Metro, West Gate Tunnel construction to halt over Christmas, unions reject early return to work

A push to reduce Christmas holiday shutdowns across Melbourne’s mega projects has been rejected by unions as builders race deadlines to complete the multibillion-dollar constructions.

A push to reduce Christmas holiday shutdowns across Melbourne’s mega projects has been rejected by unions, as builders race deadlines on two city-shaping tunnels.

Construction giants on sections of the $10.2 bbn West Gate Tunnel, $15bn Metro Tunnel and $26bn North East Link had wanted workers to return to work on January 6, in order to speed up progress — a week earlier than the industry restart date in construction calendars used by the CFMEU, Australian Workers’ Union and the Electrical Trades Union.

It is understood no formal request for blanket exemptions have been put to Building Industry Group unions, but that in-principle deals on some sites were struck and later quashed.

Construction giants overseeing projects including the Metro Tunnel wanted workers to return to work on January 6 in order to speed up progress. Picture: Victoria Government

One insider blamed CFMEU officials for derailing proposals, while another said that cutting short a Christmas break was up to union members and workers needed for “critical” jobs would be on sites – and paid at triple ordinary rates.

That means tradies who work through the period are paid a 200 per cent penalty rate – taking base pay rates to more than $170 an hour.

On the West Gate Tunnel, unions were notified of an intention to return to work on January 6, one source said, before that plan was shelved.

Asphalting on parts of the West Gate Freeway will occur from that date, however, to take advantage of quieter traffic.

“They have got a scope of works they want to get finished so they can open the asset,” they said.

They said hundreds of workers had been brought on to the Metro Tunnel station sites recently, mostly through labour hire companies and costing millions of dollars a week, to try to speed up construction.

Those stations, at Town Hall and the State Library, are running up to a year behind schedule, but the Allan government has promised this won’t affect the plan to open the project next year.

Electrical Trades Union state secretary, Troy Gray, said requests for early returns to work would be considered by industry unions but blanket exemptions were unlikely.

“These construction workers predominantly 50 or 60 hours, 6 days a week; they might be hungover on Sunday and then back to work on the Monday,” he said.

“They look forward to the Easter break, Christmas break, so we are hesitant to give too many grants to work over Christmas.”

A Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority spokeswoman said enterprise agreements were matters for contractors but workers were entitled to a Christmas break.

They said works would continue across December and January on the West Gate Tunnel and Metro Tunnel, including 35,000km of train testing from January 2 to 11.

“The West Gate Tunnel and Metro Tunnel projects remain on track to open next year – with works powering ahead across December and January,” they said.

“Works are continuing at pace across the Big Build over summer, with road surfacing works kicking off across the West Gate Freeway and train testing ramping up on the Metro Tunnel project.”