SUMMER 2020 THE JOURNAL OF THE ACT BRANCH OF THE CFMEU CONSTRUCTION & GENERAL DIVISION Your CFMEU ACT Branch Team CONTENTS EXECUTIVE 6 Jason O’Mara Canberra Votes Secretary Zach Smith Assistant Secretary Jason Jennings 17 President Women in Trades Anthony Vitler Vice-President ORGANISERS 18 Michael Hiscox Construction RDO Calendar 0430 933 747 Luke Poskus Construction 0428 968 464 Josh Bolitho Construction 0430 810 874 24 Dangers of Silica Exposure Cameron Hardy Government & Off-Site 0421 074 578 COMPLIANCE OFFICER Anthony Vitler 0439 851 998 26 INDUSTRIAL LAWYERS Supporting your Mental Health Ros Read Tom Fischer OFFICE COORDINATOR Stephanie Balnaves 3 Secretary Report 14 Delegate Spotlight MEMBERSHIP OFFICER Rachel Jennings 4 Assistant Secretary Report 16 Workplace Violence COMMUNICATIONS AND CAMPAIGNS OFFICER Safety & Compliance DonateLife Week Lachlan McGregor 8 20 CREATIVE SAFETY INITIATIVES (CSI) 9 Civil Projects 22 Flag Appeal Campaign Contact: 02 6230 1320 10 Meet your Organiser 28 Meet your Membership Officer CONSTRUCTION CHARITABLE WORKS (CCW) Contact: 1800 211 470 12 Cerebral Palsy Fundraiser 29 A Lifetime of Unionism Authorised: Jason O’Mara CFMEU, Construction & General Division, ACT Divisional Branch, 7-10/8 Cape Street, Dickson ACT 2602 SECRETARY REPORT ell 2020 – what a year! went about the task of ensuring gets tough, construction worker’s It started out as drought, that work could continue without step-up to the plate like no other, Wsmoke and bushfires then putting our members at risk. We ready to do what they can to lend suddenly turned to COVID-19 have so far managed the risk but a hand. Whether it be supporting and a global pandemic, the likes we need to continue to remain our charitable and social causes, of which our generation has vigilant around distancing and which this year have still included never seen. cleanliness on sites. the Cerebral Palsy Alliance, the Centenary Hospital for Women and With the virus reaching our Whilst COVID-19 has taken up a Children and Organ and Tissue shores in around March we lot of our time, focus and attention Donation, our staff and members saw lockdowns of business and this year, we need to ensure that have again gone above and beyond community which really tested we continue to remember that to help others in need. Well done to the strength of character of construction is one of the most everyone who helped out. ordinary Australians. In the dangerous jobs in the country. ACT, the construction sector It is imperative that we continue Finally, a big shout out to Shayne remained operating at 100% as to ensure that all worksites are and the team at Construction our members continued to turn safe and that we only accept the Charitable Works. Demand for up to work day in day out to keep highest possible safety standards these support services has never our economy going. After some in our industry. It is still far too been higher and on behalf of our uncertain times in March and common for our officials to attend membership, thanks for all the April it seems that our private sites and be confronted with work you have done in supporting sector is still keen to invest in the basic safety concerns that any not only the construction ACT which is a good outcome for builder worth their salt would be industry but also our government construction in our region. embarrassed by. members through these very demanding times. If you or your The ACT government also really We also continue to work with workmate need someone to talk stepped up to the plate and Government to ensure developer to, you can always count on CCW ensured that their ten year $15 licensing is a priority as we see to have your back. billion infrastructure program further persisting interference by continued to roll out. Jobs like some developers who are forcing Great work and until next the $500 million dollar Canberra builders to use non-complaint year have a safe and enjoyable Hospital expansion and Light Rail subcontractors and building Christmas break and we will see stage 2 along with other major materials which fall short of you all back on deck next year. projects will ensure that our Australian standards. industry remains buoyant and Our branch has also continued UNTIL THEN, STAY SAFE AND positive. While there was a lot to support our charitable partners of uncertainty around the virus, STAY FINANCIAL. throughout these uncertain the construction industry along times. We have seen time and with our delegates and members, JASON O’MARA time again that when the going CFMEU ACT 3 ASSISTANT SECRETARY REPORT OF THESE 4,500 JOBS, 3,000 OF THEM WILL COME FROM A $400 MILLION INVESTMENT IN AFFORDABLE HOUSING AS PART OF ZACHARY THE HOME FOR ALL SCHEME. This package will also include scope options for a Territory owned jobs provider to support all Canberra workers to access meaningful and secure employment in the ACT. SMITH The ACT Greens have also ACT ELECTION