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The Journal of the Electrical Trades Union of Australia, NSW Branch SUMMER 2006 EXPOSEDDODGY rade standards and have to demonstrate a lack of working conditions are local labour, or a good training under threat from feder- record. al government plans to Unions have uncovered cases Timport ‘guest workers’ to fill Aussie of foreign workers being paid jobs. less than a third of the EBA rate The federal government has for the job and threatened with opened the door for trades peo- deportation if they complain. ple to be assessed in countries Under one scam, ‘electri- of origin, a move that has set cians’ from India are paying alarm bells ringing at the high- tens of thousands of dollars to est levels. buy their way into Australia, In a letter to the Prime only to end up on sub-standard Is this the future? Minister, NSW Premier Morris conditions. Iemma has called for a “more Iemma told the PM he want- assessments” and for trades cer- The ETU has learnt that the efficient and rigorous means of ed standards protected because tificates to be only issued in migration company in India assessing migrants skills before “the health and safety of Australia by state regulatory and the sponsoring company in they enter Australia”. Australians” was “too impor- bodies. Australia are run by the same In February state govern- tant”. Given the track record of the person. ments signed off on a package Outstanding issues include a Federal government’s ‘guest “Howard won the 2001 feder- designed to address skills short- lack of detail on the role of the worker’ program, which has al election on a promise to pro- ages that included offshore Trades Recognition Authority seen the number of temporary tect national borders,’ says ETU working visas explode from state secretary Bernie Riordan. “The health and safety of Australians 100,000 to 700,000 in less than “But now the truth is out. He is 10 years, there is concern that tearing away barriers to our [is] too important” offshore skills testing could be labour market. nothing more than a rort to give “If Australia needs to import assessment for skilled migrants, (TRA) and where trades certifi- business a supply of poorly electricians, why aren’t they including electrical trades.. cates are to be issued. skilled cheap labour. assessed by Australian regula- Much of the detail remains The NSW premier has asked Howard has changed the tors to Australian standards, unclear, and Iemma has asked for confirmation that the TRA rules to make it easier for given permanent visas and the Howard to spell out financial “will sign off in its name and employers to bring in tempo- same working conditions as and practical arrangements. practically audit all offshore rary labour. They no longer everyone else?”

Cut Price Visas Page 6 ALSO IN THIS ISSUE: V8 LINESMAN POLES AND FORE! – P3 GOALS – P12 – P9 LO086_ETUNewsV02 12/4/06 1:51 PM Page 2

RIORDAN REPORT POWER IN UNITY white flag or simply go into hiding. seas application will have to be received On the contrary, we will be doubling our through the appropriate Australian authori- efforts to ensure your protection. As skilled ty, namely Trade Recognition Australia artisans you deserve to be appropriately (TRA). compensated for your skills. This does not Finally, Darryl Eason, a member of this mean simply rolling over for little Johnny Union, working for Country Energy at Howard. Through your payment of the Gilgandra was recently tragically killed in a levy, the Union will spend $2 million over workplace accident. the next two years, highlighting the faults All our thoughts and sympathy go to and problems with this legislation. Darryl’s family and We have decided to sponsor a number of sporting teams as part of our campaign. I cannot stress enough Please read the story inside and if you have the importance of any ideas for sponsorship to help spread the working in accordance nclosed you will find the Union’s “Your Rights At Work” message, give Paul with ALL the relevant accounts for last year. I can report a Sinclair a call at our Sydney office. very successful year financially with a I am pleased to be able to report that the safety rules and significant increase in profit caused by ETU has convinced the NSW Government procedures. Egrowing membership and a reduction in costs. of the pitfalls of John Howard’s proposal to You will also find the balance sheet for the CEPU, accredit overseas tradespeople with their I will provide you with a full report on Electrical Division, NSW Branch. Australian equivalent certification through this tragedy in the next journal. The introduction of WorkChoices will an overseas accreditation provider. result in a fundamental alteration of how Following intensive representation by the Yours sincerely the ETU operates in the private sector. ETU, the Premier has written to the Prime However, I am not prepared to raise the Minister and advised that every single over- Bernie Riordan 2

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ETU NSW AUTUMN 2006 LO086_ETUNewsV02 12/4/06 1:51 PM Page 3

