CFMEU ‘pressuring’ subcontractors over pay deal

The agreement, which locks in annual 5 per cent pay rises and a new calendar of rostered days off, is ‘almost a death sentence’ for industry, builders say.

Major builders are more united than they have been in 30 years, Master Builders Association of NSW executive director Brian Seidler says

The Australian Building and Construction Commission is investigating employer claims the CFMEU pressured NSW subcontractors into backing a “beyond the pale” pattern agreement that locks in annual 5 per cent pay rises and a new calendar of rostered days off.

Master Builders Association of NSW executive director Brian Seidler said major builders were more united than they had been in 30 years in opposing the proposed agreement, which he called “almost a death sentence” given the conditions facing the industry due to COVID-19.

Mr Seidler said a contractor, who did not want to be named for fear of retribution, had recently met with officials of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union.

“The contractor was asked by the union to come in and talk about signing the EBA,” Mr Seidler said. “He was asked: ‘Are you going to sign the f..king agreement?’ The contractor said: ‘Not in its current form.’ The official said: ‘You can go and get f..ked then’.”

CFMEU NSW secretary Darren Greenfield denied the coercion claims and said 200 employers and subcontractors had already signed up to the agreement.

An ABCC spokesman said the commission was aware of the concerns by Mr Seidler that the union had been “pressuring some New South Wales subcontractors to sign up to a new pattern agreement”.

“The agency has also received direct enquiries in a similar vein from subcontractors,” the spokesman said.

“The ABCC stands ready to assist anyone who has been subject to pressure, coercion or intimidation to sign or not sign an agreement. We will take appropriate action to investigate any complaints we receive.”

Mr Seidler said the union was proposing a 2.5 per cent wage rise every six months, which would equate to pay rises of 22 to 25 per cent over the life of the agreement.

He said the proposed agreement would have a severe impact on sections of the industry that were struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For the first time in 30 years, we have 20 contractors saying ‘enough is enough’,” he said on Thursday. “I have not seen builders united like this since the BLF deregistration.”

The proposed union calendar sought 26 rostered days off which would mean “there will be no work on every second Monday of the month”, he said.

Mr Greenfield accused Mr Seidler of trying to “use the excuse of the crisis to deny workers pay rises”.

“NSW construction workers absolutely deserve the improved pay and conditions contained in these agreements, some of which have already been delayed by more than six months,” he said.

“The CFMEU has reached agreement with the vast majority of employers in NSW, without complaint. Over recent months the NSW CFMEU has processed close to 200 agreements with employers and subcontractors who value their workers and who have a constructive and positive relationship with the union.”

Mr Greenfield said most employers agreed to the revised RDO calendar and “modest” pay increases for their workers many months ago.

“The union decided at the end of last year to delay the introduction of the revised RDO calendar until December 2020 to give everyone in the industry time to prepare for the change,” he said.

“Sadly, it appears the NSW MBA opposes the reintroduction of fixed RDOs that would make the NSW industry competitive with other states for purely political reasons,” he said.

“It is clear that the NSW MBA is increasingly out of step with most employers in the industry, who tell us they accept fixed RDOs as it makes good business sense and is good for all their workers and helps manage fatigue in a hazardous industry.”