Campaign conquers contract

Part of the picket outside Masterton Homes’ display homes.

A Masterton Homes carpenter sacked after refusing an individual contract that cut his pay and conditions has been reinstated after a union campaign.

CFMEU (Construction and General Division) NSW Branch State Secretary Andrew Ferguson said that this year the company decided to place Phil Withington on an individual contract.

"Phil refused to lose many of his award rights, including overtime and penalty rates, and requested that a representative from his union, the Construction Forestry Mining Energy Union, come to the next meeting with the company," Mr Ferguson said.

"The next day [June 30] Masterton Homes made Phil redundant, leaving him without a job to support his wife and three teenage children."

Mr Withington had worked for Masterton Homes for 26 years.

A protest was held outside Masterton Homes display homes at Warwick Farm, where Phil worked.

A picket line ran during the week and there was a barbeque every Saturday and Sunday to let prospective home buyers know what had happened.

Community members were asked to sign a petition and to email and phone Masterton Homes to demand Mr Withington's reinstatement.

On July 19 he was reinstated.

Mr Withington said: "The support I have received from other workers and the community has been overwhelming; it has been absolutely fabulous for me and my family," he said.

"I want to thank the CFMEU, and all the other union members who have made time to come along to the picket, sign the petition, and support my struggle.

"I thought I was one person, standing up for what I believe, but workers' rights are an important issue for everyone in the community.

"This has made me realise that many other people have faced a similar situation, and will continue to suffer in the same way if we do not do anything about it.

"I hope that my actions might save someone else's job, or give them the courage to stand up for themselves. I also hope that this might make other companies reconsider treating their workers like I have been treated, and make sure their all workers receive the respect and dignity they deserve," he said.

"Our forefathers fought hard to win these workplace rights, and it is our job to keep up the struggle to make sure we pass on a better world and a better workplace to our children," Mr Withington added.

Mr Ferguson said Mr Withington's story was tragic, but soon this could be happening to many other Australians.

"John Howard wants to abolish unfair dismissal rights for workers in companies with less than 100 employees," he said.

"Under these new laws, to come in later this year, workers like Phil will be left with very little legal rights and protections except strong trade unions.

"Stand up for working Australian's and their families.

"Stop Howard from attacking the rights and entitlements of Australian workers," Mr Ferguson said.

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Last Modified: 15 Nov 2005