ABCC takes action against CFMMEU after alleged aggression

The Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) has taken action against the CFMMEU and three officials after they allegedly directed workers to stop work, prevented concrete pours, abused health and safety officers and struck a health and safety manager at the Mordialloc Freeway project site in 2020. The $523 million project involved construction of a nine-kilometre stretch of the freeway between the Dingley Bypass and the Mornington Peninsula Freeway in Melbourne’s south-east.

In its statement of claim, the ABCC alleges that the officials, Paul Tzimas, Gerald McCrudden and James Harris, misused their entry rights between November and December 2020. On 18 November, Tzimas and McCrudden directed 15 workers to not return to work and behaved in an aggressive and intimidating manner towards health and safety officers by standing close to the officers and yelling profanities. On 19 November, McCrudden entered an exclusion zone without authorisation. Despite requests to leave the area, he remained there for around 2.5 hours, preventing a concrete pour; his presence resulted in the concrete pour being cancelled and the concrete being wasted.

On 2 December, Tzimas and Harris attended the site. Harris stood near the edge of an excavation site; despite repeated requests to move away from the edge, Harris responded by allegedly stating, “Nah, piss off I will do what I want.” On the same morning, Tzimas allegedly struck a health and safety manager in the chest with his fist, causing the manager to lose balance. Victoria Police were called to attend the site. McCrudden and Harris returned on the same say, ahead of a further scheduled concrete pour, and stood in an exclusion zone, preventing two concrete trucks from entering the site. The pair stood in front of the third concrete truck as it was entering the exclusion zone and prevented the truckload of concrete from being poured. The concrete in each of the three trucks had to be disposed of. The ABCC further alleges that the CFMMEU is liable for the conduct of its officials.

The ABCC is seeking personal payment orders against both union officials. Such an order would require Court imposed penalties to be paid personally by the officers and not paid or reimbursed directly or indirectly by the CFMMEU or through crowd funding. The maximum penalty for each contravention of the Fair Work Act 2009 is $66,000 for a body corporate and $13,320 for an individual.

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