At the moment there are some jobs on hold because of the economy but there is enough coming out of the ground to keep most members in work.
It is time for the industry to pay back older members for their dedication and years of service. Older members who would usually be leaving the industry at this stage will be encouraged to stay in the industry and the union – not just as peggies but also as mentors to the younger blokes.
A lot of builders use subbies to clean their amenities and the standard of hygiene and cleanliness is deteriorating.
Peggies would offer a more permanent solution. They would keep access ways clear and look after crib huts and toilet facilities.
Another job which should rightly go to these older blokes is traffic control. There is something wrong with a situation where a bloke who has just about worn himself out grafting an income is still doing it hard while young kids fresh out of school get a traffic control ticket and stand in one spot all day holding a sign. The kid would get a lot more out of doing a bit of exercise and the old bloke would make a better traffic controller because he has been around and knows the pitfalls.
If you are one of the older blokes in the industry and would like to be a peggy or a traffic controller contact your organiser or ring the union office with your details. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t got a traffic control ticket – the union can assist you to get one.
And the young blokes should move over; get some qualifications and skills - train as a rigger or dogger for example - and pass
the baton.
This would be a benefit to everyone: more upskilling of the workforce; an easier job for the blokes ravaged by the elements and the industry; and the mentoring process which would be promoted by keeping the older blokes in the industry.
Delos course: We are now three quarters of the way through the first delegates’ course. Forty delos are undertaking the course and we are already seeing the benefits in relation to training.
We are currently starting to organise the next course and we want to increase the number of delegates on the ground. So if you are working for a subcontractor and you think you have what it takes to be a delo call me on 0411 694 805. No matter what size crew you work in there is still a need for people prepared to represent their fellow workers.
Safety officers: Some builders claim the quality of safety officers is falling and has reached a very low standard.
The real problem rests with the builders themselves. A safety officer is only as good as the support he is given by his employer.
What we need is for safety officers to stand up and for the bosses to back them. If support for the safety officers is weak, we as a union put strong reliance on your elected safety representatives offering support to the WHOSO.
Scaffolding: There has been a major shift downwards in the quality of scaffold in the industry. Builders have to remember that the cheapest is not always the best and that fly-by-nighters working out of the back of a ute are not good for the industry. We will continue to drive the common sense approach that there is no place in our industry for rogue contractors.
