Queensland militant union controls dumped by State Labor Government
THE State Labor Government has quietly dumped Newman-era measures intended to stop militant unions causing costly blowouts and delays on major taxpayer-funded projects.
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OFFICIAL guidelines aimed at stopping militant unions from causing costly blowouts and delays on major taxpayer-funded projects have been secretly dumped by the State Labor Government.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace last month rescinded the guidelines for builders and contractors undertaking government projects worth more than $2 million.
Ms Grace, a former union boss, will also scupper the authority charged with enforcing the strict rules detailed in the guidelines next month.
The Government’s move comes despite rising concerns over lawlessness on Queensland worksites and the strongarm tactics of militant unions such as the CFMEU.
The implementation guidelines to the Queensland Code of Practice for the Building and Construction Industry were introduced by the former LNP government in 2013.
They aimed to prevent government worksites from becoming closed shops to unions by setting stringent rules around contractors, disputes, site access and industrial action.
Introduced after 15,000 lost work days caused a $7.4 million blowout in the cost of the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital, the guidelines aimed to cut major public infrastructure costs by up to 15 per cent.
Ms Grace yesterday insisted the guidelines had been withdrawn because they had been superseded by the reintroduced Australian Building and Construction Commission.
Ms Grace said the main thrust of the guidelines was the requirement for a workplace relations management plan, which the new federal building code also required.
“Why we would we ask companies to submit the same plan twice?” she said.
Opposition industrial relations spokesman Jarrod Bleijie said Labor was watering down rules on state government worksites just as lawlessness was on the increase.
He said Labor’s decision coincided with party preselections in which union bosses would have a big influence.
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