Master Builders Victoria hits out at CFMEU’s ‘culture of bullying and intimidation’

Victorian building companies fear construction union “bullies” will run rampant if Bill Shorten wins the federal election and abolishes the worksite watchdog.

Victorian building companies fear construction union “bullies” will run rampant if Bill Shorten wins the federal election and abolishes the worksite watchdog.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union has been slapped with $643,500 in fines in Victoria since July last year, with another 13 cases before the courts.

But the Australian Building and Construction Commission — which, along with its predecessor agencies, has secured $21 million in penalties against the CFMMEU — will be shut down if Mr Shorten becomes prime minister.

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Master Builders Victoria chief Rebecca Casson said: “If it is scrapped, this would open the floodgates for union corruption and lawlessness.”

The Federal Court this week hit the CFMMEU with $78,000 in fines for coercing a worker to pay union fees before he could start work on two CBD construction sites.

Other cases before the courts include:

CFMMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan said the union ‘does not pretend to be perfect’, but argued federal laws made it hard for its officials to protect its members. Picture: AAP

BUILDING work stopped at Geelong Grammar by a union official who allegedly told the project manager: “You’re s---ting in my backyard … I’m going to shut down this site.”

A UNION official allegedly refusing to leave a Monash Freeway worksite, pushing the site superintendent and throwing his mobile phone on the ground.

A SUPERMARKET worksite allegedly blockaded by union officials who tried to force a company to sign an enterprise agreement with the union.

Ms Casson said the CFMMEU committed more breaches in Victoria than any other state and had a “culture of bullying and intimidation”.

“It has nothing to do with safety and brings productivity to a grinding halt,” Ms Casson said.

CFMMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan said the union “does not pretend to be perfect”, but argued federal laws made it hard for its officials to protect its members.

“The union doesn’t set out to break the law (and) get fined, but sometimes our officials have to make difficult decisions to defend our members in what is a tough industry,” Mr Noonan said.

Judges have repeatedly lashed the CFMMEU’s conduct, with one describing the union as “the most recidivist corporate offender in Australian history”.

Mr Noonan said the ABCC failed to take effective action against employers and instead targeted unions, which were “fined more heavily for strike action than builders do when their bad safety practices lead to death”.

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