STADIUM DISPUTE
CONCRETERS at the North Queensland Stadium project have been ordered back to work after being on strike since Monday.
Last night the Fair Work Commission ordered concreters from PJ Walsh Construction back to site. The strike came as the 2019 NRL season kicks off and just a year out from when the stadium is supposed to open.
Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union Queensland/ Northern Territory senior officer Kane Lowth said the decision showed the laws and institutions were “out of touch with reality”.
“To compel workers to go back to work when there was evidence uncovered before the commission of sham contracting and underpayments of workers entitlements is an absolute disgrace,” he said.
It’s understood about 20 workers walked off the job demanding better conditions from the subcontractor on Monday. The Townsvillebased company is doing concrete placement and finishing on the $250 million project.
The Australian Building and Construction Commission confirmed it was investigating allegations of unlawful industrial action at the Townsville stadium.
It’s not the first time workers have gone on strike at the project. Last December more than half the employees working at the stadium walked off.
There are worries the continued disputes might mean the stadium will not be ready for the 2020 NRL season. However, the State Government denies this.
It’s understood the latest industrial action relates to the State Government’s Buy Queensland procurement policy which has introduced “best practice principles” to certain projects.
Sub-contractors must adhere to these principles too.
The best practice pay and conditions was a stipulation added to the policy last May.
A source said the CFMMEU was demanding an Enterprise Bargaining Agreement for its workers that was beyond what the best practice principles called for.
Housing and Public Works Minister Mick de Brenni urged everyone to get on with building the stadium.
“Given we’ve put money on the table to cover contract variations, I don’t see how the best practice principles could be the issue here,” he said.
Mr de Brenni said implementation of the best practice principles was a matter for Watpac.
“The Palaszczuk Government’s firm view is that workers in Townsville should receive the same pay and conditions as workers in south east Queensland,” he said.
Mr de Brenni said the State Government had been told the dispute would not impact the project’s finish date.
A Watpac spokeswoman said the company was supporting all its subcontractors as they sought to implement the best practice principles.
“The state’s instruction to Watpac is specific about which workers the best practice principles applies to, how those affected may make application for funds, how the process of auditing that the funds go to the intended recipients, and the date of application ( May 17, 2018) from which the back pay calculations would be made,” she said.
“We are working closely with the subcontractors to which these principles apply, as they undertake this application and auditing process.”
The spokeswoman said Watpac was following due process when it came to implementing the principles.
Burdekin MP Dale Last said the project had always been plagued with problems.
“I’ve previously called on the Premier to come to Townsville to sort this mess out,” he said. “We’ve had claims and counterclaims and clearly any delays to this project will put in jeopardy the completion date.”