Latest penalty takes CFMEU fines past $10m mark

FINES slapped on the CFMEU have smashed through the $10 million barrier as the Federal Court lashed out at the militant union and penalised it for a “deliberately orchestrated campaign” in Queensland.

FINES slapped on the CFMEU smashed through the $10 million barrier yesterday after the Federal Court lashed out at the militant union and penalised it for a “highly co-ordinated and deliberately orchestrated campaign” in Queensland.

In just 13 years, courts across the country have ordered the CFMEU to fork out $10,096,300 in penalties for unlawful industrial action – fines ultimately paid by ordinary members and low-paid workers.

The Federal Court yesterday fined the CFMEU $300,000 and the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union $130,000 after ­they admitted orchestrating unlawful strikes by hundreds of workers on vital Brisbane construction projects.

CFMEU members at a protest in Brisbane’s inner city

Over three days, more than 600 members of the unions unlawfully walked off the job sites at the Lady Cil­ento Children’s Hospital, the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre in May 2011.

The State Government-funded projects had a combined value of $1.1 billion.

Justices John Dowsett, Andrew Greenwood and Michael Wigney said the contraventions were “very serious”.

“The CFMEU, through its officials, deliberately encouraged 605 workers at three major Queensland Government-related construction sites to fail or refuse to attend work on the sites over a three-day period and that this would have had a financial impact and risked delaying the projects,’’ the judgement said.

“The actions of the CFMEU officials were part of a highly co-ordinated and deliberately orchestrated campaign designed to apply pressure to the Queensland Government through unlawful industrial action.

“The CFMEU was plainly aware that the action was unlawful.”

The shocking tally racked up by the CFMEU yesterday sparked a swift slapdown from Employment Minister Michaelia Cash.

“The CFMEU’s atrocious record of breaking the law has reached yet another appalling milestone,’’ Senator Cash told The Courier-Mail yesterday.

Nigel Hadgkiss appearing at a hearing into the Fair Work Building and Construction at Parliament House in Canberra

“Australians understand the need to abide by the rule of law and yet this union, and the Labor Party, thinks the law should not apply to it.

“As Minister for Employment in the last Labor Government, Bill Shorten reduced the penalties that could be imposed by two-thirds, thus saving the CFMEU millions of dollars and enabling it to donate millions of dollars more to the Labor Party.

“Now his policy is to abolish the ABCC and give the CFMEU even more power to enter and disrupt workplaces.

“Bill Shorten needs to explain why he thinks this is acceptable and why the Labor Party continues to accept millions of dollars in donations from Australia’s most corrupt and lawless union.”

Labor’s Workplace Relations spokesman Brendan O’Connor said industrial disputes are currently at record lows.

“Instead of throwing pot shots, you’d think the Employment Minister would be more focused on widespread exploitation of vulnerable workers, record underemployment or flat wages growth,” he said.