Crane operator tells royal commission of CFMEU site disruptions

Summarised from 2 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 10 Nov, 01:01 · Archive

A crane operator has told Victoria's construction royal commission that CFMEU officials stopped machinery on a major Melbourne train bridge project.

Crane operator Glenn Tyrrell gave the first evidence at Victoria's construction royal commission, which is examining the industry. He worked on a government-funded train bridge project over Gap Road in Sunbury in 2022, serving as a health and safety representative through a labour hire firm.

Mr Tyrrell told the commission that the project ran smoothly with no union presence until June 2022, when CFMEU officials arrived in numbers ranging from two to four. He said "things changed" when there was a "heavy presence" of union officials on site. According to Mr Tyrrell, the officials would stand in front of machinery and tell operators to stop work, halting the entire job. "I don't think they were allowed to enter. I think they just entered," he said.

Mr Tyrrell described their demands as relating to safety issues, citing an instance where CFMEU representatives wanted to check paperwork on chains. The royal commission's first fortnight of hearings is focusing on this Sunbury project, with counsel assisting Chris Young KC having outlined on Monday how the government-funded project came under CFMEU control.

How it is being reported

• Worker forced into CFMEU after big build site shutdownA construction worker says once the CFMEU took control of a major public rail project, it forced a labour hire switch, while traffic controller rates doubled.Perth Now · 10 Nov, 01:38
• Worker forced into CFMEU after big build site shutdownA construction worker says once the CFMEU took control of a major public rail project, it forced a labour hire switch, while traffic controller rates doubled.The West Australian · 10 Nov, 01:38
• CFMEU blocked machinery on major Melbourne project, first royal commission witness revealsA crane operator has told Victoria’s construction royal commission that CFMEU officials stood in front of machinery to stop an entire job site – and “just entered” without being allowed.The West Australian · 10 Nov, 00:30
• CFMEU blocked machinery on major Melbourne project, first royal commission witness revealsA crane operator has told Victoria’s construction royal commission that CFMEU officials stood in front of machinery to stop an entire job site – and “just entered” without being allowed.Perth Now · 10 Nov, 00:30

In this story: Glenn Tyrrell · CFMEU · Victoria · Sunbury · Chris Young KC

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