Construction workers on Brisbane’s Cross River Rail project are walking off the job as a major union calls for pay rises which would see an entry-level construction worker earn an eye-watering $240,000 per year.
Construction, Forestry, Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) workers are striking at seven sites across the city on Tuesday following months of negotiations between the union and contractor CPB Contractors for a new enterprise bargaining agreement (EBA).
The previous EBA between CFMEU and CPB Contractors expired at the end of last year.
Queensland Police are on the scene at the seven sites, including in Yeerongpilly, Dutton Park and Rocklea, with workers believed to have started gathering from about 3.45am, The Courier Mail reports.
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Dozens of workers were seen gathering outside the Exhibition Station Cross River Rail site by 7am, with some holding signs that read “CFMEU here for the blue,” and “never cross a picket line”, according to the publication.
The protected industrial action is expected to take place over the next four days, ending midnight on Friday.
It’s understood CFMEU has demanded some workers receive a pay rise of about $2,000 a week and an extra 20 rostered days off each year.
Sources familiar with the union’s demands told The Courier Mail that under the proposal for Cross River Rail an entry-level worker would receive a $15,000 pay increase, seeing them earn over $240,000 each year.
It comes after Transport Minister Mark Bailey revealed a blowout of $960 million last month, with the Cross River Rail now costing $6.3 billion.
News.com.au has contacted CFMEU and Cross River Rail Delivery Authority for comment.
A spokesman for CPB Contractors told news.com.au it has “regularly met with relevant Union representatives from the AWU (Australian Workers’ Union) and CFMEU to negotiate a fair and reasonable work agreement”.
“While these meetings were productive, an agreement has not yet been reached between the parties,” they said.
A spokesman for Cross River Rail Delivery Authority told The Courier Mail: “We encourage all parties involved to continue to bargain in good faith and to reach a resolution, so we can continue to deliver this transformational project.”
In February, it was reported CFMEU was close to inking a new workplace agreement with the state government that would see its workers given “at least” a five per cent pay rise.
Under the three-year agreement, basic labourers and traffic controllers would earn more than $2000 per week plus another $260 a week in travel allowance — equating to 23 per cent more than the average full-time weekly income of $1838.
Those working overtime or more than five days per week would earn much more than the $120,000 a year figure, which is for a basic 36-hour week.
At the time, CFMEU boss John Setka told the Herald Sunthat workers were entitled to healthy pay increases during a cost-of-living crisis. “It could be more than five per cent,” he said.
“Everyone is allowed to increase the cost of everything but we are not allowed to increase wages — fair dinkum? We want a pay rise to keep up with the cost of living and we are not allowed? We are not going to be the sacrificial lambs.”