CFMEU allegedly threatened site shutdown unless worker joined union

THE CFMEU has been accused of threatening to shut down a $28 million project in Melbourne over workers’ refusal to join the union.

A CFMEU delegate allegedly threatened to shut down a site unless a worker joined the union. Picture David Geraghty

THE CFMEU has been accused of threatening to shut down a $28 million project in Melbourne over workers’ refusal to join the union.

The construction union is being taken to the Federal Court over the alleged coercion on the construction of a Melbourne University college at Parkville.

In a claim lodged by the Australian Building and Construction Commission, it alleged CFMEU delegate Mario Raspudic threatened to “shut the whole site down” unless a worker became a member of the union.

During site induction on March 1, 2016, Mr Raspudic was reported to have told two workers that they needed to be paid-up members of the union to get on site.

It is then alleged Mr Raspudic allowed a union member to start work but prevented

the two non-financial members from working.

Later, Mr Raspudic allegedly approached one of the workers and said words to the effect: “You can’t do any work until you join up with the union”.

The worker then said “I don’t have to become a member of the union” and it is alleged Mr Raspudic grabbed his laptop and attempted to pull it from his hands in a “short struggle”.

Both workers then joined the union, according to Federal Court documents.

Another CFMEU official, Mark Travers, is accused of threatening a contractor on the project that it would be kicked off the site unless it paid “union rates”.

ABCC Commissioner Nigel Hadgkiss said workers could not be prevented from working on

Australian construction sites because they were not a union member.

“The ABCC takes allegations of workers being prevented from earning a living because they

are, or are not, members of a union very seriously,” Mr Hadgkiss said.

The ABCC is alleging the conduct of the union and its two officials contravenes the adverse action, misrepresentation and coercion provisions of the Fair Work Act.

Contraventions of the Act can attract penalties up to $10,800 for individuals and $54,000 for unions.

A CFMEU spokesman said: “It is clear that the Turnbull Government is committed to destroying unions and attacking workers’ rights, and these charges are simply another taxpayer-funded element of this campaign.”

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