THE RAG TRADE IN BRUNSWICI< Its PROBLEMS

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The following report was prepared by Mr. Jo Lo Bianco of the Centre for ·urban ... Joe Lo Bianco. Anna Boland ...... 33 Tinning Street, Brunswick. 274 Lygon ...
THE RAG TRADE IN BRUNSWICI


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wi�ts in Brunswick is a lack of skilled machini�ts.

Employers are pessimistic about the

value of training workers as many do not stay.

The

due to its sweat shop reputation, has not attracted generation, consequently, there is no r eplacement for the skilled- machinists when they leav�.

The industry will

need•to upgrade conditions and wages in order to attract this generation. Fourthly, judging f.rom the responses of employers, assistanc in the promotion of local products by Council would -be advantageous to· local industry.

Factors which initially

attracted industry to Brunswick such as cheap migran� closeness to markets and suppliers, are decreasing in importance and other problems are arising such as lack of space.

It is hard to evaluate the impact of this.

It may

fo rce some of the larger firms to relocate, such as Holeproof and Yakka have done.

Others may relocate

only a certain section of production.

However, increasing

t ransport costs are a factor mitigating against this relocation.



- 28 Fifthly, the I.A.C. repo rt igno res the very real difficulties which the employees of the clothing in dustry will £ind if they are retrenched .

. It is of vital importance that the I.A.C. take

greater account 0£ the workforce, its composition and retraining potential.

This should be a high priority of the

Commission in view of the great impact to local areas and the welfare of warkers involved. point out the I.A.C.

It is important to

has other considerations which dictate

its terms of reference, like trading agreements with Asian countries in making r oom for their products, in exchange for their acceptance of our resource exports. Recently, there have been protests from Premier Hamer, the Trade

Union movement· and certain employer bodies, some

of which claim 50,000 jobs will be lost to industry as a result of the recommendations.

It is e�remely important

that due to the impact of such massive restructuring of industry in a city like Brunswick, local Government is consulted and invo.lved in the determination of such policy . .

..

It.is clear.that the problems of the clothing industry, �ndeed manufacturing, are national and international in origin and dimension.

Therefore, it wo uld follow that what

can be done .at th.e local/municipal level to intervene is limited.

Howeve r, although this is true in general

terms, there ar-e specific problems at the local level on which Council, Unions and employers can act.

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RECOMMENDATIONS 1.

The City Council, Clothing Trades Unian an d loc•l emp loyers form a Committee to review the problems of the clothing �ndustry in Brunswick. This Committee will further investigate: (i)

the number of workers employed in the clothing industry;

(ii) (iii)

number of outworkers; monitor ing of the industry, especially the local impact of Government policy and the implications of the I.A.C. r.ecommendations for ·industry;

(iv)

the devlopment of local solutions to the problems facing the industJ,y;

(v)

financing of the industry, its r estructuring, including Government equity;

(vi)

further investigate what employment guarantees are to.be expected from employers that receive financial assistance;

!vii)

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to look at the problems of workers in the industry their training needs and employment prospects.

2.

Investigation of ways of assisting small businesses and firms and.assessing their viability should be undertaken.

3.

The Clothing Trades Union with the assistance of the local committee start a communication process through union Shop Committees with non-English workers about job displacement and encouraging their involvement in discussion.

4.

A promotional programme for locally produced apparrel, including the publicising of brand names made in Brunswick be underta ken.

5.

The Committee referred to in (l)seeks that employment impact statements for new technology be developed .



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Append ix l

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BRUNSWICK FACTORIES Name

Address

No·. of Employees 11;1

Latoof & Calli! 17 Brunswick Road, Ea Boag Manufacturing st Brunswick 110 Albert Street, 96 Fletcher Jo nes East Brunswick 2 Ballarat Street 85 , Brunswick) Fletcher Jones Coat s 29 Frith Street, Brunswick Toronto 450. 475 Lygon Street, Br Lola Creations unswick 9A McDougal Street 40 , Brunsw ick Trevi Creations 451 Victoria Street 5 , West Brunswick Sleeping Beauty 118 Albert Street, 7 Tr 355 Lygon Street, Br 1 unswick N. Bee Schoolwear 76 Sydney Road, Brun 4 swick Lorisc Fashions 1st Floor, 17 Michae 6 n, &·M. Apparel l Street, Brunswick 33 Gale Street, East 12 Brunswick Ensign Services 225 Barkly Street, Br 17 unswick Geo Anna Fashions 153 Donald Street, Brunswick S.T.C. Mfg. Co. 67 Weston Street, Br unswick Florgale Uniforms 54 SA Unite Street, Brun swick Fay Ho ldings 171 Sydney .Road, Brun 61 S.B.S. Mfg. Co. swick 293 Lygon St reet, Brun 22 swick J. A.B. Jeans 4 321-323 Victoria St reet, Brunswick Banks Clothing 97 29 Weston Street, Ea st Brunswick Arnad , W. H. l Brunswick Road, Ea 10 st Brunswick Ba.rden, J. 16 33 Tinning Street, Br unswick Blue Bird 209 274 Lygon Street, Brun swick Celina 64 215 Albion Street, Brun Coreen Frocks swick 11 7 Ovens Street, Brunsw ick Dell aware 15 576 Lygon Street, East Delfion U/wear Brunswick 20 Deverell Street, Br 20 unswick Dorak Mfg. 17 5 Church Street, Brunsw East B runswick Mfg. ick 21 12 Edward Street, Br unswick Eckersal, R.F. 24 91 Lygon St reet, Brun swick Elite Pleaters 17 22 Ba rkly Street, East Brun Fairyland Mfg.·· swick 24 71 Nicholson Street, Ea st Brunswick 13 (Cont'd .. 2)

