CFMEU: Federal Government prosecutes workers in WA

Seventy six workers are set to be prosecuted by the Federal Government in West Australia for allegedly attending a rally a year ago organised to lobby for employment and training opportunities for young people.

The Fair Work Building Commission is serving summonses on the workers – all from Crown Construction – who attended the rally on February 28, 2013 in Perth as part of a union and community campaign to push for local jobs and local content in West Australia’s mining sector.

CFMEU Construction Secretary Dave Noonan who was one of the speakers at the rally said he was shocked to hear that once again workers were being targeted by a Liberal Government, this time over their democratic right to protest and about something that took place 12 months ago.

“This is an outrageous attack on workers’ rights and civil liberties. There is no problem between the employer and the workers in this case. It is simply the government going after ordinary workers for daring to take a stand on the issue of local jobs and better opportunities for their kids.

“Process servers have been turning up to workers’ homes who are shocked that they are being prosecuted for attending a rally and are looking at a fine of $10,200,” said Mr Noonan.

Mr Noonan said that there is a sense of déjà vu for workers in the construction industry in West Australia.

“In 2006, 107 workers in WA were prosecuted for taking industrial action and they paid thousands of dollars in fines.

“Once again the Liberal Government is treating workers like criminals just because they decided to show their support for a campaign in their community for local jobs.

“Workers are distressed by the prospect of paying huge fines, going to court and having servers at their door putting their families under duress.”

Mr Noonan called on the Prime Minister to stop his attacks on working people.

“Workers in Australia should be able to participate in a peaceful political protest without the threat of being dragged before the courts by the government.

“It’s something you might expect in an authoritarian state, not in a democracy like Australia.”

Mr Noonan said there seemed to a pattern of abuse directed at workers from the government.

“There has been slandering of workers at SPC, denigrating of workers at Toyota and now punitive measures are being imposed on construction workers for attending a rally.

“It’s hard to see this prosecution of 76 workers WA is anything else but another notch in Tony Abbott’s anti worker belt.”