HEROES of HOLEPROOF WORKERS LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD

Transcription

1 HEROES of HOLEPROOF WORKERS LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD

2 WHITEHORSE Produced by the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia 2010 Photographs 2010 Angela Bailey all photographs except: page 2 and pages featuring photographs submitted by workers

3 How do you capture the feel, the sound, the look of a lifetime of factory work? These stories, images, fi lm and exhibition represent fragments of workers lives. This collection captures only a tiny part of a rich and compelling Australian story of workers in the textile and clothing industry. On 25 February 2009, Pacifi c Brands announced the closure of seven of its factories and the loss of 1850 jobs. The announcement was shocking and unexpected. Imagine the effect on each of the workers, some who heard about the loss of their jobs in the news, via television or radio, or through a phone call from a family member or friend. Many people in the Australian community were shocked. For the workers the announcement induced anger, fear, sorrow, resignation and for a few, relief. Holeproof was one of the seven factories targeted for closure. These are the stories and faces of strong, smart, hard-working and resilient workers who worked at Holeproof. They tell of the intricate processes involved in making socks and underwear and the precision and skill needed. They tell of the depth of friendships formed with other workers over the years and show how people shared large parts of their lives with one another and of the community and connections formed. They tell of the loss of yet another Australian manufacturing factory going off shore. Finding work at Holeproof for many workers was their fi rst job in a new country. Some learnt the language as well as the job from other workers. Holeproof workers shared their cultures, their stories, their struggles and their joys. Our Union and its Holeproof members wanted to recognise the loss of this community and the courage and strength of those embarking upon a new future. We hope this gives all who see this collection a sense of the Heroes of Holeproof. Michele O Neil National and Victorian Secretary Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia July 2010

4 TCFUA worker rally 5 March 2009

5 They called us all into the canteen for a meeting. Then they said that they were closing down the factory. Athanasia Seremetis Over the next six months we watched people leaving section by section waiting for our turn to go. Pota Lambrinos Between us we must have made hundreds of thousands of socks and underwear. To this day we are still seeing socks and underwear in our dreams. Antonio Lim and Jalina Au This was my fi rst job since I came to Australia 30 years ago, now it s my last. Vicky Siagas On 25 February 2009 Pacifi c Brands announced that it was closing down seven of its factories across Australia and retrenching 1850 workers. Holeproof is one of the seven factories that closed down its Australian production in September An amazing community of nearly 300 workers from many parts of the world, now living in Melbourne s suburbs would soon be unemployed. Many workers at Holeproof had given decades of service to the company. Iconic brands such as Explorer, Holeproof Heroes, No Knickers and Antz Pantz will no longer be made in Australia. While retrenchment causes considerable economic and emotional diffi culty for most workers, what has also been lost is a sense of community, the shared sense of identity and focus that is gained by the experience of working together as a group on a day-to-day basis with a common goal over many years. After retrenchment many workers face the prospect of uncertain and casual work. To help workers deal with this diffi cult transition the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia (TCFUA) set up an Advocacy and Support Project, with fi nancial assistance from Pacifi c Brands, to help workers to get training and support to fi nd sustainable employment and to engage meaningfully with their communities. 3

