the toxic local management This was a management that was untrustworthy, dishonest, anti-worker and anti-union, which was felt within and around the entire workplace With bullying of workers and constant attacks on our trade over the years I worked there, it was the worst I have ever witnessed and was a really tough environment to handle”

“However, despite the toxic management culture at that depot, the culture and camaraderie amongst the workers and work crews there and across the state was the complete opposite It was without a doubt the best union cultured workplace I have ever been a part of, with the local membership always at or around 95% - 100% at that depot and above 90% across the whole state We have active delegates and a great structure in place which ensures every member’s voice is heard, every member has each other’s back, it really was a thing of beauty If one member anywhere in the state, got a raw deal every member stood up!”

“I have been a part of some successful EBA wins over the years, but the one that stands out to me was when we achieved pay parity with another

department When I first arrived the union presence was not overly strong, and the wages for tradespeople were well below par With an EBA coming up I got to work educating and listening Over time we turned the union culture around completely, at one stage we achieved 100% membership as we geared up for a fight to achieve a fair outcome in the soon to be negotiated EBA”

Delegate to organiser, Gold Coast to Townsville

When asked what he expects the transition from organiser to delegate will be like Liam has no illusions, while he expected the role won’t be too dissimilar to the role of state-wide senior delegate, he does acknowledge it will be a hell of a lot busier and more intense

“I suspect the organiser role will be like what I have been doing in my last role as the senior state-wide delegate Trying to achieve the similar outcomes, to better the lives of members, while protecting our industry Just on a whole new level with a lot more workplaces and members to look after and being a whole lot busier!”

A self-taught foodie

I enjoy cooking mainly due to my love of food, never being much of a cook I recently started watching videos on YouTube and with some help from mum learnt the basics Although I’m still a pretty basic cook I enjoy cooking for family and friends and or putting on a weekend BBQ My potato bakes and pork belly are always a favourite

Being ETU means?

“Being a part of the ETU family means so much more than just being a member of a union It’s being a part of a movement made up of all different sorts of people and personalities from all different walks of life The ETU is a group of people with similar values all coming together advocating to make change for the better, from workplace conditions to on-the-job safety, often chipping in to help the less fortunate or people doing it tough, all the way to influencing politics with the intent always to help achieve outcomes to better the lives of members and Australia’s working class It truly is a union run by the members, for the members The structure is set up beautifully for this with something being raised at a site visit or subbranch meeting often being pushed right to the top decision-making body of our union, the Biennial Conference or subbranch meetings to have a healthy open debate, which clearly shows every member’s voice and opinion is heard and counts I am proud to be union, even prouder to be part of the MIGHTY ETU!"

Words from his union mates...

Sharkey is the sort of unionist everyone wants in the workplace, at the table and representing members. I first met Sharkey when he was a labour hire worker at TMR years ago.

Big shoes to fill

“Taking over from Wal is a huge step, not only am I in a new role, but I have also taken over from someone who had been here a long time (17years) and is very well respected in the region I am very grateful to have been able to spend some time working beside Wal and it’s clear to see I am being handed over a well organised patch from a very passionate unionist Wal has taken me under his wing and has been showing me around, giving me plenty of tips and pointers”

What drives you?

Fighting and standing up for workers isn’t a job to me, it’s a passion! I have always spoke up and stood up for anyone getting the raw end of the deal Being able to make a difference in someone ’ s life, achieve wins and outcomes for workers is what drives me to get up, keep fighting and give my all for members every day!

Favourite things to do

Liam is a keen fisherman and enjoys the outdoors “Fishing or setting up camp by the creek for the day with the BBQ and the boat along with a bit of wakeboarding would have to be some of my favourite ways to spend a day I also enjoy staying active by mountain bike riding and training/boxing”

NORTH QLD

Having started in the organiser’s role at the start of the year, I have been reaching out to delegates and members across the region trying to meet as many as possible We have just completed our run of Ergon meetings, where I got to visit all of the depots across the region

Spotless Downer Defence has been going through an EBA process which has led to a national industrial action campaign Local members from the CEPU have been taking part in regular action from Lavarack Barracks and the RAAF base in an attempt to try and get their claims heard This will continue until an agreement can be reached These workers are looking for fair wage increases with the current cost of living crisis, pay parity to fix up a two tier pay issue with workers who are working alongside each other getting paid different rates, along with a range of other claims from around Australia, as it’s a national agreement

He had some questions about the same job, same pay provisions for contractors and had picked up that he was not getting the correct conditions, he was right, we took the issue up and won! from there he agreed to being the delegate for labour hire ETU members at TMR. Here was a bloke who was in precarious employment himself not afraid to stand up and be counted. Sharkey was involved in the campaign to get rid of labour hire and get workers converted to permanent work. Again, he stood up and when we won, getting 20 long term labour hire members converted to permanent work, he agreed to take on the role of delegate across the site.

Sharkey will be a great organiser because he brings people along the journey with him, he’s a true collectivist with great communication skills, but above all else, he cares.

