Part of my job is to meet and exchange ideas with colleagues from sister organisations overseas.
Although our contacts with other members of the European Builders Confederation (EBC) are important, it is often meetings with associations from countries with historic links to the UK that provide the most useful exchanges.
AUSTRALIAN MASTER BUILDERS
FMB has had two recent visits that I would like to tell you about. The first was a group from the Master Builders Association of Victoria (MBAV), Australia. Chief Executive, Brian Welch and two of his members spent half a day with us in July. The MBAV has a history dating back to the middle of the 19th century. It has a wider membership than FMB representing a number of large businesses, who pay annual subscriptions running well into five figures, as well as many SMEs facing the same challenges as FMB members. Interestingly, the association also has a category of membership for apprentices. The MBAV’s marketing is focussed on the consumer - encouraging them to choose a ‘Master Builder’. That campaign has achieved considerable success but only after a prolonged, and on-going period of substantial investment in selling the quality of work a customer can expect from a Master Builder in the state. Clearly the position in Australia is made easier by the requirement for any builder undertaking work costing more than A$5000, (about £3300) to be registered which eliminates many of the less reputable elements. FMB’s looking closely at what we can learn from the MBAV and will maintain contact, though face-to-face meetings are likely to be few and far between.
For more information about the MBAV visit www.mbav.com.au.
SOUTH AFRICAN MASTER BUILDERS
My second visitor was Gary Amstutz, the Commercial Manager of the Master Builders Association of KwaZulu-Natal (MBAK-N) in South Africa. This was another association based on the trade association model we are familiar with in the UK, though the MBAK-N is 40 years older than FMB having been established in 1901. As with the Association in Australia, it represents a range of members from sole traders through to major house builders and civil engineering contractors. There were many parallels with FMB including MBAK-N running annual Excellence in Construction Awards which are very similar to our Master Builder of the Year Awards. Health and safety is a top priority for the association as tragically, the South African construction industry still sees more than 1,000 deaths as a result of on-site accidents every year.
The association has an interesting website at www.masterbuilders.co.za.
If any FMB members are visiting either Australia or South Africa, I know that both associations would be delighted if you make contact with them.
BATJIC PENSION SCHEMES TO BE WOUND-UP
Around 30 years ago, the FMB and the Transport and General Workers Union, (now UNITE) set up pension schemes to allow FMB members to make pension provisions for their staff.
Over the years, as pension schemes have become more sophisticated, the number of participating businesses has fallen and the schemes are no longer sufficiently attractive to new users. At the same time the costs of compliance and regulation have risen substantially as legislation has been introduced to ensure that the investments made into pension schemes are protected. Continuing with the schemes as they are currently run is no longer an affordable option for FMB. The FMB Managing Board has concluded that the only option is wind-up the schemes. This process is likely to take two to three years and those who hold funds will have a range of options available to them including transferring into other schemes.
To start the process no new entrants can be admitted into the schemes and no further contributions can be accepted from existing members.
FMB will be contacting all traceable scheme users to advise them of the decision and the options that will be available. However, many of the employee address records are now out of date and it may not be possible to contact everyone who has contributions in the funds. If you are aware of anyone who may be in this group, please let FMB know.
