Building code of practice urged to tame union “beast”
A former construction boss has called on a state to adopt a code of construction practice to curb the power of the rogue outfit that is the subject of a royal commission.
A Queensland investigation into the CFMEU resumed on Tuesday, having previously heard sensational evidence of criminal infiltration, bullying and corruption in the state’s construction industry.
Nigel Hadgkiss, a former boss of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, told the inquiry that a robust code was needed to deal with the problems the inquiry had uncovered.
“There will be no reform until a building contractor fears the regulator more than the union,” Mr Hadgkiss said.
“There is an urgent need to reform industrial practices and behavior within the current building construction sector in Queensland.
“A law would go a long way to advance this reform.”
He said contractors could not challenge the union’s power on the ground because they were dependent on work they received from the government.
“He was biting the hand that fed them,” he said.
The lawyer assisting James McLean told Mr Hadgkiss that there were environments in the area where the union’s demands could not be met.
“There is an account of him feeding the beast,” Mr. Hadgkiss replied.
Mr Hadgkiss also expressed his objection to union paraphernalia, saying it was against the principle of freedom of association.
“The flags, in particular, are an indication that this is a union-run site, and if you’re not a member of the union, shame on you,” he said.
Contractors had to pay not only for workers’ clothing, but also for clothing bearing the CFMEU logo.
“There was insistence that they put up CFMEU logos which employers did not like, but they had to comply,” Mr Hadgkiss said.
Earlier, Mr McLean outlined the hours of productivity lost in meetings under Best Practice Industrial Conditions agreements introduced by the former Labor government.
These included daily one-hour briefings before work began, weekly two-hour safety briefings, and weekly two-hour union meetings, all paid for by the contractor.
Workers had 26 days off per year and also stopped working when the outside temperature reached 29°C.
Mr McLean said the result was that construction projects would lose momentum due to the ongoing loss of continuity.
He said best practice industry agreements also artificially inflated pay rates, with five per cent annual increases on top of existing rates.
The agreements have since been canceled by the LNP government led by David Crisafulli.