Brenton Muller, State Organiser

"Sharkey for the last couple of years has filled the role as senior ETU delegate for all BEMS members across the state, in that role he has demonstrated his leadership skills, showing his intelligence passion and leading from the front with a ' never say die' attitude With his workplace leadership coupled with the wider resources of the union we have managed to achieve unbelievable outcomes for ETU State Govt Members (see related article) I have no doubt that Sharkey will excel in his new role and will be a huge asset to the ETU and its members going forward "

Scott Reichman, State Organiser

We have EBA negotiations kicking off soon with Wilmar & QSL Site visits will start shortly to give members the ability to discuss what a log of claims may look like moving forward

If you have any concerns or queries, or just want to introduce yourself please don’t hesitate to reach out or give me a call

HISTORY IS CALLING

DON'T HANG UP

As we prepare for the 2023 Voice Referendum it’s important to reflect on how we got here and why it is so important to Australia that we finally recognise our first nations people by enshrining their right to be heard and consulted on issues that directly affect them in our founding document the constitution

This is not a new phenomenon – Indigenous people have been campaigning for many years to take their rightful place in this country’s birth certificate but until now it has fallen on deaf ears

The 1967 Referendum was the most successful in our history winning 93 percent of votes cast This empowered the national government to make laws in respect of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples that could assist in addressing inequalities

1 Indigenous Australians were formally acknowledged as part of our nation’s population Until the 1967 referendum, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people were not included in the census and therefore weren’t considered members of the Australian population

2 Changes were made to Section 51 of the Constitution The 1967 referendum changed Section 51 of the Constitution to allow the parliament to “make laws for peace, order and good government” for all Australians, where previously Aboriginal people had been specifically excluded

3 The Freedom Ride of 1965 led by Charles Perkins is credited for influencing the outcome In 1965, Charles Perkins, the first Aboriginal man to graduate from an Australian university (the University of Sydney), led a Freedom Ride through towns in western NSW to raise awareness of the poor state of Aboriginal health, education and housing The Sydney students gained significant public attention and are credited with influencing the outcome of the referendum

4 It was the most successful Australian referendum The 1967 referendum was the most successful in Australia’s history There have been 44 referenda since 1901 and only eight of those have returned a ‘ yes ’ vote

5 It did not give Indigenous Australians the right to vote Although it is a common misconception, the 1967 referendum did not give Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples the right to vote This right had already been legislated for Commonwealth elections in 1962

For proud Quandamooka man Thor Anderson and Birri Gubba woman Lara Watson this is personal, but it’s also Union business Both Lara and Thor are ETU members proud of the union’s history of standing up and walking the walk and they are asking their comrades to join them this year in not only voting yes, but also joining the campaign to ensure this referendum gets up with massive numbers

Lara was a vital member of the Not4Sale campaign that knocked off Newman in 2015 following that she has worked hard to right the wrongs of stolen wages and Indigenous exploitation under CDP and is currently the convenor of the FNWA as well as being the ACTU’s Indigenous Officer

Thor has risen to leadership roles within his workplace and in the broader ETU (state council) and Queensland unions (Indigenous reference group) space Thor was a participant in the ETU’s successful anti racism campaign video and has been a recipient of the Dr Robert (Uncle Bob) Anderson Award for outstanding Indigenous activism

VOTE YES TO AN INDIGENOUS VOICE TO PARLIAMENT

For Lara having an Indigenous Voice enshrined in the constitution represents the foundation for meaningful consultation and creates the opportunities for indigenous people to have a say on policies that directly affect them – something that has been denied for far too long

But Lara is adamant that the Voice is only one part of the equation, for there to be meaningful change the Voice must be the start, followed by the Makarrata Commission that will provide the meat on the bones, this is where the treaty making and the truth telling happens, this is where meaningful changes happen, she says

For Thor the Voice is absolutely consistent with his Union values of fairness, dignity and consultation He says “the Voice will create a collective strength for Indigenous Australians, and it will enable us to have our representatives, representing our interests on things that affect us, at the table It is no different than our Union being present at the table when consultation is happening about things that affect a group of workers in a workplace It is common sense collectivism”

Thor makes the point “in 1967, we won the right to be counted as citizens, now we want the right to have our voices heard”

Both Thor and Lara support the Voice to Parliament as a vital next step and call on their ETU brothers and sisters to walk beside them to make history and start developing strategies and policies that will finally start to close the gap

FROM THE POLLIES

Shane King

We’ve started 2023 with the Queensland Labor government firing on all cylinders (pardon my motor-enthusiast pun – I was just out at Lakeside Raceway!)

