Three new Federal Court judgments in just five days have added 216,600 more reasons why builders back foreshadowed ‘Ensuring Integrity’ laws, say Master Builders Australia.
“These decisions are more reasons why the Government’s foreshadowed Ensuring Integrity laws are a key ingredient in stamping out building union bullying and intimidation on construction sites,” Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia said.
“The Ensuring Integrity laws, when last introduced, improved existing rules to help registered organisations and their officials to comply with the law along with real consequences for serial law breakers – these are features we hope to see retained when the Bill is returned to the Parliament,” she said.
The three recent judgements all involved illegal activity on Victorian construction sites and add to the already long list where building unions have been found breaking Fair Work laws, described by one Judge as an “appallingly long history of prior contraventions”.
“With the Courts saying that the illegal activity of building unions has become orchestrated and deliberate, with no signs of remorse or steps to ensure future compliance with the law, something needs to be done so to send a message that no-one is above the law and bullying isn’t tolerated,” Denita Wawn said.
“This string of decisions shows why the Ensuring Integrity laws are crucial. After amassing over $4 million in fines this financial year, building union culture of bullying hasn’t shifted one bit – and our Courts hands are tied to take any other action,” she said.
“Without a better tool chest for the Courts, building unions will just keep getting away with their bullying,” Denita Wawn said.
