The RUDD Government will be judged by how fairly they treat all workers, how secure they make workers’ jobs and how they deal with rising living costs like petrol, food, rent and mortgages.

- LEO SKOURDOUMBIS
FFTS BRANCH SECRETARY

Having a strong union like the FFTS on your side makes a big difference to you and your family’s weekly budget. By looking back on the last three years at the FFTS we can see that we have won wage gains of over 12% for members.

The ABCC, set up by Howard after the Cole Royal Commission, has only one job: to enforce Howard’s extreme WorkChoices Laws in the building and construction industry.

It has now spread its net and is being used against workers in manufacturing and the ports.

Country members have fired up over the last 6 months with many new members joining the union. It seems many have made it their new year’s resolution to ‘get union’ and get better pay. Country organiser Julian Cooke has also been very busy putting in place protection for members with a number of new EBAs.

Under the Keating Labor Government a special class of visa was created to let high paid overseas executives in to do short term jobs. Under Howard this become a slave labour force of workers who still cannot complain.

Members at Pilkington Glass have had a very tough time of it over the last couple of years.

FFTS president Joe Patti looks at the rotten state of apprenticeships in the furniture industry.

Employers and governments need to stop ripping off apprentices if they want to attract kids to trades and address our future skills shortage in the furniture industries.

(AS TOLD TO THE 'MUG PUNTER')

G’day friends, it’s the mug punter at this end with a yarn to end all yarns when a union took up the fight for an honest hard working family man... and won.

The FFTS defends the wages and conditions of members right across Victoria as well as those in Melbourne. Many regional shops have signed up for EBAs.

These members then have the peace of mind that comes when your wages and conditions are properly protected.

FFTS UNION NEWS spoke to a 30 year old apprentice who has first hand experience of the many rip offs that apprentices face.

Tragic Workplace accident changed everything

On the 14th of April 2003 I had a workplace accident that changed my life and the lives of my family severely.

Picnic Day 2007 was another great family day for FFTS members.

The popular event was held once again at Moonee Valley.

In our ongoing fight to recover members’ money and protect members’ rights we often have to take the battle for members’ rights to courts and tribunals.

Raising money to lift up workers

FFTS officials attended a fundraiser to raise money for the John Cummins Memorial Fund.

107 Western Australian building workers face jail and personal fines of up to $28,600. Their crime? Participating in a stoppage in support of a sacked workmate and refusing to accept persistent safety breaches in their workplace.

Australia’s top CEO’s are continuing to gorge themselves on huge multi-million dollar payouts and massive bonuses that bear little relation to the value they deliver. Workers on the other hand who rely on the minimum wage got a lousy $24 per week rise from Howard’s ‘Unfairness Commission’.

G'day punters, remember me? I'm the mug punter. I'm the bloke sitting at the pub tab on a Saturday arvo clutching a beer and studiously ticking off my win and place bets looking for the big win. Don't get many big ones, but when I do the whole pub knows about it. It's like election time at The Lodge.

FFTS member Denise Schumacher and her friends were thrown out on the scrap heap after 20 years loyal service. Hiding behind WorkChoices her former boss offered them no redundancy and no termination pay.

She showed great courage and addressed 35,000 other workers at an anti-WorkChoices rally on the 26 September 2007 and told her story:

The FFTS is the manufacturing arm of the CFMEU in Victoria. We are taking up he fight for manufacturing jobs in the glass and furniture-making industries..

Australian workers should not be fooled by the Howard Government's latest confidence trick that is designed to rob workers and hurt their families.

The Government plans to force workers to work longer hours for less money.

How mean and nasty can Howard get - he wants to sell off your lunch breaks and your holiday pay.

'Howard's WorkChoice laws are just a WorkCon. Howard is out to crush penalty rates, wage levels, protection from unfair dismissal and your right to union representation.

But FFTS members won't be conned. We will stand firm against Howard and defend all of our hard-won wages and conditions.'