With power prices biting hard on household and business budgets, I’m proud to be part of a Labor state government doing something about it through our Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan Transitioning to cleaner energy will make powering our lives more affordable and more reliable, as well as opening up a new world of jobs, while leaving no existing workers behind with our jobs guarantee

I know workers in the supply industry are excited – it was great to have a chat about our plans with my former Powerlink colleagues recently, and to hear about their work on the Borumba Pumped Hydro project I also stopped by for another look at the fantastic new Electrogroup training centre at Pinkenba (pictured), where around 750 apprentices will be trained for new jobs in renewable energy, and where tens of thousands of already qualified tradies can upskill or re-train in this rapidly evolving sector

Since the election of the Palaszczuk Government (including me!) in 2015, we ’ ve invested over $10 billion in renewable energy in Queensland, generating around 8000 construction jobs and delivering close to 6000 megawatts in capacity It’s not surprising that well over 700,000 Queensland homes and countless businesses have already made the switch to renewable – we have the values to drive a cleaner, cheaper legacy and we have the skills to see it through

Lance McCallum

Queensland’s very first neighbourhood batteries power renewables revolution

Neighbourhood batteries are being installed in Goodna and Redbank Plains to take our renewable energy revolution to the streets, thanks to the hard work and expertise of Energex workers These locally-made batteries lower power costs for homes through more clean, cheap power and greater network security by storing excess solar and pumping it back into the grid during peak periods

A total of 35 batteries are being installed across Ipswich following a successful trial at our local Energex depot at Raceview It’s all about delivering more good jobs through reliable, clean energy for our local community

Flood recovery milestones continue

Another milestone in our flood recovery has been marked with the demolition of the first homes in Goodna voluntary bought back under the $741 million Resilient Homes Fund The land will be re-zoned for community use like parkland and sports fields, enabling impacted locals to look to the future with greater certainty

“It’s now a little more than one year since ETU crews supported my local Bundamba community in their time of need with free electrical safety checks following the floods, something both myself and the community will always be incredibly grateful for Operation Energise restored power to more than 50 properties, providing people with a huge boost at a time when many had lost everything ”

Supporting the national Voice referendum and Queensland’s Path to Treaty

Later this year we will all have our say at a referendum to improve the lives of Indigenous Australians

“The Voice to Parliament is about two things – recognition and consultation – and I’m proud to use my voice to support the Voice.”

In Queensland, our shared Path to Treaty has marked a significant milestone with laws that will enshrine a framework for Treaty in Queensland with a First Nations Treaty Institute and a Truth Telling and Healing Inquiry

This latest step builds on the Path to Treaty we embarked upon together You can learn more about our Path to Treaty at wwwqldgovau/firstnations/treaty

Our Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan

Our Queensland Energy and Jobs plan will keep our energy assets in public hands, deliver over 100,000 new jobs, drive $62 billion in investment and power 70% of our energy supply with renewables by 2032

It also includes the very first Energy Workers Charter signed by unions, employers and government to provide world-leading job security

Together we will build the Queensland SuperGrid connecting solar, wind, battery and hydrogen generators; Queensland’s first hydrogen ready gas turbine; two new pumped hydro energy storages at Pioneer/Burdekin and Borumba Dam; unlock 22GW of new renewable capacity, 115GW of rooftop solar and 6GW of embedded batteries; and convert publicly owned coal fired-power stations to clean energy hubs with jobs guaranteed

“This is a once in a generation opportunity for more good, highly skilled jobs through clean, cheap and secure power ”

In solidarity

Lance McCallum MP Member for Bundamba Assistant Minister for Hydrogen Development and the 50% Renewable Energy

by 2030 Target

SUNSHINE COAST

& WIDE BAY

Looks like the next couple years are going to be busy in the construction and power industries There are multiple projects that could possibly run at same time, overlapping each other at different stages. The biggest one will be the pumped hydro project at Borumba Dam near Imbil This will be a massive project and will take a few years of preliminary work before requiring electricians.

As this is a state government project, the best rates of pay and conditions will apply, due to the combined unions negotiating Best Practice Industry Conditions (BPICs) If you haven’t heard of BPICs, it is definitely worth doing a Google search and having a read

The state government is also building new hospitals in Bundaberg and Redcliffe They have started preliminary works at Bundaberg and some preliminary works have started at Torbanlee for the new train-building facility that will build trains for the Olympics So there is a lot of work coming to our region that the state government is funding

READ ABOUT BPICS

There are plenty of construction sites across the Sunshine Coast, but unfortunately there is not much union EBA work amongst it And from what I can see, a few of the bigger projects that were looking like going ahead at the start of last year have been put on hold - maybe due to the rise in the cost of building at moment

May Day is coming and it would be great to see as many of you there as possible supporting our union, and I hope to see you at the next round of regional meetings coming soon.