6 4 Cora Marshall and Dorothy Thompson

7 HEROES of HOLEPROOF WORKERS LOOKING BACK, MOVING FORWARD From the TCFUA Advocacy and Support Project, emerged a Community Arts Project component, giving workers a chance to share their experience of working at Holeproof and to document the rich history that was created and shared at the factory in order to honour the story of their service to the industry. Before the factory closed down, Carol Peterson and Helena Spyrou, Coordinators of the Project for retrenched Pacifi c Brands workers, organised for fi lmmakers Amie Batalibasi and Tim Metherall to fi lm and for photographer Angela Bailey to take photographs of workers in the factory. This fi lm footage and photographs were used as an initial springboard to engage workers in conversation about documenting their experiences as workers at Holeproof. After workers were retrenched, they met with the TCFUA Advocacy and Support Project Offi cer and Project Artist, Patricia Reid, to discuss ideas for an arts project. Workers were very keen to produce a book of stories and images commemorating their time at Holeproof. Over the next few of months, a number of workers contributed their own stories and photos. Angela Bailey s photos feature both in the book and in the exhibition. On 20 May 2010, workers who were studying English at a class at Box Hill TAFE participated in a conversation about their experiences, which was fi lmed by Russell Hawkins and Andrew Ma. The fi lming opportunity was made possible by the generous assistance of Hazel Rice, Pat Barnden and Dina Colborne from Box Hill Institute of TAFE. This footage, as well as footage taken in the factory before the factory closed down, was made into a short fi lm by Russell Hawkins. This fi lm is included on the DVD attached at the back of this book. Many ex-holeproof workers and community organisations have given their time, knowledge and expertise to the development of an arts project which has culminated this collection of stories and photos, a short fi lm and an exhibition. The curator from the City of Whitehorse, Jacquie Nichols- Reeves, has collaborated with Angela Bailey and workers to curate this exhibition in a space provided by the City of Whitehorse. The book designer, Natalie McDonagh gave freely of her time and expertise to the design and layout of the book and the invitation. Sue Buxton and Cheryl Humphries at Swinburne University s Skill Up Unit provided much of the initial skills training for Holeproof workers and succeeded in getting funding from Swinburne University for the printing of the book. The Uniting Church in Blackburn, where the Advocacy and Arts Project Offi cer is based, subsidised the production of the DVD. Dorothy Peterson and Kirsty Hoban from the TCFUA supported the project by undertaking a range of tasks and the TCFUA advocates based at the other six Pacifi c Brands sites closing across Australia, were an integral part of the brainstorming activities for the Holeproof arts project. They are: Kerry Potter (Kayser in Coolaroo, Victoria); Farah Rainey (Bonds in Wentworthville, NSW); Donreve Miles (Bonds in Cessnock, NSW); Zoe Rallings (Bonds in Unanderra NSW); Robyn Merton (King Gee in Bellambi, NSW) and Samira Taras (Can t Tear Em in West End QLD). Patricia Reid Project Artist Helena Spyrou Project Coordinator 5

8 HISTORY of HOLEPROOF In the 1920s, A.G. Staley started a hosiery business in Melbourne with a few sock knitting machines. He went to America fi ve years later and when he returned, he started making ladies hosiery under licence from the Holeproof Hosiery Company in Milwaukee, USA. Holeproof became a public company in 1929 and opened the fi rst mill at 204 Sydney Road, Brunswick in 1930 becoming the fi rst manufacturer to produce and market Australian-made self-supporting socks. During the 1930s, Holeproof revolutionised the Australian market by promoting their product as a sought after fashion accessory. In 1936, Holeproof changed its name from Staley & Staley Ltd to Holeproof Ltd. The company expanded during World War II to meet a growing demand and to produce for the war effort. In 1949 Holeproof also started producing apparel including business and sport shirts, casual wear and pyjamas. Spun nylon yarns were introduced in the 1950s and Holeproof were world leaders in this new technology. In 1955 Holeproof branched out into underwear and lingerie taking over Australian Knitting Mills. The factory at 108 Whitehorse Road, Deepdene was the main socks factory. It was the biggest profi t making business and supported the expansion of the business. This factory employed over 100 engineers in the early 1950s because they made their own machinery. The factory at 853 Whitehorse Road, Box Hill opened in the early 1950s. It manufactured seam stockings, underwear, shirts, sleepwear and knitted fabric and did the fi nishing of the underwear. The only dye house was at this factory. Its specialties were fl at bed knitting machines which manufactured socks in multiple foot sizes using nylon stretch yarn. In the early 1960s, a factory was established in Sydney. It manufactured socks to cater for the local market because this was cheaper than transporting goods from Melbourne. 6

9 During the early 1960s, Holeproof acquired two new leading knitwear companies, set up the Jiffi es division and introduced the fi rst folding footwear into Australia. The factory established in Ringwood, manufactured stockings, school jumpers, knitted fabric and Jiffi es. Other Holeproof factories existed in Lincoln Street and in Reid Street, Brunswick and in Horsham, Stawell and Ararat. The company was taken over in 1968 by Dunlop (later to become Pacifi c Dunlop). Pacifi c Dunlop also expanded into areas such as Red Robin, Hush Puppies, Florsheim and Grosby. The Ringwood factory was closed in the late 1970s. In the 1970s, A.G. Staley retired. Holeproof decided to focus on fewer categories and specialise in men s and ladies underwear, sleepwear and socks. This decade saw the introduction of the ever-popular Explorer socks and, in 1979, the Rio brand to take advantage of the introduction of discount department stores. In the early 1980s, Pacifi c Dunlop made the decision to take some of its manufacturing offshore to China and Indonesia. In 1990, all the Holeproof manufacturing was moved to the Nunawading site, largely because Pacifi c Dunlop wanted all the manufacturing on one site. The site took about twelve months to become fully operational. The Jockey and Red Robyn factories were relocated to the Holeproof site in Nunawadding. During the 1980s and 1990s brands like Underdaks, Computer Socks, No Knickers, Antz Pantz and Holeproof Heroes were introduced. More recently, the company changed ownership to Pacifi c Brands. Patricia Reid Project Artist Helena Spyrou Project Coordinator Sources Peter Learmonth, Tyson Fox, Erwin Fox (ex- Holeproof workers) Sylvie Stirling (current Pacifi c Brands worker); Holeproof study centre at Study-Centre/Our-History.asp, cited on 20 June Holeproof Box Hill late 1980s 7

