Union boss faces fine
Move to stop CMFEU from covering cost
A UNION organiser accused of yelling “you’re a f***ing dog” inches from a workplace health and safety officer’s face could be slugged with a $12,600 fine – and his union may be blocked from chipping in.
Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union stalwart Roland Cummins, better known in the Far North Queensland union movement as Rolly, is preparing to face the Federal Circuit Court after a statement of claim was filed by the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
“I will be fighting the allegations in court and myself or the union will not be making anymore comment until court hearings have been completed,” he told the Cairns Post.
The CFMEU – which still uses its “single-M” acronym despite absorbing the Maritime Union last year – is listed as second respondent behind Mr Cummins. The union faces a fine of up to $63,000 if the ABCC drives home a successful case.
A spokesman said the union would stand up for its man.
“I’ll leave politicisation and perversion of the justice process up to the ABCC – they’re quite good at that,” he said.
“But surely they’ve got better things to do in terms of workplace safety and reducing the number of fatalities on construction sites than worrying about a few blokes swearing.”
The ABCC alleges Mr Cummins verbally abused Robert Duckworth during a visit to the Cairns Performing Arts Centre construction site on April 4 last year, leaving the health and safety inspector feeling “shocked and physically threatened”.
The statement of claim says a disagreement had arisen after Mr Cummins and officials from the CEPU (the communications union) raised several safety issues about the site, including complaints about an out-of-date fire extinguisher and the placement and content of the building evacuation plan.
The ABCC is seeking a personal payment order against Mr Cummins preventing him from seeking or accepting funds from the union to pay the fine – leaving him personally out of pocket by up to $12,600.