Dan

CONTRACTING CONTRACTING CONTRACTING

Agreement negotiations

The ETU Supply Contractors Agreement is due for expiry on the 31st of March 2024 The first steps of the negotiations, gathering the list of claims from the members, commenced in mid-February and will take place throughout March and April. These meetings with members will be taking place across the state in depots and on the worksites In June at the supply contractors delegates conference, a final log of claims will be put together by your delegates to be endorsed in workplaces. To date, claims being put forward are demonstrating the cost-of-living pressures are starting to bite hard on working people and I’m confident to say the final log of claims will be representative of this

Industry demand

As the Queensland Energy and Jobs Plan starts to get some legs, growth in this sector is underway The demand for licensed and skilled workers is becoming quite significant. If you have supply industry experience and want to get back into it, then now is the time But with this demand, we are also seeing plenty of contractors that have generally not had an interest in this industry suddenly want to be the next big thing. Several contractors with dollars signs in their eyes have made attempts to get their foot in the door, and to date, haven’t looked like impressing any of their potential future clients. Some have not had the best record in how they treat workers, and some look like they haven’t had the best safety record – two things that, in my view, are great reasons to not have them here participating in the power industry.

Future training needs Brenton

The ETU, as always, is doing everything it can to ensure that future training opportunities exist for contractors in the supply industry Transmission is one area where there is going to be massive opportunity for growth and training. There are incredible amounts of transmission lines to be constructed over the coming years Unfortunately, the tradespeople to do this are thin on the ground The ETU is in the early stages of talks with industry participants to ensure the facilities and ability to train these future tradespeople are available While it is widely acknowledged there could be a need to bring some overseas workers in to meet short term demand The priority for the ETU will always be securing training opportunities for local workers to enter the industry or others in other areas to upskill or reskill to meet the expected demand.

ETU MERCH

CONSTRUCTION

Cross River Rail has started to finally ramp up with intake of electricians across the whole project after months of delays UGL has the electrical fit out of the tunnel and we are starting to slowly see some intakes of electricians for their scope of works.

Woolloongaba Station is the furthest progressed with Stowe delivering the main electrical package on that section of the job.

Roma Street Station is finally starting to take shape RSGX is the electrical contractor on that station along with doing some finishing works at Bowen Hills holding yards

The Mater upgrade at Springfield has been awarded to John Hollands and is projected to turn the sod end of May this year Stowe has won the main electrical package and should start site establishment at the end of May or early June After years of delays, it’s finally going to deliver a long-term project for our construction members that live in the Ipswich region There is another small hospital to be built next to the satellite hospital that has just been completed out at Ripley, which should commence at the end of this year, as well as stage 3 of Ripley State School More good news for our members in the Ipswich region.

ADCO Construction is famous for using bottom-barrel electrical subcontractors to deliver government-funded school projects. ADCO is currently building new school projects in Redland Bay, Yarrabilba, and Bellbird Park, along with some smaller school packages around South East QLD. The majority of their projects are using a contractor called Right Price Electrical The name says it all

Richard Crookes Constructions has finished its disaster project, the Coles Distribution Center out at Redbank, and has clearly not learned from any of its mistakes They have been awarded building Frucor’s $400 million drink production plant at Greenbank over reputable builders, and once again will deliver the build with no EBA companies CV services were awarded the electrical package - once again by offering workers sub-standard rates and conditions.

Future Fuels Project out at Ampol refinery will commence at the end of this year The construction project is valued at over $300 million which is the right step in the renewable direction we are heading in, giving job security to the members that currently work out at Ampol moving forward

We are in discussions with Ampol’s project director, over which agreement and subcontractors will deliver the project I’m hopeful for a good outcome for our members for that project.

Currently, both JP Richardson and Equans members are negotiating new agreements with employers offering pay rises well below inflation, so there is still some work to be done there

RSGX have picked up the Roma Street Station for Cross River Rail, with great membership density on site

Albert Street Station still has not been officially let at time of writing

Contracting Sub Branch

Our sub branch committee of Joe Fiteni, Aaron Self and Simon Coxen have stood down from their positions to make way for new position holders to step up I’d like to thank Joe, Aaron and Simon for all their work they’ve done in that space Sub branch endorsed the new committee of Enrico “Big Red” Tagliaro, Luke Palmer and David Herst. We’re all looking forward to watching you in your roles and working with you to continue to grow membership and activism

When Ongy took over as state secretary, one of his initiatives was to reactivate the sub branch with a goal to use it as a platform not only to increase the democratic processes of the union, but also to increase activism Your contracting organisers, led by Lynchy, came up with a plan to make sure the sub branch was run, not only within the rules of the union, but to energise it by being a forum run by elected rank & file members This has worked fantastically, with activism from the sub branch increasing dramatically. Whether it’s a community action, industrial rally, an election campaign or anything your union calls for, our Contracting Sub Branch is always front and centre

2023 Contracting Sub Branch meetings are as follows:

May 10th 3pm

August 9th 3pm

November 8th 3pm

First Nations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workers Committee

Commercial construction in my patch has started to pick up, with a few decent sized jobs on the horizon, though most of them are at the early stages of construction.

The Dexus Waterfront Brisbane project has finally cleared its legal challenges and John Holland has awarded the main electrical package to Klenner Murphy There is a heap of work to be done with the marine component, redirecting the Riverwalk, along with demo and excavation, with full construction expected to begin in early 2025.

