Building inspectors abused in agressive clashes with union officials, inquiry told
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Version 0 of 1. Building inspectors were abused, photographed and had personal details read out by union officials in aggressive clashes at construction sites, an inquiry into trade unions has heard. Video evidence tendered to the royal commission into trade union governance and corruption captured Fair Work building inspector Seamus Flynn repeatedly being called a “fucking piece of shit” by officials from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy union (CFMEU). Flynn told the commission he confronted three CFMEU officials at the Ibis hotel construction site in Adelaide in May 2014, after site managers advised the union had entered without permits. He located the officials in a hallway of the building and took photographs of them, sparking abuse from one, who he said was John Perkovic. Video, recorded by Flynn’s colleague Angeliek Peters and played at the hearing, captured the confrontation. In his statement, Flynn said Perkovic “quickly moved towards me, saying ‘you fucking maggot, what are you taking a photo of me for you piece of shit?’”. Flynn said Perkovic, who was taller and larger than him, came close and pushed against his stomach with his body, pushing him backwards. On the video, Perkovic can allegedly be heard saying: “You fucking coward, I’d fucking take you to school, you fucking piece of shit.” In another incident, Fair Work building inspector Matthew Barr told the inquiry he and his colleagues were repeatedly called “dogs”, spat at and intimidated on visits to the Barangaroo construction site in Sydney in July 2014. Barr said he went to Barangaroo to investigate unlawful industrial action. Barr said that when workers attended a 6.30am meeting outside the building site, CFMEU official Luke Collier singled out fellow inspector Jared O’Connor using a megaphone to address the crowd. “That grub Jared O’Connor is here,” Mr Collier allegedly said, and read out Mr O’Connor’s mobile phone number to the crowd. “Why don’t you give him a call and let him know what you think.” At another meeting a few days later Collier said: “Jared you think all I got is your phone number?” Barr said he and his colleagues were repeatedly referred to as “dogs” in statements such as “don’t stand too close, Mick, they have fleas, they’re dogs”. Counsel assisting the commission Jeremy Stoljar, SC, said the inspectors faced situations where they were outnumbered by CFMEU officials and members and encountered behaviour the broader community would find “offensive and thuggish”. “However, it is worse than that. It may be conduct which the law regards as criminal,” he said. The hearing continues. |