Fixing The Cracks In The Plastering Industry

Published: 25 Jun 2020

Enough is enough. The sham contracting rort has to end.

For far too long, plasterers across our industry have been the victims of systemic wage theft, creating a virtual slave trade.

Companies are blatantly ripping off their workers, underpaying them at rates as low as $15 per hour.

That’s if they are paying them at all: many people go weeks on end without receiving their wages.

Companies are denying workers super, redundancy, long-service leave and portable sick leave and other benefits they are legally entitled to under the EBA.

They are illegally employing people to work without visas, and the use of fake tickets and documents throughout the plastering industry is rife.

Also in breach of their EBAs, plastering companies are unlawfully forcing their workers to use ABNs, instead of putting them on the books.

How widespread is the issue? It’s so bad that we cannot name a single company that is doing the right thing.

That’s why the CFMEU has announced an audit on all plastering companies, to ensure that plasterers can receive the same entitlements as members in other trades do.

Governments keep telling us that we’ve got to abide by the law. Well, companies need to as well.

Builders are just as responsible for this unlawful behaviour as the subbies they give work to.

And once we are done with cleaning up the plastering industry, we will be tackling the rorting in other trades like painting, cleaning, fixing, carpentry and tiling.

Plasters. Here’s what you should be getting paid:

Hourly rate: $47.79 per hour

Travel allowance: $45.90 per day

Superannuation: $215 per week or 9.5% of ordinary time earnings, whichever is higher

Incolink Payments: $81.00 per week

Site allowance: Between $2.50 and at least $5.85 per hour or more, depending on the value of the project

Multi-storey allowance: $0.59 - $1.73 per hour, depending on the height of the building

Plus any other allowances (such as overtime) you are entitled to.

Are you being ripped off?

Make sure you are not being forced to work under these unlawful conditions.

Don’t fall through the cracks. Contact a Union Organiser immediately.

- 9341 3413 (Mon, Thurs)