Fears WorkSafe staff could face aggression from CFMEU members on job sites

A “childish spat” has broken out between the CFMEU and Victoria’s workplace safety over controversial Facebook posts.

CFMEU state secretary John Setka says the union’s campaign was created due to feedback from members. Picture: David Crosling

Victoria’s workplace safety watchdog has gone into battle with the CFMEU, with the agency pulling out of meetings and committees with the union until it takes down Facebook posts attacking their staff.

The move has prompted internal concerns from employees, who say frontline workers could still be faced with aggression by the union on job sites.

Over the past few months, the CFMEU has been attacking WorkSafe and declaring it “WeakSafe” and “the new ABCC”.

“No wonder WeakSafe are doing such a s---house job at protecting our member’s safety,” one Facebook post said while also publishing a photo of a WorkSafe staff member.

The CFMEU has attacked WorkSafe as ‘WeakSafe’: Steve Pohlner

Last week, the agency hit back at the union, with health and safety executive director Narelle Beer writing a message to staff.

“WorkSafe is taking this matter very seriously because these attacks are unprofessional, inflammatory and have no basis in fact,” she wrote.

“No-one deserves to be targeted in this manner. The staff members involved have our complete backing and confidence.”

In a later email, Ms Beer said she had written to the union demanding they delete the post, along with letters to Facebook owner Meta, the federal E-Commissioner and the responsible Victorian government minister.

She also revealed they were cutting contact with the union until the problem was resolved.

“WorkSafe will be refraining from any formal engagements with the CFMEU, including the Health & Safety Stakeholder Reference Group and its subordinate working groups, and any regular bilateral meetings between senior staff,” Ms Beer wrote.

“WorkSafe will be advising the Minister of the steps it has taken and its communications with the CFMEU.”

But frontline WorkSafe operations will continue.

This has prompted frustrations internally as workers who attend construction sites every day to check for issues fear they will have to face abuse on site.

CFMEU state secretary John Setka said the union welcomed and encouraged WorkSafe to attend sites.

“The campaign was created due to feedback from members in a recent survey that they don’t think WorkSafe keep their job site safe,” he said.

“After all, as regulators of workplace safety it is their job to keep not only our members but the public safe from workplace incidents.”

A Community and Public Sector Union spokesman said: “There’s always been robust dialogue on site but now we have WorkSafe leadership potentially increasing the health and safety and occupation violence risks of their inspectors and investigators because of a childish spat.

“Maybe the way their own staff have their issues dealt with needs a hard look.”

The WeakSafe campaign comes after the CFMEU have ramped up a long-running industrial war across Victorian construction sites.

Earlier this year, they began refusing entry to surveyors until they joined their union despite the profession not being covered by any their industrial protections.

Over the past few years, they have routinely delayed and held up disruptive taxpayer-funded projects until the builders replace subcontractors with businesses linked or favoured by them.

The Fair Work Ombudsman is now investigating these issues after complaints were made.