Minister refuses to intervene in ‘thuggish’ CFMEU action

Steven Miles has defended a meeting with union heavyweights prior to CFMEU strike action over pay rises. WATCH THE VIDEO

• Fierce backlash: ‘Sack them all’

Steven Miles has defended a meeting with union heavyweights prior to ugly scenes as non-union members clashed with CFMEU amid day two of strike action.

The Queensland Premier met with CFMEU boss Michael 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, in the wake of new vision showing a brawl between the CFMEU and non-union workers at Cross River Rail on Wednesday, did not rule out future meetings.

“I don’t always agree with everything they say or do but I am always happy to meet with them,” he said.

The premier was asked in parliament what he would do to allow Cross River Rail workers to access the worksite without being assaulted by the CFMEU.

“Bullying and violence and intimidation should never be tolerated in any workplace, whether it is union related or not,” he said.

Queensland Premier Steven Miles. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

A spokeswoman for CPB Contractors slammed the conduct of some CFMEU members.

“We stand firm against any unlawful tactics used to intimidate workers and delivery partners supporting this essential infrastructure project for Queensland communities,” she said,

“CPB Contractors will not tolerate acts of intimidation towards its people or any workers on our construction sites.”

It comes as CFMEU workers and non-aligned members have clashed outside a Cross River Rail site as a second day of industrial action threats erupted with police forced to investigate.

Non-union workers have reportedly been turned away from accessing sites on Wednesday morning, despite not being covered by the industrial action, with the state government refusing to intervene in the dispute over wages.

Footage taken Wednesday morning reveals CFMEU and non-aligned workers scuffling after the union blocked access to the worksite.

Tension outside sites has been rising as the union prevents non-members from going to work.

A Queensland Police spokesman confirmed they were investigating reports of a disturbance between two groups at Annerley on Wednesday morning.

CFMEU and other unions have shutdown Cross River rail sites all over Brisbane.

A police statement said initial information indicated about 6.50am, police were called to a location off Cope Street following reports of a physical altercation between the two groups.

The groups had dispersed by the time officers arrived a short time later.

No physical injuries were reported, and inquiries into the incident are ongoing.

Earlier at the Boggo Rd Cross River Rail site on Wednesday morning about 11 union members had stationed themselves at the entrance for the stop work action.

Some non-CFMEU workers were sat in front of the Ecosciences Precinct across the road while others were working at the cafe inside.

They said both they and the union members had behaved cordially to maintain the working relationship after the action.

“Everyone is friendly when we walk past,” one worker who did not want to be named said.

“We still have to work together after this.”

It comes after Cross River Rail construction sites were brought to a standstill on Tuesday as the CFMEU launched strike action over unmet demands from CPB Contractors to deliver a near 30 per cent wage increase for workers.

Sites were shut down by the CFMEU and work on the $6.2bn project – which has already blown out by $1bn – forcibly halted.

Queensland Minister for Transport Bart Mellish during parliament sitting in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Protests are expected throughout the week, according to a CFMEU notice sent to CPB Contractors.

The LNP accused the government of endorsing the “thuggish” behaviour of the CFMEU, but Transport Minister Bart Mellish refused to comment.

His spokeswoman said the major dispute on the $6.2bn project was a matter between the contractor and union.

“Negotiations have been going on for some time and the minister urges the unions and CPB to sit down and work collaboratively and bargain in good faith to reach a resolution,” she said.

“Under the contract, CPB is responsible for industrial relations including wage outcomes for their workers.”

CFMEU and other unions have shutdown Cross River rail sites all over Brisbane preventing other workers from doing their job.

The CFMEU has argued its protest action is warranted, declaring workers were “slaving” on the Cross River Rail project.

One non-aligned CFMEU member slammed the union, revealing there were almost 100 people who wanted to work, but were blockaded from the site.

The worker, who wanted to remain anonymous, said many would not be paid for the day despite having “families to feed”.

“At the gates they (the CFMEU) had a force stopping people entering site – it’s f*cking crazy,” they said.

“Piss off with the CFMEU, they’re not there for the boys, they’re just there for their back pockets.”

CFMEU’s Jade Ingham during a media conference. Picture: Liam Kidston

CFMEU assistant state secretary Jade Ingham said Cross River Rail workers had been suffering under a substandard Australian Workers Union agreement for more than four years.

“The seeds of this dispute were planted back in 2019, when the Queensland Labor Government did a dirty deal with the AWU that denied Cross River Rail workers a say in their Enterprise Bargaining Agreement,” he said.

“Since then, workers have suffered under CPB’s woeful mismanagement and corporate bastardry.”

He said workers were standing against CPB’s “grubby divide-and-rule tactics” to prevent any more workers being maimed and killed on the job.

CFMEU and other unions have shutdown Cross River rail sites all over Brisbane preventing other workers from doing their job.

“What you’ve got here is a multinational corporation that treats these workers like they are numbers on a spreadsheet, insulting the men and women who build this important infrastructure,” he said.

Mr Ingham said

“Workers will talk to workers on the project about what they’re doing and ask for their support, that’s what a picket line is,” he said.

“That’s their democratic right to participate in this action and to ask for support from other workers.”

Mr Ingham denied entry-level workers were making a $240,000 salary and said they were making less than two-thirds that amount.