CFMEU state boss Michael Ravbar allegedly order staff to stop machinery belonging to company without union agreement

CFMEU state boss Michael Ravbar allegedly ordered underlings to stop machinery from working on projects worth a combined $1.9 billion because the company that owned it didn’t have a union agreement.

Michael Ravbar and four other CFMEU officials are in court this week over allegations they breached the Fair Work Act in 2012.

CFMEU state boss and Labor powerbroker Michael Ravbar allegedly ordered underlings to stop a crane company’s machinery from working on projects worth a combined $1.9 billion because it didn’t have a union agreement.

Mr Ravbar, the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union itself and four other officials are facing a trial in the Federal Court after the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner alleged they breached the Fair Work Act in 2012.

The ABCC opened its case today, and barrister Christopher Murdoch QC said it would be alleged each official sought to “pressure” Universal Cranes to sign a CFMEU enterprise bargaining agreement.

Michael Ravbar has been accused of breaching the Fair Work Act.

He said Mr Ravbar and former CFMEU assistant secretary Peter Close directed union organisers in 2012 to attend the $1.5 billion Legacy Way tunnel project and $400 million Port Connect project to have Universal Cranes’ machinery removed.

The ABCC’s star witness, former CFMEU organiser Paul Cradden, was the first to give evidence.

Mr Cradden — who is now an Australian Workers Union organiser — said Mr Close and Mr Ravbar told him to get rid of the company’s crane at the Legacy Way project.

“I was instructed by Mr Close and Mr Ravbar to get over there ... to get rid of the crane,” he said.

Mr Cradden said he was also ordered to follow a crane from the company’s headquarters and stop it from working at its final destination — which happened to be the Port Connect project to link the Gateway Motorway to the Port of Brisbane.

Former CFMEU organiser Paul Cradden gave evidence in the Federal Court today. Picture: Tim Marsden/AAP

He said Mr Ravbar told him “when you get to where they’re going, stop them”.

Mr Cradden said he parked behind the crane so it could not move past him.

When he spoke to the site manager, he offered the man a list of CFMEU-approved crane companies.

Under cross-examination, Mr Cradden agreed he could not be sure in some instances if it was Mr Close or Mr Ravbar who gave him directions.

Significant fines can be imposed for breaches of the Fair Work Act, which is prosecuted through civil proceedings.

The trial is expected to run in Brisbane all week.