ETU PEOPLE The Full Monte Tim Monte could be the and raising money for charity fastest apprentice linesman in by auctioning off a ride in the Australia. V8. He will hit speeds of nearly He also comments on motor- 300kph when he climbs behind sport for his hometown radio the wheel for this year’s V8 station, 104.7 FM. Supercar championship. He fits fitness training and Monte grew up with speed in Australian football stints for his blood, racing Go Karts from Tuggeranong into an increas- the age of 13. ingly busy schedule. He won three Australian Then, of course, there’s his Capital Territory titles and has day job. He is in his fourth year had 96 podium finishes all-up, of his apprenticeship and has most recently on the Aussie some practical advice for other Racing Car circuit. apprentices in the electrical Those “pocket rockets” are trades. miniature versions of the pro- “I’ve had a few tough times at duction cars which have Monte in action at Adelaide during round 1 of the TAFE but stick with it,” he says. become household names. The V8 Supercars “It gives you the opportunity to 400kg machines are powered by branch into other things. “Winning the championships family saloon. 1200cc motorcycle engines, Car racing, though, is his pas- gave me good recognition,” “The braking is massive, with all the braking and steer- sion. Monte expained. they’re quite loud as you don’t ing adjustments to make them “I never thought I’d go this It gave him the opportunity to have any of the interior fittings perform like their bigger broth- far,” he admits, “ but who do test driving for Johnson’s AU and they’re quite hot,” he says. ers. knows how far it could go?” Falcons. Monte can get his machine Introduced by racing entre- His performances led to a dri- up to 290 kph on the straight. preneur Phil Ward, the Aussie ver’s position in the V8 His next hurdle is sponsor- Racing Car circuit has operated 3 Supercar Championship with ship. Driving the grunt as a support category for V8 Campbelltown based privateer machines doesn’t come cheap, Supercars at popular venues Sydney Star Racing. but the ACTEW-AGL appren- such as Oran Park, Adelaide, “The team manager has been tice is treating it as another and Melbourne’s Indycar track. a mate for a couple of years,” challenge. Monte used them as his V8 was his reason for shifting to the Supercar apprenticeship. After VY Commodore of SSR. The proud ETU member has finishing runner-up in the 2004 The machine he is taking already tasted the limelight; fea- series, under the Dick Johnson into the 2006 season is Garry turing in his employer’s maga- banner, he went on to win the Rogers’ old VX Commodore zine and on Canberra TV. title last year. from last year, but with a rebuilt He is using that profile to try He and one other driver are front end and all-new compo- and make a difference in his the first to graduate from the nents. community, donating a toy bike support act to the V8 big Monte says the 600hp Super to the children’s ward at league. Cars are a world away from the Canberra Hospital in Woden Tim Monte THE DAY JOB Follow Tim On The V8 Circuit This Year!

ACTEW-AGL provides Round 02 Park Raceway 21 Apr - 23 Apr transmission and retail Round 03 Perth V8 400, Barbagallo Raceway Wanneroo 12 May - 14 May electricity services to the Round 04 Winton Raceway, 2 Jun - 4 Jun ACT and environs. Round 05 SKYCITY Triple Crown Darwin, 30 Jun - 2 Jul Round 06 Queensland 300 Ipswich, Queensland Raceway21 Jul - 23 Jul Monte is one of around 400 Round 07 Oran Park Sydney, Oran Park Raceway11 Aug - 13 Aug ETU members at the utility Round 08 Betta Electrical 500 Melbourne, Sandown International Raceway 8 Sep - 10 Sep company. Round 09 Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000, Mount Panorama, Bathurst5 Oct - 8 Oct “You should keep with the Round 10 Gillette V8 Supercar Challenge , Lexmark Indy 30019 Oct - 22 Oct union,” says Monte. “They Round 11 Ferodo Tasmania Challenge , 10 Nov - 12 Nov stick up for us and they Round 12 Bahrain International Circuit , Bahrain International Circuit 22 Nov - 24 Nov maintain our conditions.” Round 13 Grand Finale, Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit8 Dec - 10 Dec If your workplace is interested in sponsoring Tim, visit Sydney Star Racing page at www.v8supercar.com.au

