Source : Perth Now news
Construction bosses were galled by having to bend the knee to CFMEU organisers during a 2022 meeting at the union’s headquarters, a royal commission has been told.
During the meeting, the union demanded its choice of subcontracting companies and health and safety representation be placed on a major public work, the inquiry was told on Friday.
The commission is probing the circumstances of a two-day work stoppage on a level crossing removal project at Gap Road Sunbury, northwest of Melbourne, in June 2022.
The stoppage occurred during a stage of the project in which the rail line was closed and 24-hour works were occurring to limit that disruption – known in the industry as an “occupation”.
Stephen Villella, alliance manager from CPB Contractors, told the commission the union had a history of disruptions during such occupations, when projects were most vulnerable due to time and cost restrictions.
On June 6 2022, CFMEU delegates entered the Gap Road site, issuing dozens of safety notices, blocking machinery and allegedly threatening workers to down tools.
After a week of evidence probing the validity of safety concerns raised by the union at the time, Mr Villella was forthright in his belief the union had a clear ulterior motive.
“They weren’t genuine safety issues,” he told the commission.
“It was, in my view, obviously designed as a point of leverage to change out our traffic and labour hire.
“It was nasty. It was irrational.”
On June 7, Mr Villella attended a meeting at CFMEU’s office along with John Holland project managers, Joe Aygur and Steve Testolin to end the dispute.
Ultimately Mr Villella said the project managers had made the decision to cede to the union’s demands in order for works to continue.
“The fact that we were being told we had to go there and bend the knee, if you like, was extraordinarily galling for them,” he said.
“Ultimately we were spending taxpayers’ money.
“We were just desperately trying to get the work happening again to stop wasting money.
Mr Villella said he recalls Mr Myles issuing the demands including that union-aligned traffic control and labour hire companies, and a CFMEU health and safety representative were placed on the project.
It was also conveyed by Mr Myles that the CFMEU had influence in government which could impact future work for their companies on major public projects including on the lucrative Airport Rail Link.
“The inference from Mr Myles was that CFMEU had a lot of influence within government and our participation and collaboration with them would would help us in future work,” he said.
Mr Villella said having seen what had occurred in the industry over the past decade he was not surprised by the claim.
The royal commission continues.
