For Geoff Baker, Bell Bay Aluminium isn’t just a workplace, it is part of his DNA.
When he started working at the smelter 48 years ago, his family already had a strong association with the site.
“I think my dad was Number 8 when he started,” Geoff said.
“When it (the smelter) was getting built, his father was a wood merchant. They used to bring the wood in for the little humpies. He (my dad) was a superintendent down two and three line. His brother was a superintendent in the cast house and my other two uncles worked here too – one in the garage and one down the potlines. My brother also worked here.”
Despite the strong family ties, Geoff initially took a different path and decided to pursue a career at Sims Metals.
“I left school and worked for Sims Metal for two years. The year I turned 18 I started at Comalco. I was getting married and I was on $64 a week at Sims,” Geoff said.
“My uncle, who was superintendent of the cast house, said to my old man ‘bring him out here’. So, I came out here and the first pay I got was $172. That is the reason I came here.
“There wasn’t much safety when I first started, all you had were glasses.
You might be down at the potlines when they were doing the crush breaker down line one and you wouldn’t be able to see. Wow, it was that dirty and dusty.”
Over almost five decades, Geoff has seen it all and met some unforgettable characters.
“One bloke, he got into a bit of trouble. He was jumping the fence on afternoon shift, knocking off early and they caught him, and he was sacked. So, he went on strike for two days and he got his job back… three days later he jumped the fence again.”
He also remembers the strikes.
“The longest one we had was six weeks. Those were interesting times.”
“I’ll miss the place I have spent my life; this is all I know.”
Geoff, who spent his career in Metal Products, has passed over the Number 1 Longest Serving baton to Potrooms process controller Klaus Geier and Asset Management’s Nick Gillman.
Fittingly, Klaus and Nick share a unique bond. They both started as apprentices on the same day – 15 January 1979 - when site had an apprentice school.
“There were 14 of us here. Klaus was there. We were apprenticing different trades – mine as a fitter machinist and Klaus as a carpenter. We were doing projects until we went to our respective areas with tradesmen,” Nick said.
“They had a fully equipped workshop down that way,” Klaus added.
Both agreed that one of the most positive improvements they have seen over the years is the improvement in workplace relations.
“People relate better these days. In the beginning when I started here it was probably more horseplay and name calling. I think people want to work better with others and are more respectful,” Nick said.
Klaus echoed the sentiment: “I think when we work well as a team, it’s a good environment to be in as we are working together and achieving the best we can on the day,” he said.