Jobs summit: Union-led forum backed to drive industry culture change

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke has endorsed a union-led push to establish a new body to recommend reform.

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke. Picture: Getty Images

The construction industry will have a spotlight shone on its culture and productivity after Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke endorsed a union-led push to establish a new body to recommend reform.

The announcement came after ACT independent senator David Pocock used the government’s Jobs and Skills Summit to ask Sex Discrimination Commissioner Kate Jenkins if she would consider working with the construction industry, unions and regulators to improve conditions and outcomes for workers.

While details of Mr Burke’s proposed national construction industry forum are yet to be revealed, Ms Jenkins said she liked a challenge and Senator Pocock’s offer was “very tempting”.

“I’m open to seeing how I could assist,” she said.

“I know from experience making change in really important sectors has a much bigger impact than making change in just one business or one organisation.”

Australian Constructors Association chief executive Jon Davies conceded there were issues, other than improving health and safety, that were “slowly killing our industry”.

Construction is Australia’s third-largest industry and contributes 8 per cent of GDP.

“Of critical importance is the need to improve the culture of our industry. It’s simply not good enough. Women make up only 12 per cent of our workforce, and that number dwindles to single digits when we’re talking about trades,” Mr Davies said. “Disputes are commonplace and our workers are six times more likely to die from suicide than they are from a workplace incident.”

Senator Pocock, who could be the deciding Senate crossbencher to terminate the Australian Building and Construction Commission, questioned Labor over how it planned to address safety and productivity on worksites once the controversial watchdog was gone.

The Greens support Labor’s election commitment to scrap the ABCC, meaning the government needs just one vote in the Senate.

“What resources will the Fair Work Ombudsman have to pick up their workload? What’s the government’s plan to address safety and productivity on worksites? And fundamentally how do we stop this issue from being the highly ideological football it has been for more than a decade?” Senator Pocock said.

Mr Burke said a tri-partisan forum of union, business and government representatives would address issues in the industry.

Electrical Trades Union acting secretary Michael Wright, who proposed the new body, said wage theft was rife, visa exploitation too common and work health and safety routinely compromised.

“Ours is an industry where workers and business owners suffer worse mental health outcomes … And we have a gender divide that would have made the 1950s gasp. All too often women don’t even have equal bathrooms, let alone equal pay,” he said.

“Women in construction literally have nowhere to go.”

Mr Wright said the forum could drive cultural change and develop strategies to increase participation of workers traditionally shut out, such as women, those from diverse backgrounds and First Nations people.

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, call Lifeline (13 11 14) or the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467), or see a doctor.