THE only way to resolve the Townsville stadium dispute is to remove Watpac as lead building contractor, CFMEU state secretary Michael Ravbar said today.
"Watpac offer all the excuses under the sun, but the bottom line is they have never delivered on best practice pay and conditions as required by the state government's Buy Queensland procurement policy."
"Watpac have had months to get their house in order, and to ensure that subcontractors comply with contract conditions for what is an economy-changing legacy project for the Townsville region."
"They have failed, and then try to blame their own serial mismanagement on workers who are increasingly frustrated at being in caught in the middle."
"As of this morning inspectors from the federal government's industry attack dog, the Australian Building and Construction Commission, have been on site monstering workers whose only crime is to stand up for themselves."
"If the ABCC wants to demonstrate it is anything more than a political hit squad for hire operating at the beck and call of big business, then its inspectors would be better served auditing the books of Watpac and its contractors with a focus on instances of sham contracting and underpayment," he said.
Mr Ravbar said the Townsville stadium project was a case study in poor oversight, having been the responsibility of no less than three different Ministers and numerous senior bureaucrats since its inception.
"The union and the workers want to get this fixed, but we are dealing with a company that won't even sit down and talk with its workforce, and feeds its contractors, the government - and the Queensland taxpayer - a diet of
lies and half-truths," he said.
"Enough is enough. If the government wants this project delivered on time and on budget, with properly paid and safe jobs, apprentice training and local procurement, the solution is simple, and it does not involve Watpac."
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