Bombers win the challenge- Shop steward / AWU delegate Susan Carey, managing director Dan Osbo

By Lia Bichel
THE competition was fierce but Bombardier employees emerged the winners of this year’s Australian Workers Union (AWU) Challenge Cancer Cup.
Bombardier raised almost $6000 for the Challenge Cancer Cup, which supports children with cancer or a life threatening blood disorder and their families.
It is run throughout the year by the AWU and is awarded annually to the company raising the most to support the cause.
The cup was presented to Bombardier managing director Dan Osborne by AWU State President Victorian Branch Dick Gray.
“We are delighted to be awarded the cup for 2009 and the workers here at Bombardier will be doing all that we can to retain it in 2010,” Dan Osborne said.
Mr Gray congratulated Bombardier staff for their efforts and said he was pleased to see friendly competition between businesses.
“People get really passionate about it, it’s great to see,” he said.
“The challenge has raised about $600,000 in eight years.
“All money goes directly to the charity.”
Bombardier production supervisor Trevor Smith said staff donated money though charity golf events and a gold coin donation which the company matched.
He said staff were proud to support the cause and were going to try their best to covet the cup again next year.
“We want to hold onto it,” he said.
“We’ll win it again!”
Bombardier Transportation is the world leading manufacturer of rail vehicles.
The Dandenong site is currently supplying VLocity diesel trains to V/Line Passenger and has recently delivered the 100th Carriage for the project.
The VLocity trains are built in Dandenong, with 70 per cent local content, and involve more than 70 businesses from Melbourne’s south east region in their manufacture.