10 I feel sorry that the company has closed down, not just for me, because my time for this work is fi nished. But, for the young people, for the young families who have children, and who have to continue to work. I was there for 31 years. Now my time is mine. I m going to school to learn English and there I have found my friends again. When we were together at the factory, we were like sisters. Elena Adami 8

11 Pota Lambrinos and Vicky Siagas 9

12 10 LOOKING BACK

13 In 1979, I was an unemployed machinist. I had heard through word of mouth that Holeproof was employing, so I decided to ask whether they needed any workers. During this time Holeproof was situated on the corner of Nelson and Whitehorse Rds in Box Hill. On the day of my interview, I was asked many questions about my previous job and then I was asked to show my skills on the machine. I was not very experienced, but I was lucky to be supervised by a woman called Phyllis who said to me, Don t worry, one machine is enough for now. Slowly you will learn to use the other machines. In the 1980s import tariffs were relaxed. A lot of girls lost their jobs. Times were changing. This period was extremely diffi cult for all of us. We were continually being relocated from one section to another. Production demands doubled and coming to work was a daily grind. Then the company decided to streamline production and we amalgamated with the hosiery division. In this division, we were continually being tested, as daily work included working between packaging and sewing. I also had a new supervisor. Her name was Donna. I remember she was very good at organising celebratory functions. We had many parties, especially during Christmas and Easter. One special ritual was the Wedding Ritual, where soon-to-be wives would have their machines showered in presents and fl owers. After working for 10 years at the Box Hill site, Holeproof relocated to brand new premises in Nunawading. I now needed to take a bus and a train to get there. Over the years, jobs continued to go down, down, down. Then in early 2009, we were all asked to attend a meeting. At this meeting we were told that Holeproof was to cease production in Australia and that we would all lose our jobs. There was much unrest and panic amongst all of us. Over the next few months, we watched as each section fi nished waiting for our turn. My last day was 5 August I was presented with a gift for 30 years of service. I recall the day being quite emotional. The Union helped us to reduce the burden. They helped us get training, new skills and, above all, new employment for those who needed to work. I have decided to retire. I am now going to English classes and I m learning to drive again. Athanasia Seremetis 11

14 I was only 20 years old when I started working at Holeproof in All I knew about the company then was that they make socks and underwear. Soon I learned that Holeproof was in a group of companies that belonged to Pacifi c Dunlop, now known as Pacifi c Brands. In 2000, my wife, Nia Jan started working here as a machine operator in the packing department. Between us we must have made hundreds of thousands of socks and underwear and to this day we are still seeing socks and underwear in our dreams. That s how much of an impact it has had on us. Throughout my years at Holeproof I mostly worked the afternoon shift while my wife worked the morning shift. Sometimes I would do a twelve hour shift. The night would fl y by because of the mateship we had. At that time our supervisor was Adrian and he was the most understanding man I have ever worked with. When the company announced the closure it wasn t a surprise because over the last few years production was very slow. It s sad to see a company close that s been in Australia for nearly 100 years. With the help of the Union, we got lots of training to assist us with our next employment. The Company put in funds for the training and that really helped because some of the courses were very expensive. I did the transport course, which cost a few thousand dollars. I am now working for Australia Post as a transport offi cer and I m very happy working outdoors and meeting new people. Antonio Lim and Jalina Au I started working at the Box Hill factory in On my fi rst day I was put on the slitting machine to do the slitting on the No Knickers underwear garments. Six months later, all the slitting machines were moved to Brunswick. I was moved onto the felling machine. For the fi rst few days I found it diffi cult to use the machine in order to unpick the garments. I unpicked more than I sewed. Then the girls told me that we are allowed to have six months training on the felling machine. I felt relaxed and relieved. A few months later, I was able to exceed the number of garments given to me. I also earned some protection bonus awards. After a few years I was so proud of myself because I was really experienced in that job, I was the fastest person in my work group as well as earning the most bonus rewards. When I heard an announcement for redundancy I was shocked and surprised. I d spent half my life in Holeproof. I was there for 25 years. I was all worried and depressed but with the help from the Union and funding from Pacifi c Brands, I was supported to do training so that I could fi nd a new job. Lam Tang 12