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MAKING NEWS

Laws Sack Safety A south coast electrician has been sacked days after WorkChoices came in after asking why his redundancy benefits hadn’t been paid. Mark O’Neil, a fully qualified A grade electrician working for Mission Electrical on the largest property development on the far south coast, has been replaced by a TV technician after being told, “you’re the dear one”. Mission did not deny there was enough work to continue to employ O’Neil, bringing extra staff from Sydney onto the job, which still has months to run. “The one bloke I saw that YOUR RIGHTS GO MENTAL had been brought on to the Cult designer Reg Mombassa has dedicated an original artwork to the Your Rights At Work campaign, with job was a fourth year the ETU set to release a range of T-shirts featuring the design by the man who made the Mambo label a 4 apprentice,” says O’Neil. household name. “I’d rate the supervision of the job now as one out The T shirts will be available in Emerald Green, Hot Pink, Chocolate, Lavender and Red and will be available of ten.” from kids sizes to XXXL featuring the Rights at Work logo on the front and Mombassa’s design on the back. Organiser Matt said that WorkChoices could impact on safety and standards if Qantas the quality of trades work was undermined. Safety Threat “We have top be concerned Electricians jobs at Sydney Airport that companies will let could fall victim to the cost-cutting highly qualified tradesmen agenda that has seen hundreds of go and replace them with engineers turfed.Almost 500 engi- neers will be left without jobs as cheaper, less qualified, Qantas moves heavy workers,” says McCann. maintenance of its planes to Melbourne and Brisbane – and O’Neil, who is working on keeps open the option of sending the construction of a jobs overseas later. medium density housing While the majority of the 300 elec- tricians will not be immediately development of 98 units in Umpire tells Delta: Dump Contractors affected by the move, ETU organiser Merimbula, had enquired Action at Vales Point Power Station has led to mining maintenance tradesmen by contract- Dave McKinley said there were con- three weeks ago as to why the industrial umpire ordering power genera- ing out work, evidence that there is plenty of cerns for the future. tor Delta to stop using contractors. work available for existing staff. “We’re concerned about compo- his boss wasn’t paying into The industrial relations commission has Wilson states that Delta hired a contract nents being moved off-base into a the MERT redundancy ordered Delta to withdraw a contract it had manager to find outside work, while internal joint venture or complete outsourc- intended to let for work on boilers at the work was being contracted out. “This is bean scheme after discovering ing,” McKinley said.“Once its out of Central Coast power station. counting gone mad.” Mascot, there’s the trust account designed “This was nothing but backdoor privatisation,” Bans on overtime and other duties by mainte- says ETU organiser Russ Wilson. “Employees nance staff led to the issue going before the a good chance they’ll play with it to protect his entitlements from State Owned Corporations like Delta are NSW Industrial Relations Commission, where from there.” was empty. sick of work being contracted out and then Deputy President Harrison ordered Delta to “Qantas’s safety record comes being told there is not enough work.” cease the practice of contracting out work down to the guys on the floor, you “I guess they thought that Wilson slammed the contracting out as noth- until such time as there is agreement with the wont get that from work outsourced made me a trouble maker,” ing but a ruse to punt experienced mainte- union. to the cheapest going rate,” he nance staff that are vital to managing outages “Delta even tried to intimidate a delegate said. says O’Neil. at the plant. after I went to inform him about the orders,’ Workers at the plant accused Delta of under- said Wilson.

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MAKING NEWS

Tree-lopper chops dunny paper

Workers at a Canberra tree- lopping firm are up in arms over a boss who refuses to provide adequate drinking water or toilet paper for their depot. Discount Tree Services, which specialises in clearing power lines, have joined the ETU and vowed to stick together in an effort to improve their conditions. They want water, toilet paper and improved equipment, including safety covers on large wood chippers; rescue gear; safety helmets; and long-sleeved Crane Crews protective clothing. The workers are currently employed under the terms of a Face Heavy Lifting non-union agreement which company chief, Robert deJong, dropped on them in the presence orkers fighting for a there,” said ETU organiser up time, union access, payroll of his lawyer. collective agree- Brad Currey. deductions and jeopardise over Most are “casual”, including ment are staring The AIG has been a major time rates. It would also green some who have been with down attempts to backer of the Howard govern- light the wholesale use of Discount Tree Services for Wuse WorkChoices to drive them ment’s industrial relations contractors. up to six years. 5 onto individual contracts. agenda. The individual contracts “This is what John Howard Favelle Favco Cranes sacked means by negotiation,” says The company’s Australian would allow the company to Canberra ETU organiser Neville two thirds of its workforce and Workplace Agreements include impose extra claims on Betts. “Does he think drinking brought in contractors and pay rises 25 percent below those employees. water and toilet paper aren’t labour hire, while leaning on proposed for the collective Favelle Favco workers have needed? 25 remaining employees to sign agreement. Even then, they been advised they do not have “Permanency is an issue. AWAs that slash wages and will be conditional on profit lev- to sign the AWAs as they will be All the guys want is a bit of dignity and we are confident conditions. els and management discretion. covered by the old enterprise that would improve productivity. The company, which has Allowances would be stripped agreement until the company Treating people properly pays stalled on a collective agree- back to the five minimum con- applies for its termination. dividends for everybody. ment since before Christmas, ditions contained in John ETU secretary, Bernie “Everyone has joined the union. introduced Australian Industry Howard’s Australian Fair Pay Riordan, has renewed his call As of today their trucks will be featuring ETU stickers.” Group representative, Adrian Commission Standards for members to refer any AWA Price, to negotiations in (AFPCS). to the union office, before Question marks surround deJong’s business structure. January. That provision would strip signing. Some workers have learned “Things went down hill from workers of leave loadings, wash they are now employed by an associated company, Skyline Tree Services. “Why would a company transfer APPRENTICE BEATS PM TO PUNCH employees and not tell them?” asks Betts. “It would be Apprentice electrician Matthew ment under the award. to get this under Howard’s laws,” interesting to see if this move Page is $4300 better off after “They could have avoided this by says Prime. has any tax or workers beating John Howard’s planned doing the right thing in the first Unions and state government compensation implications. destruction of the state industrial place,” said ETU organiser, Geoff are joining forces to take Gerard Rees from law firm, Garry relations commission. Prime. on WorkChoices in the Supreme Robb and Associates, has met Page, who was forced to travel He praised Page for sticking by Court in a bid to ensure rorted the Discount crew and explained 90km daily from the Central the union – maintaining his mem- workers can continue to the circumstances they face Coast Group Training base to his bership while not working in the seek redress through state provi- in trying to improve their job, won the travel allowance after industry – and pointed out travel sions.They will argue that the conditions under Howard’s the ETU put the facts before the allowance was one of the condi- federal government’s attempt to new workplace laws. industrial umpire. tions that would be stripped by torpedo all state protections, The ETU told the Commission the Howard’s WorkChoices legislation. using Corporations powers, is allowance was a basic entitle- “He’d be whistling Dixie if he tried unconstitutional.

