Claims West Gate Tunnel workers dumped for not joining CFMEU

Construction giants working on the West Gate Tunnel are facing unprecedented legal action over claims they dumped staff who weren’t CFMEU members.

The West Gate Tunnel project has been embroiled in fresh drama. Picture: Nearmap

Construction giants building the $10.8bn West Gate Tunnel have been accused of dumping workers because they are not aligned to the militant CFMEU, plunging the project into fresh turmoil.

The Australian Workers’ Union has lodged a claim with the Fair Work Commission against John Holland and CPB Contractors.

It alleges four workers on the project, all AWU members supplied by a subcontractor, were made ­redundant weeks after refusing CFMMEU demands they switch to other subcontractors aligned with the union.

John Holland and CPB had allegedly been told repeatedly those workers had been victims of “harassment, intimidation and threats by CFMMEU representatives”.

The legal move follows repeated complaints about coercion across Victoria’s $90bn infrastructure pipeline, which industry figures say have been ignored by the Andrews government and set a worrying precedent for public projects.

The West Gate Tunnel has had a disastrous history with a dispute about cost overruns and the disposal of contaminated soil blowing the budget by $4.1bn and meaning it will open three years late, in 2025.

West Gate Tunnel construction works near Williamstown Rd. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

In documents lodged with the Fair Work Commission and seen by the Herald Sun, CFMMEU officials are alleged to have told the Zoom workers on the West Gate Tunnel project they would be “removed from site” if they didn’t switch to a contractor aligned with their union.

In June this year, workers were put on different duties, such as labouring rather than operating cranes, but site bosses assured them they were not losing their jobs.

In July, the workers were told they were redundant, the decision blamed on “commercial reasons, cost-cutting”.

The explosive allegations, inferring that multibillion-dollar companies are capitulating to CFMMEU demands, will be tested by the industrial relations umpire.

Australian Workers’ Union state secretary Ben Davis said the Andrews government should be “ashamed that these practices can occur on publicly funded projects”.

CFMEU boss John Setka has rubished the claims. Picture: David Geraghty

“The alleged conduct is outrageous, and both the Joint Venture and Victorian government should hang their heads in shame.”

John Holland and CPB ­declined to respond, while a West Gate Tunnel Project spokesman said “the management of workforce and industrial relations on this project is a matter for our construction partners, CPB John Holland”.

CFMMEU state secretary John Setka said the allegations were “bulls--t”.

He said, however, meetings with government about Victorian major projects raised industrial relations tensions.

“The government said to us was there enough work for both (unions) and they didn’t want anyone to have a stronghold on any of the sites,” he said.

“My view was, if it’s construction work, it’s CFMEU, if there’s sheep walking past and they need to shear it, then it’s AWU.”

Mr Setka said he wasn’t aware of “anyone being let go” from the project recently.

A government spokesman said “it’s up to the builder to manage its own workforce and its relationship with the ­unions”.

“We expect that all parties working on government projects comply and adhere to industrial relations laws,” he said.

“If any party think the law is not being complied with, they can file matters before courts or commissions and have those matters determined.”

The Herald Sun recently ­revealed construction companies were being encouraged to do workplace deals with the CFMMEU, and builders were “folding” to union demands. `

Originally published as Claims West Gate Tunnel workers dumped for not joining CFMEU