CFMEU members join thousands of construction workers in Queensland parliament protest

CFMEU workers have headed to the pub, been barred from the Star Casino and let expletives fly after a chaotic morning.

CFMEU members walk off a Newstead worksite to join a protest outside Queensland parliament. Picture: John Gass

• Explained: What is BPIC?

CFMEU workers from a protest over the withdrawal of working conditions legislation have been barred from the Star Casino and spilt into nearby pubs after slamming the only Minister to show his face at the protest as a “f***ing dog” and the Premier as a “grub”.

Thousands of construction workers rallied in the centre of Brisbane in protest of what they claim is the LNP’s “war on workers”.

Five Queensland unions joined forces under the joint banner of the “Building Trades Group” to protest the suspension of Best Practice Industry Conditions (BPIC) policy and looming changes to right of entry laws.

The protest started with workers walking off the job at a Skyring Terrace worksite to march toward Brisbane CBD and ended at Parliament House.

After the event, demonstrators from the rally were seen heading to the nearby Star Casino, but were turned away by security because they were wearing steel-capped boots.

Many others were seen filling pubs in their high-vis work gear about 11.30am, after calling out the government over its action on BPIC.

Sacked CFMEU leader Jade Ingham addressed the rally, declaring a war against the “ruling class,” officially cutting the union’s ties with the Labor Party.

“We are in class warfare, where the ruling class have teamed up,” he said.

“We always knew the Liberals were coming for us. But what we’ve learned is now the ALP have joined their ranks.”

Thousands of unionists are storming to parliament chanting “Jarrod Bleijie killing workers”.

Mr Ingham said his union would contest being placed in administration in the High Court on December 10 and 11.

CFMEU members march along George St to parliament. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

“We will defeat it, whether we defeat it in the courts or we defeat it on the streets, or we defeat it down to parliament, we will win,” he said. “Mark my words.”

The CFMEU is now seeking new political alliances outside the two major parties.

Mr Ingham asked the crowd to imagine plumbers, electricians, wharfies, train drivers and scaffolders as elected representatives in parliament.

“I’ll give you a tip, It’s not going to be me,” he said. “Maybe it’s one of you.

“We’ll have to find someone without a criminal record, but we can work on that.”

In an earlier statement posted to Facebook the CFMEU said the LNP was attempting to “revive a failed Campbell-Newman era policy to delay union officials from entering worksites to investigate safety breaches”.

Workers hold up placards in memory of Glenn Newport, who died in 2103.

It comes after Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie last week announced BPIC would not be applied to all government contract work between now and 2027, a move which he claimed would save taxpayers $17bn.

CFMEU construction co-ordinator Matthew Vonhoff said union delegates would disobey any changes to right of entry laws.

“You have a commitment from the CFMEU and the ETU that when each and every one of you calls us, whether we don’t have the right to answer in 24 hours or not, we will be there,” he told the crowd.

Jenny Newport, whose son died on a coal seam gas pipeline construction site near Roma, leading to heat change policies within union EBAs, addressed the crowd next to CFMEU member Dean Reilly, a close friend of her son.

Mr Reilly was one of two union members kicked out of the Major Contractors Association breakfast on November 14 after he called out a question to the panel about BPIC.

Ms Newport said Mr Bleijie has been feeding biased information about BPIC to the media.

Construction workers claim the LNP is launching a “war on workers”. Picture: John Gass

“I’d like to ask him why that policy, which isn’t going in other states and yet other states will have the same blowout, other contract jobs in overseas areas have had that blowout,” she said.

“So this is just all based on this information that he feeds to the media.

“To add insult to injury, he’s announced that [BPIC suspension] as summer is approaching”.

“The Crisafulli-Bleijie government has attacked construction workers who are building this state, using the mantra of ‘productivity’,” ETU Queensland & NT Secretary Peter Ong said.

“The LNP has thrown the door open for dodgy builders and developers whose only motive is profit.

“We know from history, every minute matters when it comes to investigating health and safety issues. We will not take a backward step; we have a responsibility as unionists to stand up and fight back.

Workers march towards Queensland parliament. Picture: John Gass

“When health and safety rights are reduced, people die.

“The LNP’s war on workers has resumed. First it was BPICs, now it’s health and safety … what’s next?”

Former Labor Minister Mick de Brenni later ventured outside to stand on the parliament balcony looking down at the sea of tradies as Mr Ong spoke.

His lone presence received a mixed response from the crowd, some clapping and a chorus of others yelling out “f***ing dog”.

Speeches heavily targeted Mr Bleijie, with Mr Ong calling the Deputy Premier a “little grub”.

“He has never lived in the real world, he has never worked on a deck in 30-degree heat, let alone 35-degree heat,” he said.

“A form worker banging down ply, a steel fix, plumbers tying in pipe, it’s fucking hot.”

Mr Ong has instructed members to enforce the 117 right of entry rule by walking off job sites if they see breaches of the Workplace Health and Safety Act.

CFMEU members march along George St to Parliament. Picture: NewsWire / Glenn Campbell

“My suggestion would be this, if your officials are not allowed on the job because they’ve had their 117 safety right eventually removed, that to me would deem your job to be an imminent risk to your health and safety,” he said.

“And under the Act, if you have an imminent risk to your health and safety, you must remove yourself.”

ETU state organiser Wendel Moloney reinforced the message before closing the rally.

“If Jarrod Bleijie and his anti-worker LNP government introduced laws that restrict access to work sites by union officials to investigate breaches of safety legislation and safety issues, we the workers will deem this to be an imminent risk to our health and safety and sit in the shed until such time as our union officials have access to site,” he said.

“I’ll move that, any seconders? All those in favour? Thank you very much.”

Security was ramped up at Parliament House. Several police officers are stationed inside the gates.