The Man's Message
Established 2003 | "Tetritus fortis sine gym"
Friday, October 17, 2025
Crew Of The Weeks
An exemplary pair of movers take home COTW this issue representing what separates Melbourne's favourite movers from the rest.
"I accidentally underestimated how much stuff I had to move, but these two legends make it work anyway. Was very impressed with their tetris abilities.
I hire Man With A Van for one reason, and that's the staff you guys seem to employ. I've had bad experiences in the past with other outfits that sneak hidden costs in and act almost like standover men.
The two guys that came today were just what I'd expected and hoped for. Pair of solid chaps who were a pleasure to deal with and they got it all done in perfect time."
Awesome work you two, come catch Jack Tandy around the depot to collect your well-earned reward.
So Long, Barnacle
5yrs, 9 months, & 3 days ago, Anthony "Barnacle" Perry began his tenure in Abbotsford as a Lifestyle relocation specialist™. It was January, 2020. The year was going to be an oyster of his own making. Then COVID. Anthony stepped up. Over a short space of time, he began commanding crews in the XLs, became a problem solver, beacon of safety and protocol. So much so, that in 2022 he was awarded the the highest honour at MWAV, the Gold Liftie.
Sadly, today is Anthony's last day.
Few people have made an impact at The Man like Barnacle. He was our longest serving Health & Safety Representative. A dedicated member of the OHS team, he was instrumental in implementing a number of safety policies, namely the Traumatic Response Policy.
Since he hanging up the lifting boots many moons ago, he transitioned into the office, became a manager of Cranbourne, was honoured by having the "Barnacle" ute named in his honour.
He has decided the time is right to finally iron his jorts and head to greener pastures. When he signs off today, he will have clocked 9,696 hours and completed 1,334 jobs at a rating of 4.89. You have left your mark, Barnacle and we will miss you dearly.
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas Party time
Where has the year gone? It's time to look around and have a think about what we should do to celebrate our staff Christmas Party have a think of which members of staff should be recognised for their outstanding work this year.
In a change of protocol, The Man is attempting to hold the party and Lifties™ Award ceremony closer to Christmas/New Year season.
Targeted emails regarding specific awards will be sent in the coming weeks but The Man wants your feedback by Halloween so the ball can begin its roll toward the festive season.
>>Click here<< to read the poll and have your say.
Poker Night
What: MWAV Poker Night - Texas Hold 'em
When: 6:30pm - 9pm Tuesday, 21 October
Where: Upstairs in the Abbotsford Depot
Who: MWAV staff
Cost: $20 cash - winner takes all
Yums: Pizza, beers, & snacks provided courtesy of The Man
RSVP: www.clickthis.mwav
EBA Question
A question regarding the new wage. When will we (staff) be paid at the new rate, and how will the payback work for the hours we were paid at the old rate?
This is a fantastic question. Thank you to everyone for being patient whilst this has been worked on and special thanks to Alex Morris and Paul Deakin for their continued efforts to get this over the line with the TWU as quickly as possible.
These are the four remaining hoops to jump through before the increased wage is implemented:
1. The final wording in the EA is agreed to by the TWU and MWAV.
2. The Enterprise Agreement is presented to staff.
3. A vote is held for staff.
4. The majority of staff vote in favour of the agreement.
The new wage rate and the difference of all hours of backpay (from the first pay cycle in the current financial year) will be paid to staff from the beginning of the first pay cycle after the successful vote.
Zugzwang is finally here!
After much hype and fanfare, Gabriel Stibio's first book is arriving at the depot on Monday! This is the last call for pre-orders! You can save $10 off shipping if you select “I’ll Pick It Up Myself” and he will deliver it by hand to the depot! It’s definitely real and it’s definitely a book!
Get it here:
www.clickthistobuyzugzwang.mwav
Hours Worked
Following a request from a staff member, Man With A Van has reviewed the “hours worked” calculation that displays on your roster site. We found that this calculation was incorrect, and was adding up all your hours of work from first swipe to end of day swipe, ignoring breaks.
This gives an bigger number because:
- The first swipe might not be when you start work (ie you swiped on before your start time).
- You aren’t working on breaks.
The correct calculation is the “Base Hours” calculation shown below. This has resulted in the “hours worked” calculation being smaller than previously shown. This is understandably frustrating, and we apologise for this error.
If you have any questions or issues, please make a time with Matt or Angus to go over this in detail.
The Vibe
The downer vibes ease up somewhat this issue with only a few stinkers in the mix bringing down the overall average. When it comes to capacity issues, customers tend to get pretty upset when they discover everything won't fit so please remember to keep an open line of communication throughout the move.
Tommy's Tales
An odd tale this issue with the mysterious case of the wonky table leg.
After shifting this unit over to a storage facility, the movers and customer discovered a wonky leg seemingly damaged from over tightening a strap. Assuming it has been damaged in transit, the unit was brought back to the depot with the customer was keen on a repair.
Upon closer inspection, it turns out it was just a loose bolt which has been professionally tightened by long time truck-enthusiast Richie "Man-fridge" Mansbridge. Hopefully a lesson in not judging a book by it's cover for the customer, this one is wobbling it's way back to it's rightful owner this very afternoon.
Gig Guide
Lucy Tsipouras invites you to come along to this Sunday's protest against the far right and ongoing invasion of Palestine. The protest takes place this Sunday, October 19th, 11am at the State Library of Victoria. Take a stand and make your voice heard.