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FEATURE CUT PRICE THE FINAL SO

t’s acknowledged that the imported labourers from In the middle of this ‘skills electrical sector faces a skills Indonesia to dig ditches on crisis’ the number of appren- shortage – what isn’t so widely $40 per day ticeships has actually fallen by publicised is the solution • Meatworkers from China 2.84%. Iplanned by the Howard govern- were used as strike breakers at “Business might whinge,” ment and big business. a South Australian abattoir. says Cahill. “But they don’t The federal government has All of this has happened in want to do anything about it. signed off on a plan to contract John Howard’s Australia in “We had 160 applicants for out skills accreditation to over- 2006. eight jobs in the Hunter region seas agencies, effectively out- Industry Minister, Ian this year. sourcing training to other coun- Campbell, is on record saying “I’ve currently got 30 kids tries. John Howard – throwing Australian wage rates must be waiting for apprenticeships.” At the same time, it has intro- open the gates to driven down to NZ levels. While bringing in training is duced the Overseas sub-standard sparkies For Norm Cahill, from group undermining employment con- 6 Apprentices program, allowing training company Electroskills, ditions for those in the industry, foreign kids to be brought to employment visas, or ‘guest the move to an overseas solu- and freezing out kids wanting regional and remote locations worker’ programs. tion doesn’t address what he an apprenticeship, for Cahill as long as their families, rather For example: sees as the fundamental prob- the major concern is what the than employers, meet all the • Teenager Sam Kautai was lem, employers not taking system of ticketing electricians training costs. offshore will do. The alternative, of offering “We are very concerned realistic pay rates to young “We had 160 applicants about the integrity of the sys- Australians from the cities, was- tem,” he says. “For years we’ve n’t even tried. had a competency based system The cut price visa system will for eight jobs in the in Australia that has been rigor- give foreign workers Australian ously policed. jobs without the protection of “Who is going to do assess- citizenship. Hunter region this year” ments? How are they going to Already, it has been piloted in do a trade test? sectors like IT and hospitality, imported from the Cook responsibility to employ “We want to ensure that the where workers can be brought Islands and paid $50 a month apprentices. people doing the assessments into Australia on short-term to work in roofing before “A number are looking for a are from Registered Training contracts and are allowed to being severely bashed (he has quick fix; trying to short circuit Organisations but, given the remain at the whim of employ- lost the use of one side of his the need for training,” says countries they are looking at ers. body) Cahill. “What they could end sourcing people from, I can’t Howard has changed the • A Holden subcontractor up doing is short circuiting a see how that can be overseen. rules to make it easier for imported tradesmen from house instead.” “In our industry, your first employers to bring in tempo- Croatia to build a car factory rary labour. Employers no in an area with 19% local longer have to prove there are unemployment no local workers available, or • A Filipino hospitality worker Meatworkers from China they have a good training was kidnapped in Canberra were used as record. and spirited out of the coun- Slashed wages and condi- try, while a union official who strike breakers at a tions, violence and stand-over went in to bat for him tactics against workers have received death threats South Australian abattoir. accompanied these temporary • US multinational Haliburton

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FEATURE

FUTURES “BETRAYED”

