CFMEU Contempt Judgement
31 March 2014
CFMEU Contempt Judgement Reinforces Need for ABCC
The $1.25 million penalty imposed on the CFMEU for contempt of court over its violent blockade of the Grocon Myer Emporium site highlights that the union’s officials do not behave like normal people or see themselves bound by the rule of law like everyone else,” Wilhelm Harnisch CEO of Master Builders Australia said.
“The Victorian Supreme Court judgement also reinforces the urgent need for the restoration of the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) to suppress acts of industrial thuggery,” he said.
“The vast majority of participants in the building construction industry do not have the resources to sustain drawn out legal proceedings to protect their staff and commercial interests from unlawful behaviour,” Wilhelm Harnisch said.
“The union should not be allowed to get away with claiming that this is the price they pay for representing their members. There was no dispute between Grocon and its workers, this was simply a case of the union preventing employees from safely entering their workplace,” he said.
“The Victorian Supreme Court’s judgement clearly illustrates why the Labor Party and the Greens should act in the community’s interest and urgently pass the Government’s legislation to restore the ABCC,” Wilhelm Harnisch said.
For further information contact: Wilhelm Harnisch, CEO, 0402 039 039
Ben Carter, Manager Media & Communications, 0447 775 507
