'More needs to be done on the ground right now to confront the CFMEU's absolutely unacceptable conduct'
Employers across Australia are calling for the urgent "clean up" of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) following new reports of gender-based violence involving its members on Australian building sites.
The Sydney Morning Herald provided this week evidence of women being bashed and sexually harassed on construction worksites.
One woman was bashed by a "bikie-linked" health and safety representative on his lunch break from a government-funded project, while another was locked in a small room at a half-built state government hospital, according to the Herald report.
"Australian governments need to urgently clean up the CFMEU in a meaningful way to address what are now, more than ever, clearly entrenched problems in the construction industry," said Innes Willox, Chief Executive of the national employer association Australian Industry Group, in a statement.
"The latest extraordinary revelations of gender-based violence on Australian building sites are appalling and a shameful wake-up call that not enough is being done to eradicate stomach-churning culture problems propagated by the CFMEU's leadership."
The Herald's report said that a CFMEU health and safety representative (HSR) was caught on camera bashing his girlfriend while on his lunch break on a rail level-crossing removal project.
The HSR is reportedly linked to bikies, following allegations that outlaw motorcycle gangs had infiltrated the CFMEU's construction division.
The bikie-linked worker has been fired, according to the Herald, but it noted that its sources said the union landed him a new Big Build role.
Another case involved another union-backed figure, who is accused of locking a female co-worker in a small room on the site where he smoked drugs. The woman told the Herald that the man smoked a "crack of pipe with ice," blew it in her face, and then locked the door of the storeroom.
The man involved was employed by the CFMEU despite being known as an ice addict and after he got out of jail for viciously stalking and threatening to kill a woman, according to the Herald.
Zach Smith, CFMEU national secretary, slammed the reports of violence in a statement to the news outlet.
"The men who have harassed or violently attacked women must be held responsible for their actions, but I believe the whole union has let these women down," he said as quoted by the Herald.
"If we are serious about changing culture and supporting women, we, the male leaders of this union, must stand up and make it an issue for all of us."
The allegations of outlaw motorcycle gangs infiltrating the CFMEU prompted the government to place the union into administration last year.
The Ai Group, however, stressed that the appointment of an administrator last year must only be the "first step" to clean up the industry.
"More needs to be done on the ground right now to confront the CFMEU's absolutely unacceptable conduct and active contempt for the community, taxpayers, and every building industry participant," Willox said.
"It is clear that real action is needed, and more action than the administrator alone can deliver. The administrator has already conceded to the parliament he is clearly restricted in what he can do to clean up his union."
The Business Council of Australia also called for the re-establishment of an industry workplace regulator, similar to the Australian Building and Construction Commission.
"The Nine Network published examples of union delegates accessing sites for alleged criminal behaviour, including physically hurting a woman," said Bran Black, BCA chief executive, in a statement.
"It's clear that an industry regulator is needed to make sure construction worksites, particularly those linked to public projects, are operating lawfully."
Meanwhile, Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the police are launching a new operation investigating the accusation of bikies in the CFMEU, ABC News reported.
The premier said she was "sickened" to her core after seeing the footage of a woman being assaulted on Victorian worksites.
"This is wrong. This is not right and my thoughts are with those women who have had these awful, awful, devastating experiences," Allan said as quoted by ABC.
She said the police have expanded their operations to also focus on serious and violent offending, such as blackmail, extortion, assaults, and threats to life and property.