At 22, Chris Oliver would like to E VISAS look forward to a bright future as an electrician. He’s been a tradesman for two years but feels “betrayed” by the government. SOLUTION “I put in the hard time to do four years of an apprenticeship so I could have secure employment,” says Oliver. “That they can just start employing people for less wages and conditions should be a concern to everyone.” Oliver, who works for the Heyday Contracting group, says that standards in the industry should be a concern for all electricians, but especially younger sparkies, as they are the ones who have to survive in the industry in the future. “Electricity is a dangerous thing. You can’t see it; you can’t smell I,” he says. “It should be of concern that a 7 certain amount of electricians die every year as a result of incompetent wiring – that will increase if standards fall and lead to more deaths in the general community.” Oliver is encouraging young electricians and apprentices to take a close interest in their industry as it’s their future. He says the union’s role in protecting standards, and ensuring licenses to maintain Is there a future for these Aussie apprentices? the integrity of apprenticeships, has never been more important. mistake can be the last one you and bring third world employ- else?” says ETU secretary Oliver recently put his time where ever make - and it’s not just the ment practices to Australia. Bernie Riordan. “This ‘skills cri- his mouth was, giving up his electrician or the linesman that “It’s just the first world trying sis’ is caused by employers summer holidays to work on the faces death, but your workmates to steal from the third world,” refusing to invest in training ACTU’s Union Summer program, and the general public.” says Cahill. young Australians. out of the ETU Sydney office. Existing systems, put in place While Howard’s ‘cut price “Instead, they want to import But, as Oliver himself points out, to monitor overseas training visas’ have exploded by 700% in cheap foreign workers with no that’s just one of the ways young have collapsed, according to less than 10 years an added industrial rights as a way of driv- people can get involved in the Cahill. threat has been the introduc- ing down, not only our living union. He says monitoring of off- tion of new laws that threaten standards, but the safety of For more information on getting shore standards hasn’t occurred job security. Australian families. active in the ETU and getting in years and years. “Australians are entitled to “The only real, long-term involved in your future, contact your There is also a concern that ask: if Australia needs overseas solution is for governments and delegate, your organiser or the NSW the ‘cut price visa’ system could workers, why aren’t they given employers to invest in state office. strip Third World countries of permanent visas and the same Australian kids and commit to the limited skills they have – working conditions as everyone Australian trades training.”

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INDUSTRY NEWS HOWARDS SICK JOKE Coalition, Medibank, as a uni- n the United States medical versal health insurer, was bills cause more than two mil- scrapped. lion personal bankruptcies But the genie was out of the Ia year. bottle. People had seen how a To avoid this problem, universal health insurance sys- Australia established a public tem could deliver fairness and health insurance scheme called dignity in health care. Medicare. The Hawke Government Its success can be partially introduced Medicare in 1983. measured by the unwillingness Howard, who had vehement- of one its strongest critics, John ly opposed what he called Howard, to directly dismantle “socialised medicine”, was even it. forced to promise that he would “I thought that we had a very not abolish Medicare if elected good system in the very early in 1996. 1970s before there were some But there’s more than one changes made that I don’t think way to skin a cat, and there’s clad” commitment to safety net American system of mostly pri- made it better but made it more than one way you can dis- thresholds of $700. Re-elected, vate health spending, leading to worse,” Howard told a TV mantle a public health insurer. his government raised to $1000 inflated costs and reduced qual- reporter in 2003. One of the key planks of the amount families had to ity,” says Childs. So what was Howard’s ‘very Medicare is bulk billing. The shell out before Medicare assis- “The United States spends good system’? ability of Australians to access tance kicked in. almost twice as much on “It was a system that meant health care paid for by contri- The Department of Health healthcare as Australia as a per- many Australian families faced 8 butions from their pay packets, admitted that more than one centage of GDP, yet has lower the cruel choice between get- without up-front charges. million Australians now elude life expectancy, higher infant ting no treatment or paying to Under Howard, bulk billing the “safety net” as a result. mortality rates, and vast health go to the doctor, and even pay- rates have slumped by over ten The private health insurance inequalities – if you can’t afford ing to get treated in a public percent. The average co-pay- rebate has transferred billions of to pay, you just don’t get treat- hospital,” Labor’s then health ment to see a doctor, on top of health dollars to private funds - ment.” spokesperson, Julia Gillard, told the Medicare contribution, is many leading health profession- To learn more about the Save the National Press Club in now $25 a consultation. als say should be going into the Medicare Alliance call (02) 2003. “It was a system where Out of pocket medical public health system. 8595 2134 or email charity was often the basis of expenses have risen 75% since Bruce Childs from the Save save_medicare_alliance the provision of medical care.” Medicare Alliance, a coalition @nswnurses.asn.au Under Howard’s ‘very good system’, of community, religious, health and consumer groups, has medical bills were the single largest cause called on the federal govern- of bankruptcy in Australia ment to use the record budget surplus to restore Medicare to Gough Whitlam’s Health OUR MEDICARE Howard took office in 1996. world-class standards. Minister, Paul Everingham, Union members can be proud This has pushed many people Opinion polls consistently had pointed out in the early 70’s of the establishment of into casualty wards run by the show the vast majority of Australia’s universal health that, under Howard’s ‘very good states, shifting the financial bur- Australians would rather see insurance system, because system’, medical bills were the den from Canberra to state gov- increased funding on health they are a big reason why single largest cause of bankrupt- the system was established ernments. than yet another tax cut. cy in Australia, just as in the US in the first place! Howard introduced “safety Childs says the alternative is today. Introducing Medicare was nets”, claiming that Medicare the US model, a system where Medibank, introduced by the one of the key planks of the was never meant to be univer- the quality of the care you Accord between the Hawke Whitlam Government in 1975, sal, a statement rejected by the receive, or whether you receive Government and the ACTU in was the first attempt to deliver the eighties. system’s architects. it at all, depends on the depth an affordable, high quality Unions have been at the This attempt to turn of your hip pocket. health system to all Australians. forefront of campaigns to Medicare into a stigmatised “Far from preserving the When the Whitlam govern- defend and extend Medicare ‘welfare” system was exposed by basic principles of Medicare, ever since. ment fell in 1975 and was Health Minister Tony Abbott’s the Howard Government is tak- replaced by Malcolm Fraser’s backflip on his “rock solid, iron ing us down the road to an

