Back to the Fifties?

by Vinnie Molina

On Thursday October 12, two CFMEU officials were assaulted at the Blue 
Water Construction site in South Perth.

The union is currently locked in negotiations with Hanssen Constructions 
for an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement to cover the workers on site. For 
the past three years Hanssen Constructions has been building predominantly 
without union labour.

Initially most workers on Hanssen sites were satisfied with lower than 
average wages compared to similar projects. The promise of continuous 
employment for a period of two years was used to secure the cheaper labour.

Last year several Hanssen workers decided to join the CFMEU and at one 
stage there was a threat of industrial action in some sites during which 
some workers walked off the job for a day. This resulted in the 
"disappearance" or sacking of some of those workers.

A few months ago construction began at the Blue Water Construction site, a 
multi-million dollar development. Workers on site are being denied basic 
entitlements such as site allowances, 24-hour income protection, EBA rates, 
holiday pay, sick pay, travel allowances, RDOs, overtime, etc.

Several union members, who work on site and who have been in the industry 
for many years, were aware that they were being denied basic conditions. 
The CFMEU held meetings on site and workers voted for the union to pursue 
an EBA and initiated industrial action.

Two picket lines were set up on site because the builder refused to reach 
an agreement with the union. During the last protected industrial action 
Hanssen Constructions sacked 11 union members for participating in the 
picket line.

The Australian Industrial Relations Commission recommended the 
reinstatement of the workers. The builder however said he would prefer to 
go to jail rather than have the workers back on site.

By this action he is openly defying the umpire who under the new Industrial 
Relations legislation has lost the power to make an order, and can only 
make recommendations.

On Thursday last week a union official visited the site with the intention 
of reporting back on the outcome of the Industrial Relations Commission 
hearing.

However, the owner-builder assaulted him at the gate in front of all the 
other workers.

Another union official arrived on site to support the assaulted official 
when they were both attacked by a mob of between eight to ten workers 
including two members of management.

The officials were punched and kicked to the ground and left with blood 
noses and bruises.

They went to the local police station to lodge a complaint. However the 
police did not take the matter seriously and tried to discourage one of the 
officials from lodging the complaint.

The police requested the names of union members on site and questioned 
whether one of the officials had been a member of the Communist Party in 
his homeland.

The union has complained to the Minister for Police, Kevin Prince, about 
the handling of the matter. A hearing on the outcome of the reinstatement 
of the sacked workers is due to be heard before the Federal Court next 
week.