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17 Tôi ã làm vi c v i Holeproof c m i n m trong ca chi u. B i vì ho t ng c a công ty ã d i qua Trung Qu c, tôi b b t bu c ph i ngh làm cho công ty vào ngày 5 tháng Tám B n bè và tôi thích làm ca chi u, ca này b t u t 5 gi chi u cho n 11 gi t i, nh v y chúng tôi có th i gi a ón con cái i h c, làm vi c nhà, n u n và làm nh ng vi c l t v t hàng ngày khác. Có r t nhi u i u h u ích khi làm vi c trong ca này. Tôi li t kê s l c m t vài i u d i ây: 1. Chúng tôi có th tránh c chi phí gi tr. 2. Chúng tôi có th t mình ch m sóc cha m già, ch không ph i g i cha m vào nhà d ng lão. Có th l lu n r ng, vi c ch m sóc nhà d ng lão không mang n m t tình yêu th ng m à nh chúng tôi ch m sóc cha m t i nhà. Ch m sóc cha m t i nhà c ng s ti t ki m cho Chánh ph Úc các chi phí liên quan n vi c ch m sóc ng i cao niên. 3. Là ph n, chúng tôi không ph i l thu c vào l ng b ng c a ng i ph i ng u. 4. Có vi c làm, chúng tôi không c n nh c y n tr c p c a Centrelink. 5. Chúng tôi góp ph n óng thu cho chánh ph. 6. Làm vi c c ng là m t ph ng ti n chúng tôi giao ti p, nh t là khi ngh gi i lao, khi mà chúng tôi có th nói chuy n v i b n bè v nhi u tài khác nhau. Tôi hy v ng Nghi p oàn s c thúc Chánh ph Úc h tr vi c m mang thêm các c h i cho vi c làm, c bi t là nh ng vi c làm trong các ca nh t 9 gi 30 sáng n 2 gi 30 chi u ho c t 5 gi chi u n 11gi t i. Nh ng ca làm vi c ng n h n này s không nh ng giúp ích cho ph n b ng nh ng cách nh nêu trên mà còn giúp ích cho nh ng ng i h u trí còn mu n làm vi c v i gi gi c ng n h n. Dao Dinh I worked in Holeproof for ten years as part of the afternoon shift. As the Company s operations were outsourced to China, I was forced to leave the Company on 5 August My friends and I preferred working the afternoon shifts, which ran from 5pm to 11pm as this allowed us to pick up and drop off our children from school, do the housework, cook and do other chores. There are many benefi ts to be gained from working this shift. I have outlined some below: 1. We are able to avoid costs associated with childcare. 2. We are able to take care or our elderly parents ourselves, rather than sending them to nursing homes. Arguably, the care at nursing homes does not provide the deep affection that we can provide for our parents. Having our parents at home will also allow the Australian government to save on agedcare costs. 3. As women, we do not have to depend on our partners incomes. 4. Being employed, we do not have to rely on Centrelink payments. 5. We are contributing to the government s tax revenue. 6. Working is also a means for us to socialise, particularly at break times where we can talk with friends about an array of topics. I hope the Union will encourage the Australian government to support the opening of more employment opportunities, specifi cally those that run during times such as 9.30am to 2.30pm or 5pm to 11pm. These shorter shifts will not only benefi t women in the ways described above, but will also benefi t retirees who wish to work shorter hours. Dao Dinh 15

