CFMEU official’s ‘thuggery’ on Brisbane worksite

A BRISBANE construction union official behaved like a “thug” when he turned up at a worksite, with a judge calling his actions nearly the worst he has seen for a single breach of industrial law.

A BRISBANE construction union official behaved like a “thug” when he turned up at a worksite uninvited and began loudly abusing non-union workers, a court has ruled.

Scott Vink has been slapped with a hefty $9,000 fine and the CFMEU must pay $48,000 within a month, after both admitted Vink abused non-union workers for using a smoko shed at the Westfield Pacific Fair site in Broadbeach on March 5, 2014.

Federal Circuit Court judge Salvatore Vasta said Vink’s conduct was “sheer thuggery” which “has no place in the Australian workplace”.

In his decision handed down yesterday Judge Vasta said the CFMEU appeared to consider such flagrant illegal acts as an “occupational hazard”.

“The (CFMEU) does have an unenviable history of breaching the Fair Work Act. It seems to treat being caught conducting such breaches or as the present one simply as occupational hazards in the way in which they conduct their business,” Judge Vasta said in his decision.

Vink entered the smoko shed and locked non-union members out in a bid to “intimidate” non union staff and “to reinforce to others at the building site, the notion that non-union membership is not going to be tolerated”.

Vink had earlier gained entry by telling site managers he was exercising his right of entry to investigate workplace safety.

He later admitted throwing workers’ lunches out of the smoko-shed fridge and swearing abuse at workers yelling that “sheds on the project were only for the use of union members”.

Judge Vasta said in his written decision that Vink’s behaviour was “blatant” and nearly the worst he has seen for a “single breach” of industrial law.

“(Vink) fraudulently entered the shed of the ... employees. There was never any legitimate reason for (Vink) to enter that shed,” Judge Vasta said.

Judge Vasta imposed fines which almost reach the maximum, saying the large fines were justified to deter others and send a message that “thuggery cannot be tolerated”.

“There has been no apology for such appalling behaviour,” Judge Vasta noted.

Mr Vink pleaded guilty to the charges under the Fair Work Act.

The maximum fine that can be imposed is $10,200 for an individual and $51,000 for a union or company.

Originally published as CFMEU official’s ‘thuggery’ on Brisbane worksite