Day 9 - CFMEU

Meegan - construction

Today I was originally set to work with the man himself, Bud Neiland, but workshadowed Irish Paully and Andy.  Their first job was at Pinkenba at 5.30am to return to the CFMEU office at about 7am (I spoke to Paul on the phone yesterday and said "See you in the office at 7am" so he knew getting me to work at 5.30am was ambitious).

We visited sites that are part of the Airport Link and found a vast difference between sites with supportive supers and those where the workers are being worked up to 80 hours per week with morale low and men suffering from fatigue.  One worker fell aslepp behind the wheel on his way to work this morning which is a dangerous consequence for being worked beyond ability and sleep is not gained adequately.  Fortunately noone was hurt but this is a scary pattern that could lead to accidents both on the way to and from work plus at the site.  Paully and Andy were very concerned for the workers' work/life balance and health, as were the health and safety officers but HR had a different view.  The outcome was reduced Saturday work but this problem won't be resolved until the super acknowledges that he's working with human beings, not productivity machines.

I saw a great respect for both Paully and Andy on sites and I also have a great respect for their passion and commitment to their members.

Paula - mining

Today started with a briefing from Stuart Vaccaneo (Vice President) before being taken down to the QIRC and Fairwork Australia Offices for a tour.  Although I felt like a tourist with camera in hand, I found this a worthwhile activity because I got to see where our EB arbitration and conciliation happen.  The hallowed halls of negotiation central were eerily quiet as the eyes of commissioners past and present followed me from the pictures on the corridor walls!  Jen informed me (after a couple of comments demonstrating my usual Irish irreverence) that the walls also hear everything you say (recording devices in all of the rooms)

After the tour, Amanda, Jennifer, Jim and I headed down to Roma St to be part of the ASU National Day of Action Rally.  Pay Equity is the agenda with workers in government and non government services industries (social workers, crisis counsellors; aged and disability care workers, administrative officers etc...) are paid on average 18% less than other workers.   This is most definitely a women worker's issue as the industries are predominantly comprised of women.  This National Day of Action calls on the Federal Government to redress the issues (before the election would be appropriate!).

We ran into the QTU/ASU members at the rally

Note the Eureka Stockade flag flying from the crane on the construction site directly across the road from the Rally!

It's my last day at the CFMEU Mining and Energy Division and I was just starting to get comfortable!!!  Many thanks to Jim Valery and Stuart Veccaneo for embracing the Anna Stewart Memorial Project and being excellent hosts.  Many more thanks to Amanda Threlfall, Jennifer Hobbs and Lara Watson for renewing my faith in young women to fly the flag for women in the workforce.  Without their voices -  particularly in such a male dominated industry - women's issues would remain largely unheard and not dealt with.  I salute them for supporting the Anna Stewart Project and for organising the first Women's conference in the CFMEU for many many years.  I hope that they achieve all that they hope and plan for.

Thanks everyone!