18 I arrived in Australia on 16 February 1989, from Vietnam. I spoke very little English. I didn t know anyone except my fi ancée, who had sponsored me. I soon found a job at Holeproof Underwear in Reid St, Brunswick. My fi rst day was 8 March At lunchtime that day, I saw a Vietnamese lady reading a book while having lunch by herself. I sat next to her and we started talking. She worked in the packing room. Mai and I have been friends ever since. Everyday at lunchtime, we would talk. Sometimes her boyfriend picked her up and they would also give me a lift home. I invited them to my wedding and one month later we were invited to theirs. I started my job on an overlocking machine. I had to put elastic around the sides and waist of undies and sports bras. It wasn t easy, because the garment, when fi nished, had to be the right measurement. My supervisor often came around to check up on me. If the work wasn t good, I had to unpick it and start again. For the fi rst couple of weeks, I couldn t meet production demands. But, day by day, I learnt and soon was able to fi x problems. I didn t hesitate to ask for help from the people around me, and so my English also got better. After nine months at Holeproof, I took maternity leave to have my fi rst boy. I stayed at home for three years. During that time I had a second boy. When I returned to Holeproof, everything had changed. I was treated like a new worker. One day, I had a problem. I went to speak with the manager. She didn t want to listen to my problem. I was so upset that I left one month after I had returned. I started to look for another job. I tried a shoe factory, a curtain factory and then, an army clothes factory. I worked for two days without pay. People said they hadn t been paid for two weeks because the company had gone bankrupt. And then I fi lled in a form for a job at Red Robin in Moreland Road, Coburg. I came home to my fl at in Northcote after the interview at Red Robin and I saw a piece of paper on my doorstep. It said Debbie. Ring Pat I knew it was from my friend, Elsie. She lived a few fl ats down. Pat Matarazzo, from Red Robin, had rung my friend Elsie because I had put her phone number on my application form. He asked her what job I had been doing at Holeproof. Then he told her, Sorry, this is a sock factory. Her job at Holeproof was different. Elsie asked Pat to give me a chance. She said she was sure I could do the new job. I rang Pat the next day and I started working at Red Robin in the toe closing department on 29 August After fi ve years at Red Robin, we were told that the company would be relocating to the Holeproof site in Nunawading. Only one other girl came with me because it was too far away for the others, so they took a redundancy. So, in November 1999, I was back at Holeproof, except now in Nunawading. I made new friends as there were more Vietnamese people working here. We helped each other and became closer and closer. We often went out to lunch together or had a party at someone s house and we would bring our family. When the company announced that it was to close, everyone had the same feeling - we we re going to lose our friendships. It was very hard and very sad to say goodbye on 23 September Our section was the last to leave. It was hard to watch all the workers in the other sections leave before us. I felt sad, even for the people I didn t know. Now, with the help of the Union s retraining program and the Skill Up program provided by Swinburne TAFE, I have completed a range of courses: Hospitality, Basic Computers, Certifi cate II in Retail and Basic Book keeping. I am currently studying Advanced Book keeping. I hope to get a job in retail or book keeping or to help in my niece s business as a book keeper. 16

19 The Union has worked so hard in helping us build a new future. I ve started to settle down now and I m happy with what I m doing. Mai and I still keep in touch, even though we now have different lives. Dep Thi Do I worked in the underwear section on overlockers and plain machines. I was at the Box Hill factory for about eight years and then we moved to the new site in Nunawading. Sometimes the job was hard, but I enjoyed working there because I made a lot of friends and I was very happy to have a job. I worked for Holeproof for 25 years and was very sad when they closed the factory in September Giuseppina (Josie) Conidoni xújmføab;efivkarenahulrbuhvry³eblcit 7 qñam. GñkeFIVkarCamYyxJúMTaMgGs;suT EtCamnusSl. GñkRKb;RKg k¾camnussl Edr. xjúmminedlmanbbaðacamyygñknamñak;etkñúgeragcrkenaebledlxjúmefivkarenatienh. pani syr I worked at Holeproof for nearly 7 years. All of my colleagues were good people. The manager was also a good person. I never had a problem with anyone in the factory for all the time I have worked here. Phanny Soeur 17

