Building union cops $300,000 fine for coercion

The Federal Court has imposed $313,000 in penalties on the construction union and seven of its NSW officers for coercion.

Former NSW secretary of the CFMEU, Brian Parker. Picture: AAP

The Federal Court has imposed $313,000 in penalties on the construction union and seven of its NSW officers over unlawful conduct taken against concreting companies operating at Sydney building sites.

Judge Geoffrey Flick found the union; its former NSW secretary Brian Parker; assistant NSW secretary Robert Kera; and organiser Luke Collier tried to coerce the companies into making an enterprise agreement with the union in 2014 and 2015.

The Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union was penalised $237,000 and the seven officers were ordered to pay penalties totalling $76,000.

In June 2014, union official Darren Taylor threatened to “smash” the jobs of one of the subcontractors so the other contractors would “know what is coming”.

He told subcontractors if they did not sign an agreement with the union, it would “pick one of you and come after you”.

Mr Kera subsequently sent a text message to a contractor, which read: “Eenie meenie miney mo!”. Officials participated in blockades of a site.

Justice Flick said the CFMEU’s conduct showed it was committed to pursue its industrial objectives by unlawful means and pay penalties as the “cost of doing business”.

He ordered the union to publish an advertisement of the fact that contraventions had been found and penalties imposed.

ABCC head Stephen McBurney said the case was another example of the CFMEU disregarding safety and threatening the livelihood of contractors and subcontractors to achieve their industrial objectives.