ABCC: Unions to boycott industry roundtable

The CFMEU has called on all unions to boycott an industry roundtable organised by the Australian Building and Construction Commission because of a spate of prosecutions of individual workers.

CFMEU Construction National Secretary Dave Noonan said unions should boycott the meeting, to be held in Melbourne today, because of the ABCC¹s heavy-handed tactics aimed at individual workers.

"The ABCC is engaged in systematic intimidation and bullying of individual workers in the construction industry. This Government body has the power to fine workers for taking action to defend their wages and conditions and to gaol workers who take part in union meetings and refuse to cooperate with secret government interrogations," Mr Noonan said.

With 107 West Australian workers already facing fines of more than $28,000, a series of incidents have raised concerns about the ABCC¹s abuse of civil liberties,

"We have just learned that five workers are being prosecuted by the ABCC after protesting against substandard conditions, including allegations of fly-blown food, on a John Holland project in western NSW in 2005," Mr Noonan said.

This follows the prosecution of Victorian grandfather Charlie Corbett for standing up for an apprentice and the harassment of single mother Brodene Wardley for representing her workmates in a safety dispute.

It is also believed the ABCC is planning further actions against individual workers in Victoria.

"All Australians should be concerned that this approach will become the Howard Government's model for all working Australians to take away your rights and launch personal legal action if you stand up for yourself."