20 When my family came to Australia 23 years ago, we started at number 0. We had nothing when we escaped from my country. My husband always says to my two boys, You must study because your parents haven t got anything for you. You must study and we will try to work to help you study. So working at Holeproof for all this time has helped me support my family. Le Dang Wherever you shop today, you check the label, even the big brand names, they mostly all say Made in China. Why? Because big companies want to make more profi t. But these decisions will affect the country and we feel it sooner or later. The company said they couldn t afford to keep us working here because, We are too expensive, they said. But we live in this country and life in Australia is expensive. We pay a lot of tax. We pay for doctors. We pay for food. We pay for bills. We pay for rates. We were very low paid workers. We were paid fourteen dollars an hour. But still Pacifi c Brands wasn t happy. Plus they grabbed a lot of money off the government too. Don t forget that. They grabbed millions of dollars. Pota Lambrinos When I go to shops and look at the things that we made, I feel sad. I made that, I say to myself. I feel sad because we made it here and now we don t anymore. I don t want to buy cheaper clothes, because they re not good. I can feel a cheap product on my body when I put it on. I can see and feel the difference. Vicky Siagas 18

21 Aiona Palu 19

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23 My fi rst job was in the dye house. It was a very hot environment to work in. You had to keep four drying machines going, one load out and the next load in. The machines were very heavy work. We had to load 50Kg of socks onto the belt by hand. The socks dried in about 10 minutes so you were on the go all the time. It was a good experience in there with a small group of friendly people. In 2004, one year after I started, I became a shop steward to help the existing shop stewards. This role was varied with many mountains and valleys to traverse. It was at times very challenging but backup from the Union s organisers made the job a lot easier. In 2007 I transferred to the knitting room. This new job was a real challenge, as I had never done this type of work before. I learned to operate the knitting machines, load yarn, and inspect socks as well as several other duties. In the summer of 2008 the air-conditioning in the knitting room broke down. The company didn t do anything for quite a while. Little did we know at the time that our jobs were going to China. So, why repair equipment that is being disposed of? Eventually, the company hired some evaporative coolers, but it was so hot that all they did was put more humidity into the atmosphere. For the most part the company was good to the employees. They threw good Christmas parties with plenty of food, but light on grog. And then there were those cold cross buns for Easter. Chris Lemm 21

24 Holeproof, Whitehorse Rd Nelson Rd Box Hill. Holeproof, Deepdene. Deepdene,.,,.. -.,. 180,..,,.,.,.,,.,.,,. 1994, Nunawading, Box Hill Deepdene, Nunawading..,,.,,.,. 5, $100., 10 $150, 15 $200, 20 $250., 25, : «25».,.., 2009., 6.,,.,,,.,,,., (union).,,,.,.. ( ). Box Hill TAFE... Pacific Brands,. (Pota Lambrinos) 22

25 I started working at the Box Hill factory on 12 December One month later I was transferred to the factory in Deepdene. At Deepdene, the socks were woven by machines and then transferred to us for stitching. At the beginning the job was diffi cult, but it got easier as I learnt sock stitching. There were fi ne and thick socks to stitch. Some machines were automatic and we would insert one sock at a time. The machine would stitch the socks and then turn them over and drop them in a sack where the socks were then automatically counted. We had to produce 180 dozen pairs of socks a day. If we produced more than that we would get paid a bonus. But, in order to produce that quantity, you had to push yourself a lot. We also had problems with the machines. Sometimes the threads would break and at other times the needles. The machines broke down many times and we would do other tasks until the machine got fi xed. A lot of couples worked at the factory because the shifts were suitable. The wife would work the morning shift and the husband the afternoon, or night shift so they could also look after their kids. In 1994, a bigger factory was built in Nunawading and the two factories in Box Hill and Deepdene were moved to the big one in Nunawading. A warehouse was also part of the factory. We would weave the socks, then dye, iron and package them. Each Christmas we had a party with music and drinks and our families would also attend. The company also gave presents at Christmas. The workers with fi ve or more years of service received special presents. The present for fi ve years service was $100, for ten years $150, for fi fteen years $200, for twenty years $250 and for twenty fi ve years they would give an Omega wrist watch inscribed with the words: 25 years of service. Many times there were rumours that the company would one day leave Australia and move to China. But we didn t know when this would happen. In February 2009, that moment fi nally arrived. The company administration announced to us that in six months time there would be no more work for the workers. For many of us it was not a surprise because we had been expecting it to happen for years. For others it was very diffi cult to believe that such a big company employing such a large number of workers would close its gates forever and move overseas. Over those six months, we watched people leave, section by section, group by group. During that time, the union got involved with us to help us out. They came to the factory, talked with the workers, the supervisors, the managers, the bosses. They helped us make sure we would have support after we stopped work. The Union organised all the training. I had a good experience learning better English and learning to use a computer. Pota Lambrinos 23

