CFMEU Construction division National Secretary, Dave Noonan said that the IR laws that underpinned the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) had no place in a modern industrial system.
“These laws that discriminate against construction workers are a hang-over from the Howard era and have no place in the Rudd Government’s modern industrial system,” Mr Noonan said.
“The Rudd Labor Government has no mandate to keep these laws and the coercive powers that strip away the basic rights of Australian construction workers.
Mr Noonan said that under these laws a South Australian construction worker now faced up to six months imprisonment for allegedly failing to attend an ABCC interrogation last year.
“The fact of the matter is that under these building laws an ordinary construction worker now faces the likelihood of six months jail for allegedly failing to attend a secret interrogation by the ABCC and answer questions after serious safety concerns were raised at his worksite,” Mr Noonan said.
“This worker and his colleges had legitimate concerns about the safety of their worksite – safety concerns that were later backed up the South Australian safety watchdog, SA Work Safe, which issued two prohibitions notices.”
Mr Noonan also said that on the issue of the Rudd Government introducing new legislation into the parliament covering the building industry, the union would consider the proposed laws but would not accept the inclusion of coercive powers.
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