Queen’s Wharf subbies have just renewed their agreements without any industrial dramas, though doing 23 agreements all at once had its challenges, which couldn’t have been done without the work of Lisa and Kathryn in our industrial office.

One of the initiatives from last Divisional Branch Conference was to engage with our members who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, and part of that process was to form a working committee to ensure First Nations members are consulted and represented in the ETU The committee is made up of First Nations members who represent the ETU in internal and external groups They’ve been doing great work and will continue to work to ensure that First Nations members have a voice in our union

ONGY ADDRESSES SUB BRANCH

CONSTRUCTION & LIFT

Construction

Busy times ahead for the contracting industry In my area, Logan Hospital is a project that continues to deliver ongoing work for our members, with another $450 million stage to commence mid-year in addition to the existing stage under construction and a 10-storey carpark

Cross River Rail Southern Line with Fredon/EnerMech/Schindler is on-going, with members currently working at Fairfield Station upgrade rolling out the ETU high-vis shirt Friday This should be across all sites, so if you haven’t already ordered your ETU high vis, have a look online and place an order I’m more than happy to drop them off to your job

GOLDCOAST GOLDCOAST GOLDCOAST

Gold Coast ETU members, like all our members, are faced with an industrial landscape that presents opportunities and beneficial outcomes for organised workplaces Non-union members and workers in non-organised workplaces are just getting more of the same

Personally, I was fortunate enough to have December and January off on Long Service Leave Two weeks back into 2023, we had members get a 10% wage increase at Coombabah Water Treatment Plant, and initiated genuine discussions with other employers playing in the electrical contracting industry world The tide has turned, and employers are now wanting to negotiate a union-endorsed agreement so they can tap into the increased work opportunities locally It's important we take this opportunity to do this in the right way, rather than rewarding the bad form of some of the employers who, over the last 10 years, have proven impossible to work with Recently, we had an employer sign onto the contracting EBA with one final request: ‘if I sign this EBA, can you help me get more employees working for my business?’ How times have changed!

With 10 years of successive federal LNP governments, the skills shortage is evident across all industry sectors They slashed our capacity to have apprentice ratios mandated in EBAs, meaning there were only a few employers investing in the industry, while many just leech from it Your union has always proudly pushed for apprentice ratios Over the last decade, we have seen increased work on the horizon and wanted to ensure young workers are given the opportunity to join a good trade, OUR trade It's likely that in some cases, we will be looking for external trade support with the labour market pressure It's vital to remember that this is not the fault of any overseas worker who may come into our country to assist It will be our role to ensure that overseas workers are employed out of a genuine need, that their skills are transferrable and safety requirements are met, and most importantly, that all workers are joining the union We can only tackle working life’s challenges together

Gold Coast Council members are in much better spirits having resolved a 3year dispute which sees them maintain all their existing wages and conditions This is a fight they know wouldn't likely have been reached in the absence of support from their union Interestingly, like a lot of workplaces, when management changes within Council, so does the relationship between workers and union officials Whilst there will always be ongoing challenges, it has been a welcome change to how the previous Council bosses treated their employees, on our local taxpayers' money no less

We have seen recently that some of our members have been offered retention ney, to be paid if they stay until a certain date A cash retention amount is ays handy, although dealing with the real issue is what we will educate our mbers about Real wage increases will assist any employer to retain ployees, particularly if the wages and conditions are endorsed by the pective union/s

Lift

This year has come out of the blocks quick I’m starting to see workplaces become more active and organised, Kone/Schindler members are starting to prep themselves for the EBA next year, having the discussion with apprentices joining the ETU and becoming organised, electing delegates, and speaking up about issues in their workplaces

Some big-ticket items that have become issues in the workplaces are:

Companies employing sub-contractors

No Emergency Response Plans when working in the lift shaft

With the Kone/Schindler EBA expiring in ea

the horizon, and busy times ahead, now is the time to start building activism in your workplace, and discuss what the issues are with your current EBA We will have a few mass meetings throughout the year with all lift industry members – dates to be confirmed – and I urge everyone to get involved, attend, and have their say

I want to thank all delegates for the work you have done and will continue to do in your workplace

me sayings don’t need to change, as they stay true through the ages: “if you ’t fight, you lose” There are no truer words spoken Keep in mind that this goes for industrial matters, safety, and any matter at work Often, I am finding members who have been reluctant to raise concerns around their workplace until their EBA expires Waiting to raise issues such as fatigue management, concerns with company vehicles and the like should be dealt with as and when the issues arise So, make sure you reach out if you are in this position DON’T wait

In closing, it is worth noting that whilst there are many opportunities for us out there, with the pressure on the labour market, there is a fair bit of movement with managers leaving for new roles, including site managers and safety officers Make sure you keep an eye on your own safety and the safety of those around you Stop work if necessary and don’t be pushed to work in unsafe work environments