26 .. ;,.., ( )... :,,?,,,. é.,!,.,! Many years ago, Holeproof had people working in different sites across Melbourne. They then built a new site in Nunawading and we were all brought together to work in the new factory. The way the building was set up was different to what we had experienced in Box Hill one level only, one large room with a high ceiling. It looked like a warehouse. To honour this occasion, Paul Keating, the Prime Minister at the time, toured the factory and gave a speech. The event attracted publicity and news presenters from TV and radio stations came to cover the story. A radio presenter from the SBS station interviewed one of my friends that I d that worked with for seven years. They asked what she thought of our new workplace and without hesitation she innocently replied, What do you think the place looks like, a factory or a warehouse? At the end of the day, just before we had clocked off and said our goodbyes to another day in our new workplace, my friend s voice was all over the radio news. This wasn t brought to her attention until she came to work the next day. Needless to say, management wasn t impressed with her interview. Fortunately, everyone was able to see the humour in it and have a laugh. However, I don t think my friend ever talked to a radio or TV presenter again. Lena Lamovski 24

27 Holeproof by a przez d ugi czas bardzo dobr fabryk dla wielu ludzi. Zacz am pracowa w tej fabryce w Deepdene w 1986 roku. Potem latach wszyscy przeprowadzili my si na teren fabryki w Nunawading. Pracowa am tam a tego smutnego ko ca, kiedy fabryka Holeproof zosta a zamkni ta we wrze niu Przez ten d ugi okres czasu byli my dla siebie jak jedna wielka rodzina. By o tam wielu ludzi z ró nych krajów, byli my razem szcz liwi i mia am tam wielu przyjació. Moja ciocia Holina Lochut, która sponsorowa a mój przyjazd do Australii, by a osob, która za atwi a mi prac w Holeproof. Podczas II wojny wiatowej moja ciocia Holina zosta a wywieziona z Polski do niemieckiego obozu pracy. Po wojnie wyjecha a do Anglii, wysz a za m i w 1961 przyjecha a do Australii dla lepszego ycia. Podj a prac w Holeproof i pracowa a tam przez 5 lat. Do dzi ma 3 przyjació z tamtego okresu. Upadek Holeproof nie mo e by dla nas ko cem wszystkiego. Musimy i do przodu, eby mie dobre ycie i szuka czego nowego. Margaret Nowak married and came to Australia in 1961 for a better life. She started working in Holeproof and stayed for fi ve years. She still has three friends from that time. The demise of Holeproof can t make us stop everything. We have to go forward to have good lives and look for something new. Margaret Nowak Holeproof was a very good factory for many people for a long time. I started working there in 1986 at the Deepdene factory. Then we all moved to the Nunawading factory in the 1990s. I stayed there until the sad end when Holeproof was closed in September We were like one big family during that long time. There were so many people from different countries, we were so happy together and I made many friends. My auntie Holina Lochut, who sponsored me to come to Australia, was the person who got me the job at Holeproof. During World War II my auntie Holina, from Poland, was in a German labour camp. After the war she went to England, 25

28 PARTIES AT WORK

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30 MOVING FORWARD In May 2009 Swinburne TAFE was appointed by Skills Victoria to provide the Skill Up Re-training Program for re-trenched workers at Holeproof. Swinburne along with the Textile Clothing and Footwear Union of Australia decided that the best way to brief the workers on the Skill Up Program was to attend the factory on a number of occasions to reach each shift and meet the employees. And so began for Swinburne staff one of the most rewarding and enjoyable Skill Up Projects. Eight briefi ng sessions were held across two days reaching each worker. The Skill Up team and the Union with the help of qualifi ed translators explained how the Skill Up project would run, the benefi ts and the rules for participating. Over the two days 260 people attended these sessions and 246 registered for individual interviews. The Union and Pacifi c Brands negotiated an agreement that workers could start training in June while still in the workplace and the challenge facing Swinburne was to make use of this time and introduce workers to Vocational Education and the possibilities of gaining qualifi cations and accredited course certifi cates. A taster English as a Second Language course was offered called Tap into Training and the delivery plan focused on English language and technology skills. It was prepared by the Skill Up team with input from the Union, which included experienced communication skills and literacy teachers. Cheryl Humphries delivered the course assisted by Nellie Durant and Sue Buxton. Having fun and learning in a relaxed environment was the focus for all and for the Swinburne staff it provided a wonderful opportunity to get to know the workers at Holeproof. The results were very positive. Of the 88 workers who participated, 55 went on to enrol in a certifi cate level course with a major focus in literacy and computing. Throughout the life of the project there were 233 enrolments in a range of other certifi cate courses at Swinburne (25 in Certifi cate 28

