School’s opening at risk from ‘illegal’ strikes, court told

The opening of a controversial $130 million school in former deputy premier Jackie Trad’s inner-Brisbane electorate could be delayed after alleged illegal strikes by the CFMEU, a court has heard. But the union tells a different story.

THE $130 million Inner City South Secondary College was at risk of not opening in time due to alleged illegal strike action from the militant construction union, court documents claim.

More than 100 workers a day are alleged to have been showing up, but then refusing or failing to do anything on and off since July 21.

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Construction watchdog the Australian Building Construction Commission secured a temporary injunction late on Tuesday night to force workers back on to the job at the Dutton Park site.

It’s claimed in court two CFMEU officials were using the alleged unlawful industrial action to coerce the building contractor to remove its project manager from the site.

It also coincided with the head contractor refusing to sign up to a CFMEU statewide enterprise agreement.

An injunction has been granted against alleged unlawful industrial action at the Inner City South Secondary College construction site. Picture: Jerad Williams

But CFMEU boss Michael Ravbar said the claims were “a complete nonsense” and that the action was related to alleged workplace bullying, not enterprise agreements.

The school has had a controversial history, even before opening.

It was the centre of a integrity issue which engulfed former Deputy Premier Jackie Trad, over the recruitment process of the principal, from which she was cleared of any wrongdoing.

Work stoppages allegedly took place on July 21 and 22, then each day since July 27, with as many as 130 workers attending the site but allegedly refusing to work for all or part of the day. There were about 60 workers on site yesterday.

An ABCC spokesman said the action “threatened the completion” of the $130 million school in time for the new school year in February next year.

The commission is alleging “the scale of the drop off in numbers of workers attending the site” reflected the existence of a ban on any building work being done.

CFMEU state secretary Michael Ravbar said the ABCC had been “misled” by the contractors Broad and CPB into “getting involved in a workplace bullying matter”.

Artist's impression of the Inner City South State Secondary College.

“It is just astounding that in the middle of a pandemic – at a time of national crisis when business and unions have been working closely together to keep vital sectors of the economy open – the ABCC would embroil itself in a matter like this,” he said.

Mr Ravbar said it was incorrect to conflate specific issues on site with any wider campaign.

“All the ABCC has achieved here is to protect an (alleged) workplace bully,” he said.

The Courier-Mail contacted CPB and Broad Construction but was told “we have absolutely no comment to make”.

Opposition education spokesman Jarrod Bleijie said the government needed to stand up to the union threatening the completion of the school.

“The Palaszczuk Government needs to guarantee the Inner City South Secondary College will be ready for the 2021 school year,” he said.

Education Minister Grace Grace said the Education Department expected the contractor and the union to resolve all outstanding issues as a matter of priority.