CROSS RIVER RAIL FAIRFIELD MEMBERS

KONE GOLD COAST MEMBERS

OTIS NT Agreement voted up

OTIS members in the NT have negotiated and voted up their first enterprise agreement, securing their wages and conditions for years to come OTIS NT employees have worked under simple letter of offer arrangements for years and have gotten together to lock in under an EA. A 36-hour week, NT-specific callout arrangements, decent wage increases, and securing EA conditions that have been in place for years in Queensland into the NT agreement are all part of the package. Led by NT Delegate Shane Cherry, a few months of negotiations has brought a great result Shane should be commended on his commitment to get a good outcome, communication with members and attention to detail throughout the process. With this agreement now in place, the lift industry in the NT is in a good position with our companies up here now all working under union EAs

Ventia Defence FM EA

Ventia Defence Facilities management EA negotiations are proving to be a fair slog As usual, we have a big organisation coming to the table with bugger all to offer the employees that make them money The employer bargaining team has had a revamp but little change in decisions being made Protected Industrial Action may be the only way to get this one moving in the right direction

Rio Tinto Gove EA

A battle fought and won

Workers at Rio Tinto Gove Operations have fought and won a long, drawnout battle with their employer Rio Tinto Bargaining spanned over 18 months with plenty of twists and turns along the way, and an employer who constantly tried to delay and frustrate the process Rio came to the table wanting to remove long-held conditions and impose a whole lot of new ways to rip off our members who work at the bauxite mining operation in one of the country’s most remote areas

Negotiations pretty well came to an impasse late last year and our members overwhelmingly endorsed going down the road of taking protected industrial action Ballots were voted up and actions were notified In a strategic and well-timed approach, this then saw Rio wanting to get a deal done rather than have massive disruptions to its operations

One of the main outstanding claims at that time was the inclusion of a clause in the agreement that would allow the Fair Work Commission to arbitrate on disputes The previous provision required both parties to agree to go to arbitration, so if the employer didn’t agree (which they never did), a dispute could not be ruled on by the commission Access to arbitration is now included in the agreement

The agreement maintains all current entitlements, some improvements where required and locks in yearly wage increases going forward Many mass meetings were held in Gove throughout the process, with members driving the direction of negotiations all the way through A big thanks to our Delegates Steve Georgonicas and Lenny Garland, who fair dinkum gave their all to get this deal done, and to our ETU industrial officers, Pat Rogers and Lisa Midson, who provided endless expert advice

Congratulations to our members for sticking together throughout this long and arduous process with an employer who again has clearly shown where its employees sit in relation to their priorities. ETU members were absolutely pivotal in achieving this result, we may not have the numbers overall out

there, but we are a solid crew on the park. This is the result of being part of a union and sticking together as workers This should occur in all aspects of your employment as management have not got your back

PowerWater & Territory Generation

Protected Industrial Action is in full flight at both PWC and TGen. Widespread industrial action is taking place across both organisations causing major disruptions, and we would argue, major cost implications Whilst we have seen some progress in negotiations since Christmas, it’s been slow due to an under-resourced Office of the Commissioner for Public Employment who still have eight public sector EAs on their plate to negotiate. Both PWC and TGen management have been conspicuous in their absence from the bargaining table, and seem happy to sit back and ‘ride it out’ Their lack of urgency to get a deal done has only strengthened the resolve of our members and we would imagine at some stage management will be held to account for their inaction

I want to thank all ETU members who are doing the heavy lifting with their ongoing commitment to the work bans The pressure is definitely having effect and we are making progress We are currently getting our applications together to introduce more work bans which will hit more specific targets, upping the ante

To recap, after a sustained industrial campaign by NT Unions, on 5 October the NT government announced a change to their wages policy, enabling a 2% compounding pay rise as the basis of negotiations and ending the proposed 4-year wage freeze This change falls short of addressing current cost of living concerns, and we are pursuing the many claims that remain outstanding.

Some of the main claims we are seeking are a real wage increase that addresses both cost of living concerns and the need to attract and retain employees, comprehensive clauses that address resourcing concerns and use of contractors, the introduction of a 36-hour working week, and reimplementation of the 6 week annual leave provision (currently 5). There’s a fair way to go yet in this battle and our members have shown they are up for the fight We’ll continue to pursue a decent outcome for our highly skilled members who operate and maintain the power, water, sewer and generating networks in the NT.

Stay strong and stay involved!

HALL HALL PAYNE PAYNE WINS WINS

With Hall Payne and the ETU you always have someone in With Hall Payne and the ETU you always have someone in your corner fighting for YOU your corner fighting for YOU

In the September, December quarter of 2022, Hall Payne has achieved some outstanding results for ETU members. Below is a snapshot of some.

Electrician Electrician

The injured worker was involved in two separate incidents performing electrical construction work at a solar farm resulting in injury to his left knee and a secondary psychiatric injury

The injuries were assessed at 0%, 1% and 7% The insurer offered around $27,000 in total

We brought claims for each incident.

Liability was denied by the Defendant for both claims asserting the system of work was safe

Both matters were ultimately successful resulting in damages of $750,000 00 being awarded against the principal contractor and labour hire company.

