Vic: Grocon - underpaying allowances

CFMEU VIC has won significant back-pay for Grocon employees and subontractors on the McNab Avenue Footscray job, after the Victorian Building Industry Disputes Panel found the company had undervalued the project for payment of allowances.

Grocon had calculated the value of the project on its first stage costs, at $80million. The CFMEU argued that it should have been valued at its full costs of $350m, giving a site allowance of $4.10/hour, instead of the $3.70 paid.

The Disputes Panel agreed and described the company’s attempt to value it by stage one as “somewhat disingenuous”.

Grocon’s safety and work practices were also under scrutiny recently, after a crack 30 metres long and up to 65mm wide in Elizabeth Street forced VICRoads to close three lanes. A retention wall on Grocon’s Cancer Centre site had moved about 16mm. In separate incidents, a carpenter severed a finger and a dogman’s load was struck by lightning.

The CFMEU remains in dispute with Grocon over safety and workplace reps. These incidents show how vital it is that the Union continues to fight until workers on Grocon sites have full safety rights.