stated that they wish to make substantial improvement to he ACT Election has come and the quality and sustainability gone, and after a successful of new developments through campaign, the Barr Labor T reforming the planning system; Government has been re-elected building our communities and for another four years. neighbourhoods through investing This election, we have seen in local infrastructure such as bus the ACT Green’s pick up an stops, footpaths and playgrounds; additional 4 seats, taking their and improving worker’s rights and total number of Members in the conditions. Legislative Assembly to 6. This Although this all sounds good will undoubtedly mean that the on paper, delivering on these Greens will have a much greater commitments will be another presence and influence in the matter. We aren’t going to expect assembly and the formation of anything less from the Greens new legislation than they have in in Government, and following previous years. But what this will their success on the back of this mean for workers is unclear. platform, we know Canberran’s In their ‘Green Jobs Package’, aren’t going to either. the ACT Green’s committed to In the weeks that followed the creating over 4,500 additional jobs finalisation of the election result, for Canberrans through investing Labor and the Greens have come in the green economy and together to form a Parliamentary renewable energy sources. 4 CFMEU ACT Governing Agreement that Strengthening the Secure an agreement to work towards outlines the terms of their Local Jobs Code and introducing establishing minimum exposure coalition for the next 4 years developer licensing are both vital standards across the construction of Government. commitments that we will fight industry. to ensure are delivered by this Now, you may think a This has all been achieved in Government in the next four years. Government elected on the back addition to bargaining for an of a strong working class vote average 5% wage increase and would honour this by consulting EBA UPDATE the homogenisation of pay dates with those that represent In the industrial space, we across industries. working people – the trade have had some big wins for We achieved similarly strong union movement. members and rolled out many outcomes in the plastering Unfortunately, the first act of of the policies voted up at our sector EBA, securing double- this Labor-Greens Government 2019 Branch Conference during time overtime for workers in this has been to sell workers short the latest round of bargaining. area, and are now moving into the by cutting their Unions out of any In the recently finalised EBA painting and façade agreements, consultation or briefing about for principal contractors, we and beginning the bargaining the makeup of this Governing secured clauses to provide process in the civil and demolition Agreement. Rather than talking 15-week paid parental leave, sectors. to the union movement and improve workplace consultation giving workers a voice in these provisions, and promote the DESPITE THE ECONOMIC employment of female workers in affairs, Andrew Barr and Shane UNCERTAINTY AND INSECURITY Rattenbury met behind closed the construction industry. doors and made a backroom deal In addition, we established a WITHIN THE INDUSTRY CAUSED that leaves workers and their cold inclement weather policy BY THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, WE unions in the dark. to prevent work in temperatures WERE STILL ABLE TO WIN GREAT below 10 degrees centigrade OUTCOMES IN THIS RECENT ROUND BUT REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE and on iced-over decks, OF BARGAINING, THANKS TO THE MAKEUP OF A LABOR-GREENS implemented a clause requiring acknowledgement of country at MILITANCY, DETERMINATION AND COALITION LOOKS LIKE, YOUR the start of jobs and during site UNITY OF OUR MEMBERSHIP. UNION IS READY TO TAKE THE inductions, and secured provisions FIGHT UP TO ANY GOVERNMENT to prevent working in isolation on We are now looking forward to elevated work platforms. our bargaining campaigns next THAT DOESN’T LIVE UP TO THEIR year and continuing to gain strong COMMITMENTS AND LEAVES We also successfully bargained conditions for our members. for a requirement to conduct WORKING PEOPLE BEHIND. training for potential exposure ZACHARY SMITH to crystalline silica and reached CFMEU ACT 5 Canberra Votes 2020 ACT ELECTION he road signs are gone, the We’ve now seen the Liberals Lee. Seeing the back of Alistair TV ads have stopped, and the turf Alistair Coe and replace Coe is a good outcome, but the Tvotes have been counted: this him only days after the official truth is, no matter who is leading year’s ACT Election is over. election results were declared that mob, the Liberals will always with Kurrajong Member Elizabeth be a party for the bosses and big Canberran’s have decisively business, and will never stand up declared their support for another for workers rights.