The Nuts & Bolts

We Are Stronger Together

Written by John Setka on 29 August 2019

Scott Morrison and the LNP won the unwinnable election. So what?


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Members Win, Politics Matters

Written by John Setka on 26 October 2018

In the last edition of the journal, Anne Duggan wrote about our push for the Andrews Labor government to license trades in Victoria and Luke Hilakari (VTHC Secretary) wrote about the need for Industrial Manslaughter laws. 


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892 Days from Arrest to Aquittal

Written by John Setka on 20 September 2018

Day one was Sunday 6th December 2015. After being at Victoria Market with my wife and two youngest children, I was on my way home driving through North Melbourne. What I didn’t know was that me and my family had been followed for about two hours by undercover police as we strolled through Victoria Market.


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Bad laws mean workers never win

Written by John Setka on 04 May 2018

Malcolm Turnbull has a new top dog for his attack dog, the anti-worker ABCC. Stephen McBurney was an AFL umpire, but he’s about as unbiased as the Collingwood cheer squad.


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Seeing off our enemies

Written by John Setka on 02 January 2018

Our slogan in the BL days was always “Dare to Struggle, Dare to Win”. We struggled and we won: amenities, health and safety, clothing issue, the 36 hour week, decent wages, superannuation, redundancy, sick leave and long service leave.


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Union Pride, ABCC Shame

Written by John Setka on 04 October 2017

On 15 February 2016, Bobby Hetherington was tragically killed after falling twenty metres down a lift well.


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Turnbull’s Code no Nirvana for Construction Workers or Employers

Written by Dave Noonan on 01 September 2017

There has been lots of media speculation about the Turnbull government’s construction code in the wake of the Senate crossbench voting with the Liberal Party to support it.


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Union training and safety drives our world’s best industry

Written by John Setka on 15 June 2017

The standard of training provided by the CFMEU Education and Training Unit and the safety standards and compliance demanded by our officials is among the best in the world.


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New ACTU Secretary Shows How It’s Done

Written by John Setka on 26 April 2017

Sally McManus has got guts.


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Unions Right of Entry fundamental to Safety

Written by Dave Noonan on 04 March 2017

Unions ‘Right of Entry’ is fundamental to safety – so says Senator Nick Xenophon, and I agree with him.


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