There is no doubt that Howard's rotten new work laws make it easier to sack workers. But do workers have any rights under the new system?
And what can you do if you are unfairly sacked?

Howard's biggest workplace rip-off is the AWA (Australian Workplace Agreement). AWAs rob workers of their conditions and take-home pay.

For wage earners, AWAs are workplace robbery.
It is the Government's way of helping the boss cut your pay. Howard aims to cut back Australian wages.
AWAs are now being pushed by greedy bosses in our industries - so watch out. If your boss starts talking about an AWA, then call the Union.

Don't delay. The only way to protect your pay and conditions is with a Union-negotiated EBA.

FFTS members at H&G Glass in Dandenong South have voted to take industrial action. The June 23 ballot was the first secret ballot of its kind to be held by any Victorian division of the CFMEU.

1. Say nothing.

2. Call your Union on (03) 9329 1577

3. Tell your workmates.

4. Tell the boss you don't want the ABCC on site.

In contrast to the closures and import pressure in the domestic furniture industry, companies in the commercial furniture industry are travelling quite well.

(R) Greg Anton, Director of Heritage Glass with Leo Skourdoumbis signing the agreement at the Union Office

New EBA gets workers smiling

FFTS members from Century Glass know they are safe with SEET

Portable Long Service Leave is your right

In July 2004, the Union informed members that after a long battle we had won improved long service leave entitlements.

36 HOUR WEEK

Wednesday 9 January
Thursday 10 January
Friday 11 January
Tuesday 29 January
Monday 11 February
Tuesday 25 March
Wednesday 26 March
Thursday 27 March
Friday 28 March
Monday 28 April
Monday 12 May
Monday 26 May
Tuesday 10 June
Monday 30 June
Monday 14 July
Monday 28 July
Monday 11 August
Monday 25 August
Monday 8 September
Monday 29 September
Monday 13 October
Monday 3 November
Wednesday 5 November
Monday 22 December
Tuesday 23 December
Wednesday 24 December



FIXED LONG WEEKENDS
(36 hour week only)
Saturday 26 January
Sunday 27 January
Saturday 22 March
Sunday 23 March
Saturday 26 April
Sunday 27 April
Saturday 7 June
Sunday 8 June
Saturday 27 September
Sunday 28 September
Saturday 1 November
Sunday 2 November



38 HOUR WEEK
Tuesday 29 January
Monday 11 February
Tuesday 25 March
Wednesday 26 March
Monday 28 April
Monday 12 May
Tuesday 10 June
Monday 14 July
Monday 11 August
Monday 8 September
Monday 13 October
Monday 3 November
Wednesday 24 December



PICNIC DAY
Monday 1 December



ANNUAL LEAVE DAYS
Wednesday 2 January
Thursday 3 January
Friday 4 January
Monday 7 January
Tuesday 8 January



2008 PUBLIC HOLIDAYS - VICTORIA
New Year's Day Tues 1 Jan
Australia Day Mon 28 Jan
Labour Day Mon 10 Mar
Good Friday Fri 21 Mar
Easter Monday Mon 24 Mar
Anzac Day Fri 25 Apr
Queen Birthday Mon 9 Jun
Melbourne Cup Tues 4 Nov
Christmas Day Thu 25 Dec
Boxing Day Fri 26 Dec

The FFTS now has our own radio program, Strike Back, every Saturday morning on Radio 3CR 855am from 7.30 to 9am. The program keeps you up to date with workplace issues and current affairs.

Presented by Denis Evans and a team of talented community activists and trade unionists, the show is both irreverent and brutal in exposing the truth about issues such as the bodgy Cole Royal Commission and naming companies involved in the unnecessary deaths of workers. The Howard Government also gets a decent spray each week for its anti-people and anti-worker policies. The Labor Party and the trade union movement are not exempt from criticism, should they adopt similar policies.

On Sunday morning, the CFMEU [C&G Division] presents the ever popular 'Concrete Gang'.