Claims of bullying on NT construction sites
The Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) has alleged that CFMMEU is undermining safety on construction sites through bullying.
CFMMEU officials are accused of intimidating Northern Territory government officials, whose job it is to enforce safety regulations on Top End construction sites.
“The alleged bullying of safety inspectors makes a mockery of the union’s claim that it puts safety first and its use of safety as a justification for its thuggery,” said Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia.
“The ABCC is the only authority tasked with holding the CFMMEU and other construction unions to account. Without the ABCC the alleged bullying of government safety inspectors could have gone unchallenged.
“This is the second report of this alleged behaviour in as many weeks, following the refusal of Queensland safety inspectors to visit a CFMMEU-dominated site in Brisbane last week.
“The site of the CFMMEU’s alleged bullying also shows the union’s flagrant contempt for the community. The union’s officials allegedly bullied and intimidated the NT Government’s safety inspectors during the construction of a new emergency response centre and police station.
“The CFMMEU was clearly well aware that these were community facilities that were being constructed. It’s always the community that pays the price for this union’s bullying.
“The CFMMEU’s other favourite bullying tactic — threatening building contractors’ livelihoods — is also alleged to have occurred, with union officials allegedly telling the building business they would ‘pay the price’ if they didn’t give in to the union’s demands.
“All this because the construction contractor called in safety inspectors to investigate safety concerns raised by the CFMMEU in the first place. You would think that the union would put safety of workers first.
“This comes on the back of almost $2 million in fines for CFMMEU’s flouting of industrial laws in just six months, with a further 800 alleged contraventions currently before the courts,” said Wawn.
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