Gold Coast Commonwealth Games: CFMEU go-slow runs up huge bill

MORE than 70 hours of “illegitimate” CFMEU meetings at a Commonwealth Games worksite over the past month have allegedly cost the head contractor at least $700,000.

Workers on site at the construction site of the Commonwealth Games Carrara Sports Precinct Redevelopment. Pic: Luke Marsden.

MORE than 70 hours of “illegitimate” CFMEU meetings at a Commonwealth Games worksite over the past month have allegedly cost the head contractor at least $700,000.

The flow-on effect of the meetings at the Carrara site has also seen an alleged 30 per cent drop in productivity from tradies not involved in the union action.

The information is contained in affidavits tendered to the Federal Court when Fair Work Building and Construction successfully applied for an injunction last week to stop the meetings being held twice a day for two hours each time.

It comes as Federal Employment Minister Michaelia Cash slammed Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk for being weak on unions and risking Australia’s international reputation.

Fair Work Building and Construction’s barrister Matthew Brady told the court on Friday that every day since the meetings began on May 9 was “a day lost on the program” and the October 31 deadline for the Games’ $126 million centrepiece was at risk.

Mr Brady said the flow-on effect was a 30 per cent drop in productivity from service trades, such as plumbers, who could not carry out their work.

Workers on site at the construction site of the Commonwealth Games Carrara Sports Precinct Redevelopment. Pic: Luke Marsden.

Fair Work has accused the CFMEU of using the meetings to “coerce” head contractor Hansen Yuncken into signing a new Enterprise Agreement and affidavits tendered to the court conservatively estimate the delays to have cost the company at least $700,000 to date.

The CFMEU stopped holding the meetings last week after workers were being sent by their employers to other sites, and the Federal Court has ordered the action be limited to once a week until a trial next month.

Commonwealth Games Minister Stirling Hinchliffe yesterday said he looked forward to work resuming and insisted the venues were still on track to be completed 12 months ahead of the 2018 Games.

But Ms Cash, responding toThe Courier-Mail’s front-page story yesterday, slammed Ms Palaszczuk for being weak and risking Australia’s international reputation.

“The only thing that Bill Shorten and Annastacia Palaszczuk care about is doing deals with union bosses who bankroll their parties,” she said.

with Sarah Vogler

Originally published as Gold Coast Commonwealth Games: CFMEU go-slow runs up huge bill