Treasurer Curtis Pitt should consider lost productivity caused by the strike action of militant unions

IF Treasurer Curtis Pitt wants to wipe out waste from second Budget he should look at productivity lost by the strike action of militant unions.

The CFMEU admitted that more than 600 workers at three separate projects broke the law. Pic: Steve Pohlner

QUEENSLAND Treasurer Curtis Pitt will be spending this week running the slide rule over the final numbers in his second State Budget.

It will – again – be a set of numbers showing all the effects of the calm in the wake of the storm of the resources boom. As Treasurer, Mr Pitt no doubt will be looking closely at every line item, checking for any unnecessary waste.

One move he should – but, sadly, won’t – consider is how to ensure taxpayers are reimbursed for the tens of millions of dollars in lost productivity caused by militant unions taking unlawful strike action and downing tools at government building sites.

Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt has problems close to home. Pic: David Anthony

Just last month, the bulk of Brisbane’s construction projects ground to a standstill when 1000 workers walked off 30 sites in an unlawful protest.

A startling $6 million in productivity was lost in a protest that seemed to revolve more around knocking off work early to march to Parliament House and get in early on the afternoon swill in George St’s pubs and strip clubs.

This is just one of the unlawful walk-outs ordered by unions every year.

On Saturday we reported that militant unions in Queensland face a record $66 million in fines for unlawful strikes during key construction projects in 2011 – but that’s a drop in the ocean of the lost productivity brought about by the illegal downing of tools.

Unions have been wilfully exploiting the law and this is the evidence:

Firstly, Federal Court Judge Andrew Greenwood warned financial penalties do not discourage union officials from changing their brazen behaviour because they know their unions will cover the costs.

For while the unions admit individuals “organised and were directly knowingly concerned in” the unlawful strike, repeat offenders had a “very long history of contravening conduct”, according to Justice Greenwood.

One of the recommendations of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption was to remove the ability of unions to indemnify, pay or reimburse officials fined by courts.

Strikes during construction of the Lady Cilento Children's Hospital in 2011 were illegal.

Secondly, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union and the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union admitted that more than 600 workers at three separate projects broke the law.

The simultaneous strikes over three days in May 2011 happened at the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the Brisbane Convention and Entertainment Centre – projects with a combined value of $1.1 billion.

The ignominy of these strikes at these particular sites is that they were all state government projects.

So the lost productivity and the cost to the contractors ultimately are all being borne by the Queensland taxpayer.

The pattern of wilful disregard of the law gives greater impetus for the ­
re-establishment of a regulator for union activity on building sites, the hotbed of radical unionism.

This federal election was called following the failure of the Senate to pass a Bill to re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission following recommendations of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.

This pattern of wilful behaviour by unions plays right into Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s hand as he marches towards the July 2 election.

It damages claims by Opposition Leader Bill Shorten, who proudly sports his credentials as a former union leader, for the top job.

How can voters back a party which is influenced and funded by those who seek to deliberately sabotage taxpayer funds?

If Mr Pitt is wondering where a significant chunk of money has gone from his Budget bottom line, he would do well to look close to home.

STATE’S TEAMS SHOW THE RIGHT STUFF

FRIDAY night’s NRL blockbuster between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos showed how good Queensland teams can be.

Final score of round 11 NRL match between the North Queensland Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos at 1300 Smiles Stadium in Townsville, Friday, 20th May, 2016. (AAP Image/Michael Chambers) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY

For the third game in a row, including last year’s epic grand final, the clash was decided by a single field goal.

However, the hardest part of the season is yet to come, with both teams laden with representative players set to disappear to State of Origin duty.

Yesterday, another Queensland team, netball’s Firebirds, notched up their 21st win in a row in front of a purple-clad crowd. Still a few matches short of the Brisbane Roar’s historic
36-game streak, the 2015 premiers comfortably beat the Adelaide Thunderbirds.

This was in a week where the sport signed the biggest broadcasting deal for women’s sport in Australian history, signalling a new era of professionalism.

The Firebirds now head into a tough part of their season, with a match up next week against their arch-rivals Sydney Swifts, the team who thought they had last year’s trophy in the bag three minutes from full time in the grand final.

But Queensland teams always seem to find that little bit extra. We wish them well.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Lachlan Heywood, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details are available at couriermail.com.au