Electrician Electrician

The worker was injury in the course of carrying out electrical work on a solar farm, whereby he suffered heatstroke and in the course of being transported to hospital fell from his work vehicle

Injuries: heat stroke and injuries to both knees

The insurer initially offered approximately $6,500 in full and final settlement of the worker’s claim

We recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against multiple parties. All parties strongly denied liability.

The principal contractor was in liquidation and we were required to seek leave of the court pursuant to section 500(2) which was unsuccessful at first instance. We ran the appeal for your member on a no win, no fee basis and were ultimately successful in a unanimous judgment before the Court of Appeal with costs being awarded against the defendant.

This case will make it easier for injured workers to prosecute cases against liquidated companies in the future

Leave was then granted by the Court of Appeal and the matter ultimately successful with damages of $500,000 00 being awarded

Electrical Fitter Mechanic Electrical Fitter Mechanic

The worker was injured in a motorcycle accident whereby he was hit by another vehicle who failed to give way

Injuries: left leg and psychiatric Injury

We recommended the worker pursue a common law claim against the at fault driver

The case was ultimately successful with damages in excess of $1,150,000 00

Lift Adjustor Lift Adjustor

The worker was exposed to asbestos dust and fibres during the course of his work as a lift adjustor/ technician in Queensland

Injuries: mesothelioma (latent onset)

We recommended the worker lodge an application for compensation and provided submissions in support.

The workers’ application was ultimately successful with compensation being paid in excess of $750,000 00

The worker was extremely appreciative of the work undertaken by the union and noted that if he wasn’t informed of his entitlements, he wouldn’t have thought to seek advice

Beverage Technician/Forklift Beverage Technician/Forklift Driver Driver

The injured worker was involved in two separate incidents resulting in injuries to his right shoulder

The injuries were assessed at 0% and 2% and the insurer offered $7,000 00

We brought claims for each incident

Liability was denied by the defendant for both claims.

The cases were ultimately successful with damages in excess of $325,000 00

VALE VALE VALE TONY TONY TONY BARRY BARRY BARRY

AN ACTOR-VIST, A COMRADE, A MATE

LateDecember2022,thesadnewsfilteredthroughthatproudETUhonorary member,self-proclaimedactor-vistandall-roundlegendTonyBarryhad passedawayfollowingalong15-yearbattlewithmelanomaTonyhada distinguishedmovie,TVandtheatrecareerthatstretchedclosetohalfa centuryWhileTonywaswell-known,ifarguablyunderappreciated,in Australia,hewasreveredacrosstheditchwherehewasaproud“honorary Kiwi”ThefollowingarticlewasprintedinvariousmediaoutletsacrossNZon December22

Australian actor Tony Barry, an "honorary Kiwi" and the co-star of the classic New Zealand film Goodbye Pork Pie, has died at age 81 Barry played John, a hitch-hiker who ends up on a comic cross-country journey in the 1981 hit film Filmmaker Dame Gaylene Preston wrote on Facebook of the actor's death yesterday "It is with a heavy heart that we farewell Tony Barry who died peacefully yesterday at Murwillumbah NSW after a long illness He was one of a kind "A fierce fighter for the underdog, working for indigenous rights and as part of rehabilitation programmes in the justice system and for the environment He considered himself an honorary Kiwi being the only Australian to feature on a NZ postage stamp for his role in Goodbye Pork Pie" Goodbye Pork Pie, the story of two aimless drifters who end up stealing a car and engaging in a wild car chase throughout New Zealand, was one of the first local-made movie hits, even sparking a remake in 2017 Born in Queensland, Barry performed in dozens of feature films and television series Among those paying tribute were actor Sam Neill, who called Barry "a hero of mine" Dame Gaylene wrote that Barry never stopped working despite a cancer diagnosis, which required a leg to be amputated in 2014 "Diagnosed with melanoma in 2007, he insisted in keeping going, working to the end "A mighty tree has fallen A warrior is lying down " RNZ

As pointed out above, Tony was more than an actor, he was an actor-vist He was determined to leave this place better that he found it and saw the opportunity to use his considerable skills and gifts to create a better future He was heavily involved in the anti-war movement, the fight against the nuclear industry, and toxic fracking, as well as fighting for justice for First Nations Australians, to name a few

As he pointed out, his willingness to fight for social justice came at a cost, with the loss of some roles “But that was a price I was willing to pay," he said "Activism is more than a word or attending a march and having a few beers with comrades. It’s a way of life.”

Tony was a massive part of the Not4Sale campaign during the 2012-2015 battle to unseat the appalling Newman Government During this time he also lost his left leg below the knee to the insidious disease, but that didn’t stop him A soon as he had a wheelchair he could access, he was back out on the frontline of the campaign, whether it was firing up the troops via video updates and ads, attending rallies, or just having his face plastered all over the state, he was delighted to do his bit because as he pointed out so eloquently, “privatise public electricity assets…? You’d have to be a mug.”

