Steven Miles refuses to intervene after CFMEU storms Centenary Bridge construction site

Steven Miles has declared he would not “tolerate bullying, harassment and intimidation” on worksites as he refused to intervene in a CFMEU stoush.

Premier Steven Miles has again refused to intervene in a CFMEU stoush impacting a major transport project, amid claims union members were physically assaulted during a work site stand-off.

Work on Brisbane’s $300m Centenary Bridge upgrade was brought to a standstill on Tuesday afternoon, with workers inside the site locking the gates as about 50 CFMEU members surrounded the Jindalee site.

CFMEU Queensland secretary Michael Ravbar said the union was raising concerns about safety failings at the site and alleged two organisers were physically assaulted for “simply doing their job”.

Mr Miles, speaking in Bundaberg, declined to get involved and instead pointed to the Fair Work Act and the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission as the appropriate outlets to deal with the stoush.

“What I’ve said consistently is that I support the rights of Queensland workers to campaign and organise for better pay and conditions, but I do not support and will not tolerate bullying, harassment and intimidation,” he said.

His comments come about two weeks after the CFMEU and non-union members at a Cross River Rail site clashed in ugly scenes amid days of strike action. He also declined to intervene at that time.

Premier Steven Miles (centre), ministers and MPs turn sodes on the new Bundaberg hospital on Wednesday. Picture: Paul Beutel

The CFMEU had been demanding huge pay rises on site which would result in an entry-level construction worker earning $240,000 a year on the $6.2bn Cross River Rail project.

Non-aligned workers had reported two days of blockades on project sites across the city, meaning they could not work despite not being covered by the CFMEU’s protected industrial action.

The Federal Court granted an “urgent injunction” order late on May 1 stopping the CFMEU from blocking access to Cross River Rail sites.

Mr Miles, the wake of the ugly Cross River Rail crash, defended meeting with union heavyweights – he met with Mr Ravbar in March, a departure from his predecessor’s ban on the union following its invasion of the Transport and Main Roads office in August 2022. Mr Miles defended the meeting and did not rule out future meetings.

Mr Ravbar, at the Centenary Bridge site on Tuesday, accused the security guard contractor as “brazenly defying workplace laws to hinder and obstruct union officials”.

He said it comes after “two failed applications to the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to have interim orders made against CFMEU officials”.

“The commission, the government safety regulator and the police all recognise the right of union officials to enter worksites to look after the health and safety of workers,” Mr Ravbar said.

A Queensland police spokeswoman said no arrests had been made.