31 II in Retail; 88 in Aged Care and Hospitality and 35 in Fork Lift Licences) and other training organisations. One of the highlights for me in November 2009 was visiting the Holeproof workers in their new literacy classes and hearing from other Swinburne staff how much they enjoyed having workers from Holeproof in their classes and how keen and motivated to learn the workers were. In April 2010, the 12 women completing the Certifi cate III in Aged Care, Home and Community care continue to receive study support from Cheryl, and their presence around the campus adds much to the working day of the Skill Up team. We would like to thank the Union (in particular Patricia Reid and Dot Peterson) for providing us with the help and advice to deliver this large project on behalf of Skills Victoria through Swinburne TAFE; Pacifi c brands for providing additional funding to support workers to retrain and you, the workers, who have taught us much about the reality of retrenchment and beginning again. Sue Buxton Co-ordinator with Cheryl Humphries Skill Up Team Swinburne TAFE This was my fi rst job, since I came to Australia. Now it s my last! I worked at Holeproof for 28 years. I m happy because I m retiring. Now I go to English classes and there I ve met up with my friends from work again. Eleftheria Polites 29

32 Contributors This collection of stories, photographs and fi lm has been made possible through the generosity of each of the workers retrenched from Holeproof who took time to share their wisdom, expertise and insight. The following people contributed to the project: as part of the exhibition working group; as part of the story writing group; in the fi lming at the Holeproof factory before its closure; in the fi lming at the English class at Box Hill TAFE post-retrenchment; and/ or in submitting photographs from their own collections for the book and the exhibition. Elena Adami machinist / fl at locker / overlocker / men s underwear 31 years Jalina Au packer / socks and underwear 9 years Josephina Conidoni machinist / underwear 21 years Le Dang machinist / 2100 pairs of socks a day 23 years Dinh Dao machinist / underwear 10 years Robert Di Stephano knitting 33 years Dep Thi Do toe closing / overlocker / underpants and sports bras 20 years Tyson Fox knitting room / supervisor 35 years Anne Fu machinist / overlocker / packer 15 years Ling Fu underwear 16 years Paul Gibson knitting 14 years Helen Hellary machinist 15 years Kathy Huang overlocker / women s underpants 15 years Dimka Kristevski machinist / binding on men s briefs 10 years Pota Lambrinos machinist / toe closer / 2100 pairs of socks a day 19 years Lena Lamovski machinist / underwear 23 years Peter Learmonth maintenance 44 years Chris Lemm dye house / knitting room / shop steward 6 years Dat Phan Le knitting 17 years Wai Fen Le knitting 11 years Weng Leong machine technician 5 years Laiyin Leung machinist / overlocker / underpants 15 years Antonio Lim knitting room / socks and underwear 17 years Cora Marshall packer 15 years Helen Milonakos toe closing / supervisor 23 years Hai Nguyen machinist 1 year Quynh Anh Nguyen packer 11 years Tong Van Nguyen knitting 19 years Van Tien Nguyen knitting 9 years Margaret Nowak machinist / underwear 19 years Aiona Palu socks 18 years Domenic Petrasso knitting 25 years Doanh Pham packer 10 years Elefteria Polites packer / underwear 1000 units a day 28 years Mai Ponton toe closing 10 years Mark Ponton mechanic 16 years Ekaterini Razos underwear 15 years Letecia Rogan machinists / socks 10 years Pheth Sayasombath knitting 21 years Athanasia Seremetis machinist 30 years Vicki Siagas machinist / overlocker / toe closer / socks & samples 40 years Jie Hua Situ overlocker / packer / 1300 garments a day 19 years Phanny Soeur machinist / underwear 2 years Lam Tang machinist / slitting / felling 25 years Robert Taylor knitting 16 years Dorothy Thompson packer 15 years Quoc Phu Tran knitting 14 years Thi Ngoc Diep Tran machnist 18 years Geoffrey Watkins mechanic 10 years Curtis Williams knitting 6 years Pei Lun Zeng machinist / packer 17 years 30

33 HEROES of HOLEPROOF DVD A short fi lm A slideshow of other images submitted by workers Film TCFUA

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