Fuller tips workers onto Government handouts

Former Focus workers were terminated last Tuesday and told by owner, David Fuller, to seek payment of their entitlements from the government, despite the company not having been sent into administration.

Distressed workers claim they were told their best bet is to seek GEERS for their unpaid wages, annual leave and long service leave. Yet the company continues to trade, preventing them from approaching the Commonwealth. This has become a familiar tactic by employers with workers having to find another job, thereby losing any entitlement from GEERS.

Mark Shergill, previous buyer of distressed Melbourne printer, BPA, is supposedly taking on the Focus business, but will not be operating from the brand new Illawarra plant that was the beneficiary of a $6.5 million government grant.

The plant has been plagued by problems since the KBA press went belly up before Christmas. Reports of inexperienced workers and a lack of proper training cloud the full story.

A replacement cylinder for the press was brought out from Germany but the damage proved to be excessive. There are rumours of another KBA on the water.

The Matraville and South Strathfield plants are closed and will be sold up to pay debts. It is unlikely there will be enough to cover workers entitlements.

Fuller has gone to ground, refusing all phone calls. He is reportedly keen to keep the newly opened Hume security printer in ACT, but will likely have to call in the administrators for the rest.