Union action blamed for 11,000 working days lost on Qld construction sites

Union action has been flagged as the “elephant in the room”, slowing construction and ballooning budgets as recent data revealed a surge in the number of workdays lost in Queensland.

Union action has been blamed for major delays and soaring costs on Queensland construction sites as new data reveals 11,000 working days were lost in the final quarter of 2023.

Industrial disputes were blamed for the surge in working days lost in the three months to the end of December, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, with the 11,000 days lost 2900 higher than the previous quarter.

The union action has been blamed for ongoing construction delays and cost blowouts on building sites across Queensland.

LNP employment spokesman Brent Mickelberg revealed there were only six days when people were active at the Queen’s Wharf construction site in January.

Industry leaders say the ongoing threat of action could put at risk efforts to increase housing supply and ease homelessness.

LNP employment spokesman Brent Mickelberg. Picture David Clark

The state’s total tools-down time was easily the second worst across Australia but significantly behind Victoria, where 18,500 days were lost.

The number of lost days across the country rose from 37,100 to 44,200 in the quarter.

Real Estate Institute of Queensland (REIQ) chief executive Antonia Mercorella said the rate of industrial disputes was a major concern for industry groups who labelled it a “productivity issue”.

The peak body boss feared union action would stall the state government’s plan to boost supply to ease the housing crisis.

“It’s really concerning because obviously there’s this Homes for Queensland plan, which has very big, bold ambitions for the construction of new supply, but no one seems prepared to have a conversation about the elephant in the room,” she said.

Ms Mercorella said the construction delays for apartment complexes had blown out in recent years as a result of industrial disputes.

“It’s creating significant delays, is the main issue, and those significant delays then create cost issues for the builders,” she said.

Real Estate Institute of Queensland chief executive Antonia Mercorella. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Glenn Campbell

“It’s about the constant stopping and starting on account of various issues, and the delays that then causes.”

Ms Mercorella said she is regularly criticised for not supporting worker safety or fair pay when raising concerns.

“(But) that’s not what the conversation is about, we’re all very clear on this,” she said.

“We need to attract new tradies (to Queensland) so paying them the right amount of money is absolutely an imperative and making sure work sites are safe is critically important.”

The Queensland’s Office of Industrial Relations said the majority of businesses in the state operated within the federal Fair Work jurisdiction, meaning industrial disputes captured by the data were primarily a commonwealth issue.

Construction workers take part in a CFMEU union rally outside Parliament House in Brisbane in November 2023. Picture: Dan Peled/NCA NewsWire

A federal Department of Employment and Workplace Relations spokesman said disputes “vary significantly from quarter to quarter” on a state-based level.

“The Australian government is reinvigorating enterprise bargaining to improve productivity and get wages moving, particularly for those who have been shut-out of bargaining,” he said.

“The government has amended the Fair Work Act to give the Fair Work Commission enhanced dispute resolution powers to avoid industrial action in the first place and to overcome intractable bargaining disputes.

“Provisions are available to ensure industrial action doesn’t result in serious impacts on the economy.”