“I was involved in Not4Sale because I, like the ETU, believe that public assets should remain in public hands and as the campaign unfolded, my confidence grew because of the work and the strategies the ETU utilised to keep the issue of asset sales in front of Queenslanders We all knew we had one shot at it, and we better make it our best shot”

Tony and his best mate Shep were regular visitors to the ETU office during and after the campaign, and as recently as 2019 he was heavily involved in the Our Union Stories video competition

One of the most enduring memories of Tony and the ETU’s mutual respect was his passionate recital of one of his favourite poems by the late great Poet “Lorikeet” Denis Kevans at our union’s 100-year bash, where his passion was in full swing leaving even the most hardened union member with a lump in their throats

Gone But Never Forgotten. Vale Tony Barry - a comrade forever.

"Ah, White Man, Have You Any Sacred Sites? "Ah, White Man, Have You Any Sacred Sites?

The poem is reproduced below courtesy of Sophie Kevans

Ah,whiteman,Iamsearchingforthesites,sacredtoyou,whereyouwalk,in silentworship,andyouwhisperpoems,too,whereyoutread,likeme,in wonder,andyoureyesarefilledwithtears,andyouseethetracksyou've travelleddownyourfiftythousandyears

IamsearchingroundAustralia,Iamsearching,nightandday,forasite,to yousosacredthatyouwon'tgiveitawayforabitofcolouredpaper,saya Churchyou'reknockingdown,ortheRocks,yournation'sbirthplace,bythe bridge,inSydneytown

YourcathedralsIhaveentered,Ihaveseentheemptyaisleswhereafew kneltdowninsorrow,wherewereallthechildren'ssmiles?

Bigcathedrals,fullofbeauty,opalglass,andgleaminggold,andanoldman, inanovercoat,whohadcreptinfromthecold

Yourschools,Idriftedthroughthem,heardthesoundofswishingcanes, heardtheyellofangryteacherscrushingflowersintheirbrains,heardthe barkupontherostrumwherethepowershadtheirsay,wouldn'tchildren's heartsbesacred,thoughthey'remade,likemine,ofclay?

Where'syourwonder?Where'syourworship?Where'syoursenseofholy awe?

WhenIseethoselittlechildrentornapartbyfearofwar,whatissacredto you,whiteman,whatissacredtoyourclan?

Areyourtotemsrainbow-feathered?Istheredreaminginyou,man?

Sacred sacred sacred geeyouchuckthatwordabout,andwhenechoes answersacred sacredlouderstillyoushout,andtheechoescomein patterns,andthen,louder,everyonetilltheymeet,likewavestogether,and gobang!justlikeagun

Sacred hesitating now,afilmisreelingthroughmybrain,andthroughmy memory,ofoursacredrendez-vous,ofourmeeting,ofourparting,ofmy tears,assweetasice,ofmynumbincomprehensionofashatteredparadise

Sacred,ohsosacred,wasoursacredrendez-vous,andyourferociousanger whenyoufoundweweren'tlikeyou,butifIshouldmakeanactoffaith,ina voice,bothfirmandclear,thatthere'ssomethingsacredtome,youstarting drowninginyourbeer

Whatissacredtoyou,whiteman,whatissacredtoyourheart?

IsAustraliajustaquarryforthebauxitebellstostart?

Wheretheforestsareforgotten,andthetinklingofthebellofthebell-birdin themountains,isjustsomethingmoretosell?

Ah,brother,Iamsearchingforthesites,sacredtoyou,buttherivers,clearas crystal,smelllikesewerfullsofspewfromthepipeandpumppolluters,and thenukesthatfleckthefoam,Wouldyouletaman,withdirtyboots,go walkingthroughyourhome?

Sacredmeansthat sacred it'saplacewherespiritsrise,withtherainbow wingsofsunset,ontheedgeofparadise,Sacred that'smyfather,that'smy mother,that'smyson,Sacred wherethedreamingwhispershopefor everyone

InthesilenceofthegrottoesofAustralia'smightyland,standtogetherwith thekooris,standtogether,handinhand,openeyestoendlessbeauty,andto spirits,farandnear,forAustraliaismycountry,itissacredtomehere

Ah,whiteman,Iamsearchingforthesites,sacredtoyou,whereyouwalk,in silentworship,andyouwhisperpoems,too,whereyoutread,likeme,in wonder,andyoureyesarefilledwithtears,andyouseethetracksyou've travelleddownyourfiftythousandyears

by Denis Kevans (1939-2005) From the Book: "Ah, White Man, Have You Any Sacred Sites?", 1985 [ISBNO 9593 073] It was written by Denis Kevans as a reply to Hugh Morgan (Western Mining Company) when he accused Aboriginals of being "pagans" for opposing the Noonkanbah mining project in 1984. Sophia Kevans welcomes the republishing of this poem in memory of her father with full acknowledgement and a printed (or taped) copy sent to 63 Valley Road, Wentworth Falls, NSW 2782 All Rights Reserved