- 32 ·Name osh lack Myrobe Jann is ·Jeans Ihstitute Night Bird George & Anna Smartex J. Roberts Bellezz.a



Address lA Little Gold Street, Brunswick 129 Albert Street, Brunswick 45 Breeze Street, Brunswick 272 Victor�a Street, Brunswick 160 Victoria Street, East Brunswick 449A Lygon Street, Brunswick 161A Melville Road, West �runswick 19 Cozens Street, Brunswick 217 Sydney Road, Brunswick

No. of Members 11 23 14 2 11 4 44 10 9

Name

No. of Employees

Address

Melbourne Padding Co. 167 Lygon Street, East Brunswick c;ordon, H. 29 Cameron Street, West Brunswick Lewis Barker Pty. Ltd. 32 ovens Street, Brunswick Linger, S. & R. 19 Charles Street, Brunswick Marathon Pty. Ltd. 363 B Lygo n Street, East Brunswick Roberts, J. 55 Mitchell Street, Brunswick Milson Models 139 Lygon Street, East Brunswick Myne Fashions 21 Shurrock Street, Brunswick Perucci 45 Breeze Street, Brunswick Palermo, John 274 Barkly Street, Brunswick Portmans Pty. Ltd. 473 Lygon Street, East Brunswick Raja Clothing 1 Pitt Street, Br unswick Romina Fashions 9 Ewing Street, Brunswick 214 Albion Street, Brunswick Swiss Models 5 Pitt Street,·Brunswick Teha Lingerie Valencia Fashions 38 Ovens Street, Brunswick Victoria Lingerie 307A Victoria Street, West Brunswick Watersun S/wear 265 Sydney Road, Brunswick Wisco Mfg. Co. 41 Colebrook Street, Brunswick Tova Maidswear 6 Florence Street, Brunswick Pennisi, M. 102 Albert Street, East Brunswick

5 94 7 17 20 81 1 6 19 18 22 7 8 67 42 5 34 25 121 12 6

The above is a list of the unionized clothing factories in Brunswick. The number of employees in each in an aPproximation based on the number of�union members in each factory. It is There are eight registered outdoor workers in Brunswick. impossible to give an accurate estimate of the number of u11registered (illegal) outdoor workers.

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Since 1971, 36 clothing factories have closed down in Brunswick. These are: No. of Members Name Address Melrose O.lothing Tammer Bros. Chantel Blouses Pullars G.T. Fashions Aywon Varley Hi Life Fashions Block, M. Lenczener Marvelwear Stardust Doratex Dom al Val style Gordon & Son Nakis Henderson, R.J. Aus ray Andorra Lingerie F. & R. Fashions S ym ar

283 Albert Street, Brunswick 2 Percy Street, East Brunswick 7-9 Hope Street, Brunswick 227A Lygon Street, Brunswick 373A Lygon Street, East Brunswick 59 Luscombe Street, East Brunswidk 52 Holmes Road, Brunswick 348A Lygon Street, Brunswick 14 Frith Street, Brunswick 14 Frith Street, Brunswick 202 Glenlyon Road, East Brunswick 737 Sydney Road, Brunswick 5 Church Street, Brunswick 219 Nicholson Street, Brunswick 1 Pitt Street, Brunswick 276 Lygon street, Brunswick 219 Nicholson Street, Brunswick 337 Brunswick Road, Brunswick 163 Melville Road, west Brunswick 1 West Street, Brunswick 11 Cozens Street, Brun.swick 211 Nicholson Street, East Brunswick (Cont'd:.3)

13 37 13 2 2 20 2 12 12 22 .1 16 6 15 2 15 5 41 7 13

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Append ix 2

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QUESTIONS FOR EMPLOYERS - CHECKLIST Firm 1.

Could you describe the structure of this company or firm? � Public, Private; Headquarters or Branch.

2.

How long has this firm operated in Brunswick?

3.

How many employees do you have? Breakdown of age, groups, sexes, places of birth and skills of employees. Other statistical information.

4.

Do you have any outdoor workers? should outwork be controlled?

5.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having an industry in Brunswick? a.

Labour supply?

b.

Access to markets/suppliers?

c.

Transport?

d.

Car parking?

(Outworkers?)

- How

6.

What are your plans regarding the introduction of more modern equipment?

7.

Have these plans been communicated to the employees? To the union? How?

8.

How wi.11 greater

9.

technological input affect:

a.

competitiveness?

b.

productivity?

c.

levels of employment?

How will the �uality' of work change with the introduction of new technology? a.

safety/danger?

b.

skills required?

c.

cleanliness/noise etc. of jobs?

10. What are your plans re location? - What factors are involved in this decision?

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;�ndustry Generali� i.ll.

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