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INDUSTRY NEWS Campaign Kicking Goals With latest polling showing reinforcing the message by over four in five Australians sponsoring both the Nepean oppose new workplace laws, the and Central Coast Soccer ETU is working on having Associations. them rolled. Their rep jerseys, and their Politicians like Jackie Kelly in footballs, will carry Your Rights the Federal seat of Lindsay, At Work signage, and there’s based around Penrith, and Ken even a re-badged Your Rights At Ticehurst in Dobell, on the Work Stadium at St Marys. Central Coast, are being target- The Nepean District ed. Association is the largest sport- ETU members have plas- ing body in NSW with over tered Ticehurst’s electorate 16,000 registered players in 229 with distinctive Your Rights At teams.. Work posters, and the union is TOMTERRIFIC 9 ohn Howard has seen off this government Australia will Tests for the Kangaroos; con- some tough customers in be stuffed. tested two grand finals and his time but he has never “Truly, I worry for our kids won World Cups in 1975 and tangled with anyone quite and our grand kids. What are 1977, as well as captaining J like Tommy Raudonikis. we going to leave for them?” Australia and being NSW’s The rugby league icon got “They’re telling us young first State of Origin captain. involved in the Your Rights At people can go to the boss and He earned universal respect Work campaign after being get a fair deal by themselves. and the tag “Tom Terrific” for confronted by ETU members Yeah sure, pigs might fly.” his loyalty, and fans’ percep- when he was on the way to a When a television currents tion that here was a little bloke guest commentary gig at Lang events program asked him who would fight anybody for Park. why he was out to stiff-arm the the cause. Tom Raudonikis “I’ve always been a Labor Prime Minister and When coach, Roy Masters, man so I took one of their Workchoices, a new audience introduced the notion of team, they went and changed pamphlets,” he explained, got a dose of Raudonikisese. Wests as “Fibros” against the rules. It’s just like this fight “and, I thought, too bloody “I’m no political genius. I’m Manly’s “Silvertails”, it was we’ve got today. right. not a doctor or a lawyer or fly- right up Raudonikis’ alley. “People have got to join “Mate, I’ve played footy, I’ve ing them jet planes, but some- “Bloody oath we believed in their unions and fight back. worked for myself, I’ve thing I know - I know shit it,” he said, “because it was We’ve got to throw this lot out laboured and I’ve worked on when I see it,” he explained. true. The system gave Manly and make sure we get new the wharves. I know what the Raudonikis played a record all the favours but we believed rules that give people a fair average bloke is up against. 201 first grade games for his in ourselves and we fought the go.” “I honestly believe if we beloved Western Suburbs; 30- bastards. don’t get rid of Howard and odd more at Newtown; 20 “Then, when we got a good

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BRIGHT SPARKIES Lights, Camera, Strike!

