
Issue No 122		07 December 2001

LaborNET	Ask Neale	Tool of the Week

Letters to the Editor

The Great Tuckpointer Debate Revived

A Tuckpointer is more than someone that just points (grooved mortar joints) with a thin ridge of fine lime mortar or putty. The also repair/restore/replace masonry, cleans new/existing masonry, caulks everything, apply water repellants. A Tuckpointer is the reason a new brick building looks the way it does.

As for the question are there any Tuckpointers still out there? The answer is yes. Check with your local masonry institute or with you local Bricklayer union hall. Tuckpointers are the backbone of the masonry restoration industry. Not to mention the caulking. A GOOD Tuckpointer is worth his/her weight.

As for the statement of a "thin ridge of fine lime mortar or putty". If you intend to have a Tuckpointer do some repairs I recomend that you get referrals, not everbody that calls themselfs a Tuckpointer is qualified to match the mortar in color, texture or make. There are a lot of issues that factor in this equation. If you have any more question please feel free to Email me at [email protected]

Thank you for your time.

Happy Holidays!!

Bradley Lawrence

CLASS TITLE: BTS MASON/TUCKPOINTER

CODE: 2169

EEO: 6-02

OCC GRP: 6.3

ISSUED: 05/98

SUPERSEDES:

BASIC FUNCTION AND RESPONSIBILITY

Skilled work on a journey level in the installation, maintenance and repair of masonry structures and road surfaces. All work is subject to spot checking and inspection for conformance to specifications and accepted standards of the trade.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES

Construct, maintain, and repair structures using masonry materials. Plan layout, mix bonding materials, shape and lay stone, brick, tile, and other masonry material using appropriate bonding agents.

Repair and finish joints between stones or bricks of masonry structure. Plan layout, remove existing bonding materials, mix and apply fresh bonding agent.

Set forms, embed necessary reinforcing materials, pour and finish concrete and asphalt surfaces to specified textures.

Break up existing masonry structure using power and hand tools.

Install tile on floors and other areas following design specifications. Prepare surface for tiling by cleaning, filling holes with appropriate material and spreading adhesive base.

Set up and dismantle scaffolding and staging, install drain tiles, waterproofs underground masonry surfaces, applies sealants, cut openings and utility access holes in masonry surface as required.

Smooth and finish surfaces of poured concrete floors, walls, sidewalks, or curbs to specified textures, using hand tools or power tools, including floats, trowels, and screeds.

Remove rough or defective spots from concrete surfaces, using power grinder or chisel and hammer and patch holes with fresh concrete or epoxy compound.

May mix cement, using hoe or concrete-mixing face machine.

May direct subgrade work, mixing of concrete, and setting of forms.

May break up and repair old concrete surfaces, using pneumatic tools.

Finish ornamental stone facings and surfaces of concrete structural products.

Fill holes with grout or mix to repair imperfections in structural panels, floors and roof slabs, and ornamental flowerpots, using sponge, trowel, chisel, and hammer.

Mix cement, aggregate, and coloring by hand and fill mold to match specifications of product being finished, using trowel, tamper, and scraper.

Polish stone facings to lustrous finish, using polishing machine or apply acid solution to stone facing to remove excess facing mix around stones, using brush.

May perform or assist in performance of any of the following: preparation of cost estimates, preparation of material orders, maintenance of records and preparation of reports.

Observe and enforce all safety requirements related to equipment operation.

Due to necessary fluctuation of workloads in the skill area, an incumbent in this class may be required, on an occasional basis and according to need, to perform duties outside his/her trade area. Normal safety requirements, scheduling and the most efficient use of staff and equipment are taken into consideration in such assignments.

Clean, maintain, safely operate and properly store all tools and equipment.

Perform related duties as assigned

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

Direct supervision is received from a designated supervisor. Oral and written instructions are supplemented by plans, drawings or blueprints.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

May instruct and/or guide personnel assisting in work.

QUALIFICATIONS

A high school diploma or an equivalent combination of education and experience from which comparable knowledge and abilities can be acquired is necessary.

Four years actual work experience and training including the equivalent of apprenticeship or vocational training in the trade.

Ability to read blueprints, plans, and drawings.

Skill in maintenance and use of tools, equipment and materials of applicable trade.

A person working in this classification will need on a daily basis, to be able to:

Grasp, lift, maneuver, rotate, and otherwise use small to large trades tools and equipment.

Grasp, lift, carry, and set down heavy (50-80 lbs) objects.

Grasp, turn, twist, pull, push, lift, and otherwise move equipment, controls, parts, etc.

Visually assess maintenance, construction and repair needs.

Climb and work from ladders, stairs, and scaffolding.

A valid driver's license may be required.

View entire issue - print all of the articles!

Issue 122 contents

Interview: Reality Bytes
Labor's IT spokeswoman Kate Lundy on how a third Howard Government will hurt the IT industry.

Unions: My Way or the Highway
Since 1997, workers employed by Serco/Great Southern Railways, have been locked in a struggle with their employer to have their choice of industrial instrument recognised.

Legal: Three Degrees of Contract
Marian Baird argues there is a need to more fully understand what workers, employers and our society expect from the employment relationship.

International: Bogota Terror
The assassination of a Colombian unionist has prompted international outrage.

History: Freedom or 'Federation'?
Mark Hearn and Greg Patmore argue that the journey to federation was not a one-way street.

Health: Wearing the Right Genes to Work?
Matt Brooks tracks the DNA trail to discover genetic testing in the workplace is already here.

Satire: Demidenko Releases New Book About Her Life As Afghan Refugee
Controversial author Helen Demidenko has written a brand new novel based on her gripping true life experiences as an Afghan refugee.

Review: Can Blinky Bill Save Unions?
Neale Towart browses the kiddies' shelves to find an Australian icon with a union-friendly message.

» Unions Raise Labor Stakes

» Standards Breakthrough in Call Centres

» Hotel Cleaners Told: Bring Your Own Mops

» Corporate Giant Sponsored IT to India Report

» New Front in Battle for Compo Rights

» Progress in Email Privacy Push

» Christmas Progress on Sweatshops, Truckies

» BHP Steel Workers Fight for Security

» Union Concerned At New ASIO Powers

» Workers Call for Patrons Before Pokies

» Overtime Deal Helps Rural Hospitals

» Writers in New Chapter for Unionism

» CFMEU Backs Standards Inquiry

» Mining Company Moves To Ban Fiji Film

» Unions Choir Sings Up Storm

» 2002: Where to Now?

» Activists Notebook

» The Soapbox

» The Locker Room

» Trades Hall

» Tool Shed

» Apology to Tim Harcourt

» Tom is Gobsmacked

» Who was Gordon Freeth?

» More Compo Feedback

» Trains of Treasure

» The Great Tuckpointer Debate Revived

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