The national construction union has called for national security of payment reform laws that protect workers, subcontractors and small business with a major building company on the brink of collapse.
The CFMEU has ramped up its push for reform with PBS Building, which operates across NSW, Queensland and the ACT, teetering on the edge of ruin.
The 2017 Murray Report outlined a comprehensive reform blueprint for national security payment laws.
Incoming CFMEU National Secretary Zach Smith said the Labor Government needed to act immediately.
“The Federal Government must urgently make good on its election promise to implement nationally consistent security of payment laws,” Mr Smith said.
“Too many subcontractors and workers simply don’t get paid when companies like PBS collapse.
“It is unacceptable people are not getting paid for their hard work. Subbies and workers being ripped off when businesses are liquidated is one of the biggest problems in our industry.
“No more buck passing. No more talk. We need an effective national security of payments regime that stops workers being ripped off.
“What’s the point of a body like the Fair Work Ombudsman if it doesn’t recover money owed to workers and subcontractors when construction companies go under?”
“It’s always unions like the CFMEU left to pick up the pieces because Federal Government agencies aren’t responsible.
“Our Union will do everything in its power to make sure workers and subbies get every cent owed to them but we need laws that guarantee this can happen.”