andrake the to put his ratbag politics into Electrician has been practice after he gets sacked from down to the video the uni and takes a job teaching store and rounded up in a mill town. Probably the best Mhis Top Ten Union Movies of romance union movie ever all time. made. Like a lot of people, I like to Sylvester Stallone is out of kick back and enjoy a video or a character as a Teamster’s union DVD. This, I believe, qualifies boss in eighth placed F.I.S.T. me as a bit of a film buff. Sometimes controversial, it pur- Over summer I hit upon the ports to tell the story of the novel idea of combining my love Teamster’s from Jimmy Hoffa’s of sitting on my fat posterior with point of view. Some excellent my proud commitment to organ- action shots from the re-enacted ised labour and set out to track thirties picket lines. down what I considered the ten Gerard Depardieu stars in the greatest union films of all time. French classic Germinal in sev- No doubt this list will prove enth place, an adaptation from controversial. Different opinions what is apparently a great book by are valid and should be directed some bloke called Zola. The to the front bar of the Railway French sure know how to do a Hotel. film, and they know how to strike. The Honourable Wally This film combines those two tal- The hard-hitting story of a power plant worker tops Mandrake’s pick of the Norman scrapes in at tenth spot, ents wonderfully. best union flicks not because it is a particularly Our sixth placed film can be I’m All Right Jack. Every union Richard Lowenstein’s good film, but because it’s hard to find, but is well worth the stereotype in the book is explored Strikebound comes in at second Australian. It also features a search. Brother John tells of the here in a witty film about a work- with a lively tale about a cameo by H.G. Nelson whose secret life of cleaners and was place long gone. Victorian coalminer’s strike. The picturesque visage should anoint made by Sidney Poitier, more 10 Our third placed film, soundtrack by INXS provides a the silver screen more often; he famous for Uptown Saturday Matewan, is a modern classic bouncy background to a story at gives other blokes hope. Simply Night and To Sir With Love. that can still be found in many once humorous and tragic. put, it is the tale of a meatworker Some might be surprised to see video stores. This amazing film At number one, the immortal who accidentally finds himself Norma Rae coming in fifth, but tells the story of the unionisation Silkwood features Meryl Streep elected to parliament. A pleasant it’s still a quality film. Sally Field of a Kentucky coalmine through at her best as union rep Karen fantasy when reality if more like- is very touching as the single the eyes of a fourteen-year-old Silkwood, in a fictionalised ly to spew out Malcolm mum who helps unionise a miner. James Earl Jones, famous account of her disappearance Turnbull. southern textile factory. Slipped a for being the voice of Darth after coming to prominence as a I came across ninth placed The few places for the mawkish Vader, is among many great per- whistleblower at a corrupt US Organizer on SBS when the Hollywood love plot and can be a formers in a flick famous for Power Plant. A support cast, cricket in Adelaide was washed bit dated. many lines, including “any union including Cher, and the fact that out. It’s in Italian and set around Hardly the most politically cor- that keeps a man out because of there are sparkies in it, make this the turn of the Century in rect film, but a great belly laugh the colour of his skin ain’t a a very uplifting film. Northern Italy. It’s a charming as Peter Sellers brings the gags on union, it’s a goddam club”. —Mandrake the Electrician tale about a lefty professor forced thick and fast in fourth-placed Nina Got a question about your rights at work? KNOWS The ETU’s woman in the know,Nina Kastoun is here to help! AWARD WINNING PAY RISE Are you covered by the Electrical Electronic and Communications Contracting Industry (State) Award? If so you have a 5% Wage Increase. As from the 1st of February 2006 monetary rates under the Electrical Electronic and Communications Contracting Industry (State) Award increased by 5%. This increase was part of the claim sought by the ETU when an application to make a new Award was made in late 2004. A further increase of 5% shall take effect from 1 February 2007. Updated wage schedules detailing the new rates will soon be available on the ETU website at www.etunsw.asn.au. In the meantime please contact the ETU Sydney office on 02 9267 4844 or via email at [email protected] for a copy of the revised schedule. [email protected]

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workers.labor.net.au

NEWS FROM ACROSS THE UNION MOVEMENT Voters SLAVERY ON TELE Desert Immigrants being used to solve Western workers who say they were conned into Australia’s skills crisis are losing their selling homes and businesses. One said he homes and having families ripped apart, signed a contract with a sponsor, in Korea, Howard courtesy of the Howard Government’s promising $A24.10 an hour but, ever since guest labour regime. arriving, had received a flat rate of $15 an Federal Labor will score hour, despite regular overtime and an own goal if it ignores Seoul Broadcasting Service showed weekend work. polling showing one in Koreans a documentary, last month, five Coalition voters based on shocking information about the When he complained, he said, he was switching sides on treatment of their countrymen in Australia. threatened with deportation. WorkChoices, according to Unions NSW Trades people claimed they were lured to In a separate case, an angry South African secretary, John Australia under false pretences and welder says he has been split from his wife Robertson. ruthlessly exploited by a labour hire outfit, and children for more than a year, despite using Section 457 visas. taking the job on the basis of visas for the The survey shows the whole family. Howard Government’s Workers Online has seen statements from industrial relations 11 changes could produce a record swing to Labor, with Coalition voters abandoning the Tories in DOCTORS ORDERS – TAKE A WALKE droves. Moorebank doctors have used WorkChoices to punt a was the doctors’ insistence that she make herself avail- But 23.6 per cent of widow with 20 years service, without explanation. able for duties at their Cabramatta operation. The doctors, E Lau and K Lai, waited until John Howard’s “I had a job where I could walk to work and I wanted to Labor voters say internal pro-sacking legislation was in force to drop new, non- talk to them about what the new terms would mean,” divisions within the party negotiated terms of employment on three receptionists. she explained. would make them less When Rhonda Walke didn’t sign, within 24 hours, she “I wanted to talk to the employer but I didn’t even get likely to vote for the ALP. was given her marching orders. the opportunity. I was given the new conditions on Walke, who shares a car with her TAFE-student daughter, Wednesday and, about 12.15 today (Thursday) I was Robertson said the said one of the main things she had wanted clarified sacked by the office manager. message was clear for federal Labor.

