How CFMEU is slowing construction in Far North Qld
Union delegates have been accused of forcing workers on government building sites to work at a snail’s pace as the construction industry calls for the removal of the controversial BPIC policy.
Cairns
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Union delegates have been accused of forcing workers on government building sites to work at a snail’s pace as the construction industry calls for the removal of the controversial BPIC policy.
The Best Practice Industry Conditions policy that mirrors a CFMEU pattern enterprise agreement which has been in place since the $170m Cairns Convention Centre upgrade began in 2021.
The policy has armed the union with the power of veto to only allow managing contractors to hire companies with union enterprise agreements in place, in an effective black-listing of subbies unwilling to sign up to onerous pay rates and an EBA with nominal expiry date of 2027, meaning the agreement continues until its replaced or terminated.
Master Builders Queensland chief executive Paul Bidwell said there was clear evidence that BPIC is driving productivity down and pushing costs up was behind a push for an overhaul of the policy.
“That’s the opposite of what we need in the middle of a housing crisis,” he said.
“It’s removal will not mean asking anyone to take shortcuts to deliver the housing, schools, hospitals and other key government projects our community needs.
“As part of our state election campaign, we’re calling for the state government to remove the productivity-sapping elements of BPIC.”
Master Builders Queensland has argued wages and working conditions are adequately protected by workplace laws and existing enterprise agreements while building site safety is covered by work health and safety laws.
Allegations of intimidation and the bullying of Cairns subcontractors into signing up to enterprise agreements on big government work sites last week were levelled against the CFMEU. The union has denied the claims.
A subcontractor hired by Lendlease to work on the Cairns Convention Centre upgrade agreed that union control of big projects such as the JCU’s Cairns Tropical Enterprise Centre, the HMAS Cairns expansion and the Cairns Hospital mental health unit upgrade was hurting local construction firms.
“I have walked away from all CFMEU jobs because it’s not worth the headache, the unions are just bullies,” he said.
The business owner who asked not to be named said his workers often clashed with onsite union delegates.
“We had situations where some of our staff wanted to punch on with the union reps, when they were constantly told to slow down, it was really frustrating,” he said.
At the end of the job the company billed the managing contractor 120 per cent more than the original quote, which in tandem with union tactics prompted Lendlease to recommend that a complaint be made.
Queensland Major Contractors Association chief executive Andrew Chapman said due to a finite labour pool BPIC was driving up the costs and sending business “to the wall”.
“This government intrusion into the industrial relations space and artificially raising wages without a productivity offset is a recipe for disaster,” he said.
The CFMEU has denied allegations of standover tactics on Cairns building sites and claims BPIC provides better wages for working class employees battling with the cost of living crisis.
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Originally published as How CFMEU is slowing construction in Far North Qld
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