Some of the complaints sent to the Department of Industrial Relations. They seemed bored, uninterested and biased toward protecting the employer. What's new?

I kept a rough list but not copies of my actual letters.

(1) Mechanical work carried out by an unlicensed person and breakdown call outs attended by unlicensed person or apprentice. Also wrote to the MVRIC, didn't get a reply. So what's new? So much for their crackdown. I sat an exam after wasting $800 in becoming licenced in '83. A very large banner displayed "Factory trained technicians".

(2) Unsupervised apprentices working on vehicles and lack of a free apprentice when tradesman needs a hand.

(3) Use of bulb type lead lamps (dangerous where petrol is concerned) and poorly lit workshop.

(4) Water in workshop when raining. Power leads and points exposed to water.

(5) Roller door between mechanical area and panel beating area is about to fall down.

(6) Dust and fumes blow through from panel beating area to the mechanical area.

(7) Customers wandering in and out of the panel beating and mechanical areas.

(8) No morning tea or lunch room.

(9) Dirty workshop toilet. (Sorry no pictures)

(10) No inspections on cable operated hoist. One overrun stop missing. Mechanics have been killed by cable hoists.

(11) Blowing off metal particles from the dry surfacing machine with an air-line by Boss Jr and foreman onto worker (me).

(12) Loose power points and poor power leads.

(13) Use of petrol and sawdust to clean floors. Petrol to clean benches.

(14) Blowing dust from brakes with air-line creating a brown cloud for all to breathe.

Not to mention:

20 litre open plastic buckets of petrol left in the workshop for long periods after draining leaking fuel tanks, adding to the delicate petrol aroma of the place.

Prior to my working in this shop a fire occurred when petrol was ignited by live jumper leads coming together during a floor/bench washing exercise. They joked about it. A trapped worker was pulled out through a window.

They were trialing a mysterious white powder which appeared in a partially filled unmarked container as a sawdust/petrol floor cleaner substitute. I was under a vehicle when some of it blew into my eyes. They blamed an apprentice for not mixing it with water first.

No names or locations. I'm not out to get anyone. Just showing what shit mechanics put up with. I should have saved my $800, become a public shithouse cleaner for health reasons, more pay and greater respect from the community :-)
BM&CTD

There should be health and poverty warnings on the trade.

Fact: In 1988 the average age of workers leaving the mechanical trade was 29 years.

"I told you not to mention that." Late great Benny Hill.

It would be nice if speaking out improved working conditions and poverty line wages for Australian mechanics. Photos were taken after getting notice.

Please send insults. Don't be shy. Four letter words acceptable and appreciated.