“The Labor Party should stop focusing on its internal divisions and JACKO: “I’M BAD start campaigning on Michael Jackson shapes as the profile Australian bosses who industrial relations from ever-changing face of Work dudded workers of here until the next Choices- after being sprung not entitlements, including the federal election,” he paying employees at his Prime Minister’s brother Stan, said. Neverland ranch. the former chairman of National Textiles. Jackson was ordered to shut “Together, on this issue, down by Californian authorities, Jackson has failed to pay at we can shift the vote.” when it was revealed he owed least 30 employees since workers more than December of 2005. Analysts $US300,000 ($A400,000) in say he has the capacity to wages and had let his worker’s meet the debt but Neverland compensation policy lapse. exists “on a different planet” to his other interests. Jackson joins a number of high

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house and see how we get on dollars an hour on individual instead of sitting in The Lodge. contracts, so they went to INDUSTRY I struggle some times to even go the union. GOSSIP and buy a beer. I’m really proud of these guys AND I live in a normal three bed- and it would be nice to see the AMAZING room house I haven’t paid off, rest of the tree industry in BUT which makes me worried the Canberra stand up as well, but TRUE boss could tap me on the shoul- these laws don’t make it easy. STORIES der and take me back on half There’s a hell of a lot of my wages. things we take for granted these I’ve got two boys, 11 year old, days and not just the wages WhatChoices? Michael and Davil, 13. we’ve fought for at ACTEW- IN EVERY EDITION OF ETU NEWS A If these new laws force me to AGL over the years. MEMBER GETS TO SOUND OFF ON work weekends I’m not going One bloke said to me recent- AN ISSUE OF CONCERN. HERE’S BRIAN WHITEHEAD ON POWER to be able to watch my kids ly that it was good of manage- GENERATOR, DELTA. grow older or be involved in ment to let us take our vehicles their sport. home, when ‘house garaging’ I’ve been at ACTEW-AGL for I’m going to have to put in was something I personally 16 years and before that I their resumes a request that fought for through the ETU. worked on the construction of their father negotiates for them People are starting to talk the new parliament house. when they go for a job inter- about about these laws and In all that time the worst view! there’s going to be a big move- thing that’s ever happened to us 12 Which is why the blokes at ment against them. is the new WorkChoices laws; Discount Tree Services in Members of the union need they’re absolutely disgusting. *It’s amazing the things you spot at Canberra (story Page 5) are tak- to stand up and convince I think John Howard really Maccas. ing a very impressive stand by people that joining unions is thinks this is a good thing, Canberra organisers, Matt McCann sticking together and joining the most effective way of and Neville Betts, had pulled into the which just shows how far out of the union to get a better deal. fighting back. ‘Golden Arches’ at Marulan for break- touch he is with local people. They were going to lose two — Alan Wilkinson fast when they spotted the latest I’d like him to come to my recruit to the Your Rights At Work Campaign and his family alighting from their vehicle. None other than NECA’s ACT president, Greg Kempton, with an ETU Your Rights at Work sticker emblazoned on the rear window of his vehicle. We kid you not. “It was encouraging to see the NECA president & director of Nexus Electrical, supporting the push to protect workers rights,” said a chuffed Betts. *It was like a scene from CSI when ETU organiser Dan Weizman visited a shonky operator recently. The shonk was accused of paying “cheque in hand” to a member and Weizman had gone to inspect the “wages books”, which turned out to be a set of diaries with entries about how much the member had been paid. In an effort to try and hide his handi- Fore! work, the shonk had liquid papered Golf was the winner at a picnic day function held by ETU members in southern NSW late last out the wages figures, an act that didn’t stand up to the scrutiny of an year. Country Energy members from Tumbarumba, Tumut, Junee, Cootamundra and districts educated thumbnail. descended on Gundagai where Dallas Manton reports a great time was had. Underneath the liquid paper was “About 70 percent of us only play once a year,” says Manton. “It’s what the picnic day is all evidence of underpayments that ran about, spending time with mates.” into thousands of dollars.

ETU NSW AUTUMN 2006