Construction workers share their frustrations of Sydney lockdown 2.0

The controversial construction ban has been lifted for several weeks but Sydney’s tradies are still enduring the Covid fallout, especially those living in virus-stricken red zones.

After a two-week construction ban was lifted in July, tradies have been keen to pick up the tools and help the NSW economy tick over but for some a return to work has not been so smooth.

The lockdown has frustrated Riverstone crane operator of 37 years, Ian McKinnon, who is critical of State Government rules, which require construction workers living in the 12 local government areas of concern to have at least one vaccination before returning to work.

However, tradies living elsewhere do not have to be jabbed.

Mr McKinnon, 55, works for Melrose Cranes and Rigging at Seven Hills, which, like Riverstone, is in the Blacktown LGA.

“This really annoys the crap out of me,’’ he said.

“I’m not allowed to work in my LGA. It’s just not right, not fair.

“I’m six streets away from the Hawkesbury Council. They’re not in lockdown (in an area of concern). We don’t have cases here. The Ponds don’t have cases, Kellyville, which is the Hills LGA, can go to work.’’

The married father of two adult children has had to make financial sacrifices but is aware he could be in a more dire predicament.

“I just sold a caravan which has given me $30,000 to live on and $750 a week from the government,’’ he said.

Ian McKinnon is worried about his workmates’ wellbeing.

“I’m lucky I don’t have a lot of debt. If this would have happened to me 30, 40 years ago, I don’t think I would be surviving.

“There’s a couple of guys I check on because I don’t feel they’re doing so well. One has just separated from his long term partner and he lives in Parramatta and he’s not doing so well.

“I’m lucky because I’ve got a big backyard and I can play around in my backyard, but I really feel for people who have nothing to do in their own place, like people in units. I do feel for other people.’’

The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union delegate’s wife, Lorraine, is hearing-impaired and relies on lip reading so she suspended her work in a childcare centre when masks became mandatory in June.

Mr McKinnon could have received the AstraZeneca but chose the Pfizer and is due to receive his first dose on Saturday and plans to return to work on Monday.

Construction worker Ian McKinnon and his wife Lorraine miss their family.

The challenges will continue when he returns to work when he will need a travel to visit sites across Sydney.

“That’s our biggest problem,’’ he said.

“If you go to a work site, you have to get a travel permit to go to a different work site. Per week I could go to five, seven work sites.’’

The McKinnons, who have a 27-year-old son living at home and a married 30-year-old son, are desperate to reunite with family, watch their beloved Eels and Tigers play in person and live in a world without constant check-ins.

“If I get a coffee, it takes me longer to do the QR code than it is to buy a coffee,’’ Mr McKinnon said.

Construction worker Jason Williams misses his children and grandchildren in the US.

Fellow tradie and Maroubra resident, construction worker Jason Williams has had more liberties than his workmates, living in one of the 12 hotspot LGAs.

He is booked in for a vaccination but after the two-week construction ban lifted, he was free to return to work for Built at Parramatta Square.

Not that the grandfather-of-four is immune to the wrath of Covid.

“It’s been tough just been locked out of work and also hours being reduced and just financial uncertainty,’’ he said.

“I think it’s an unprecedented situation but the government’s doing the best they can But a lot of the decision seems a bit sporadic.

“Honestly you just don’t know with cases continuing to go up you don’t know what the government needs to do to protect everybody.

“It’s just uncertain, which causes a tremendous amount of stress.’’

Adding to that anxiety is not seeing his children or meeting his newborn grandson.

He moved to Sydney from Los Angeles 10 years ago when he married an Australian woman, but his sons are in LA and Texas.

Finances aside, Mr Williams says mental health has been tough.

“We have a support group called Found Blue and we actively try to engage each other if everyone’s OK,’’ he said.

“The kids have been home for 12 weeks, there are spouses who are not working.

“Men technically don’t talk as much as they should but the company and the union have all these programs to ask are you are OK? and we do try to actively engage people as much as possible, but I don’t think men in general speak up as much as we should.’’

The CFMEU, Electrical Trades Union and Plumbers’ Union are lobbying the government to stop discriminating against construction workers and to implement rapid antigen testing for those in red zones, in lieu of mandatory vaccinations.

Different rules apply to construction workers, depending on their address.

“The current rules have caused untold distress and anxiety to a group of construction workers already doing it tough as a result of an issue not of their own making,’’ CFMEU NSW construction secretary Darren Greenfield said.

“It is bizarre and defies any sensible rationale that in announcing the rapid antigen testing regime for every other industry that the government has excluded construction workers living in the 12 LGAs of concern from being able to use it as a means of proving they are safe to work.’’

He said unions had gone “above and beyond” to roll out safety measures such as staggered start and finish times, social distancing, and boosted cleaning systems on sites.

Despite rapid antigen testing, NSW Health said the method would detect most Covid cases but the test was are not as accurate as the standard test.

Mental health tips for tradies

● Remember that this all temporary. Things have been put in place for specific reasons and they are for our best interest

● Stay connected with friends and family via phone, face time and message.

● Engage in healthy activities: cooking for yourself/family, board games, reading.

● Keep regularly sleep patterns

● Allocate times for certain activities and plan out your day as usual

● Avoid social media/news that you may find distressing

● Maintain physical activity – walking, indoor training

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