CFMEU officials intimidated work safety officials into shutting building site, Trade Union Royal Commission hears
Updated
A "big Maori fella" was among senior Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) officials who intimidated a WorkSafe ACT officer into shutting down a building site, a construction site manager has told an inquiry.
Robert Rossi said he was managing a concrete pour on a Claxton Construction site when a group of union officials arrived unannounced and began disrupting work.
Mr Rossi told the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption in Canberra that the men said they had safety concerns about the site, and one man started pulling on safety railings with all his weight.
"I allowed them to come on site, I told them to stay with me. But when we walked on the site, they just scattered," he said.
"They walked all over the place. I called them back but they did not listen they kept going.
"Then I saw the big Maori fella grab hold of a handrail and start shaking it with all his might.
"This fella was about a 120 kilograms and he started shaking it saying 'this is not safe'.
"All I can remember saying is this is not a swing."
While on site he let the officials go through Claxton's paperwork, where they found no issues.
Mr Rossi alleged that among them was the CFMEU's ACT secretary Dean Hall.
He told the commission Mr Hall approached a safety official, threatening him by saying "if anyone gets hurt, you'll be going to jail".
Mr Rossi alleges Mr Hall had a "heated discussion" with the official who then said the pour should be shut down.
Union lawyer John Agius argued Mr Hall never mentioned going to jail.
Mr Hall is set to give evidence at the royal commission during the next two weeks.
Business lost tenders for not signing EBA: Contractor
Earlier today, formwork contractor Troy Armstrong told the inquiry he believed his business lost tenders because it was not a "union approved" company.
Mr Armstrong runs a formwork and steelwork business Claw Construction, with most of its work coming from within the ACT.
He told the inquiry a CFMEU official met with him and presented him with an enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA) to sign.
Mr Armstrong said the document set out rates for his builders and that the salary of $90,000 for labourers was much too high.
"I didn't have an issue with the carpenter's wages in the EBA but I had a problem with the labourer's wages," his statement read.
He recalled telling the union representative Tony Vidler that the salary level was a "joke".
"You are asking me to pay a labourer $80,000 to $90,000 a year that comes off the street," he said.
Mr Armstrong told the commission he remembered Mr Vidler had said he could guarantee his company work if he signed the EBA.
In his statement to the commission, Mr Armstrong said his conversation with union official went like this:
Mr Vidler: "If you come to the party and sign the EBA with us we can guarantee you work."
Mr Armstrong: "How can you guarantee me work?"
Mr Vidler: "We make sure IC and Pacific take the big jobs in town and we will make sure the little jobs go to you."
Mr Armstrong: "I find that hard to believe as I constantly tender jobs against IC and Pacific. Some I win and some they win."
Mr Vidler: "This is the way the industry is going and the other formwork companies in town are signing EBAs and we will take control of the jobs. We will soon be telling you which ones you can and can't go on."
Mr Armstrong alleged the union was planning to take control of jobs and would be telling him what jobs he could and could not work on.
He recalled saying he ran a small business and the EBA would have sent him broke.
The inquiry continues.
Topics: royal-commissions, unions, canberra-2600, act
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