Vic: Builders labourers rally to support dumped apprentices

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2001
Vic: Builders labourers rally to support dumped apprentices

MELBOURNE, April 10 AAP - About 200 builders' labourers have gathered at the offices
of Victoria's construction union protesting over the loss of apprentice jobs.

About 100 apprentices are discussing the strategy with the Construction, Forestry,
Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) state secretary Martin Kingham in a meeting closed to
the press.

Meanwhile, a further 100 labourers are waiting outside the union offices ready to support
a march on the Master Builders Association (MBA) offices.

Mr Kingham has called on the MBA to help save a union-run training scheme which employed
apprentices.

The protest follows the collapse of the Building Industry Group Scheme (BIGS) which
yesterday left 220 apprentices unemployed.

Meanwhile, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said the government would work with the building
industry and employers to find new places for the apprentices.

"We'll actively ... be looking for places for these 200-plus ... apprentices and trainees,"

Mr Bracks told radio 3AW.

"We'll look at other group training schemes, including the Master Builders Association-run
scheme.

"We'll also look at individual employers.

"We'll actively case-manage each of the 220 apprentices and trainees... I'm confident
that in pretty well all the cases we'll be able to find places."

AAP hmg/sp/tsc/gfr/mss/br

KEYWORD: APPRENTICES LEAD

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