Too many bosses think we're just... 'half-price workers'

FFTS UNION NEWS spoke to a 30 year old apprentice who has first hand experience of the many rip offs that apprentices face.

FFTS UNION NEWS: Apprentices put up with low pay in the hope of getting ‘the golden ticket’ that will let them earn decent money as a tradesman. Is that how you saw it?

APPRENTICE: 'Yeah, you think that an apprenticeship is that 'golden ticket' but in too many places apprentices get shafted. You go there and find that there is no real trade work and no tradesmen to train you. Then you can end up just being cheap production labour.'

FFTS UNION NEWS: You mean that some bosses are using apprentices as ‘half-price’ production workers and then sacking them before they get their ticket - have you seen this?

APPRENTICE: Yeah that’s why loads of young people give up on the apprenticeship. They think if I am gonna just be doing labouring work I may as well go and just work as labourer and get better pay.’

FFTS UNION NEWS: So are many apprentices making it through?

APPRENTICE: Lots are just walking out the door. In my trade class we started with 20, there is only 6 left. Often when you get to second year the bosses starts trying to push you out the door. The government says they want trained workers but no one will help you - only the union. The FFTS was there for me when I started getting hassled at work.

FFTS UNION NEWS: What happened in your old workplace?

APPRENTICE: In my old workplace they weren’t giving any real trade work. I was not learning the trade properly. And I am dead set keen to learn the trade. Then they wanted me to set up machines in an unsafe way. They wanted me to set up machines for untrained workers to use. That’s a recipe for an accident. Because I was older than most apprentices I refused. I stood up for myself. The boss came down on me like a ton of bricks. Luckily, I was in the union and they helped me. They helped me get a new job at a genuine place where they train their apprentices and treat you right.

FFTS UNION NEWS: What have you got to say to governments and bosses who say there is a skills shortage?

APPRENTICE: Yeah, they all say they want trained tradespeople in timber machining and cabinet making. But what goes on in factories is hidden and apprentices are getting ripped off and treated like dogs - just made to do production work. And they’re getting pushed out before they get their ticket. They could have got better money at Hungry Jacks. Most aren’t going to put up with that. They’re gonna toss in the towel. They need to give apprentices a
fair go, give then a chance to get their tickets and give them real on the job training - not on the job rip offs. At the moment it’s like apprentices don’t have any rights. The union’s the only one in your corner.

So there you have it. The bosses’ ‘skills crisis’ is just a ‘training crisis’. The FFTS will continue to take up the fight for apprentices for real training and fair treatment on the job. If you know of apprentices in our industries getting ripped off then call the FFTS. We can help them get a fair go.