Roofers fight sweatshop rates

A two-week strike by roof tilers in Western Australia has 
helped the construction union knock off a cartel demanding 
contractors use the Howard Government's individual contracts, 
AWAs, to keep employees on "sweatshop" rates.

In the unprecedented action, contractors and workers joined 
forces to wring improvements out of four companies benefiting 
from the state's home building boom.

Monier, Bristile, Prime and virulent anti-unionist Len 
Buckeridge's Harmony Group had operated a restrictive system in 
the traditionally un-unionised sector by selling tiles and labour 
as a bundled product.

Tiling contractors said they would eventually need 50 percent 
increases to bring their workers onto parity with eastern states 
counterparts.

During their stoppage the union, the Construction Division of the 
CFMEU, received public support from unexpected quarters. Local 
broadcaster and former editor of the West Australian newspaper, 
Paul Murray, said the WA tiling industry had "all the hallmarks 
of a modern day sweatshop".

CFMEU State Secretary, Kevin Reynolds, said the four companies 
had suppressed rates to the point that, in the midst of a housing 
boom, contractors couldn't afford to pay award minimums.

"Even though the award pay for a first year junior is just $6 an 
hour, most didn't even get that", Mr Reynolds said. "Other kids 
got more working at McDonalds and KFC.

"The only future for young tilers in this state was to be robbed 
blind and then thrown on the scrap heap when they burned out at 
an early age."

Back in 1992, the state's WA Industrial Relations Commission 
chief commissioner, Bill Coleman, reported that few tilers 
remained in the industry until their 50s.

"Their fate appears to be either to obtain a position as a 
supervisor or be forced out on the invalid pension", he reported.

A recent Housing Industry Association report found that the 
average pay of WA tradesmen had risen 12.5 percent in the past 
year, except in the roofing industry where rates had moved 1.5 
percent.

When the CFMEU launched its campaign, the tiling cartel 
threatened Australian Competition and Consumer Commission action 
against contractors who supported increased rates for their 
employees, on the grounds that it was a breach of the Trades 
Practices Act.

About 800 tilers were involved in the strike. They returned to 
work this week after the companies agreed to fund 15 percent 
increases, over three years; and increase casual loadings, 
redundancy, sick leave and annual leave entitlements.

Tilers also won site and height allowance payments.