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Canberra Today 12°/16° | Saturday, March 30, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Opinion / Put money back into pockets of the workers

THE construction industry is critical to Canberra’s future; for every $1 million spent on construction, an additional $2.9 million is generated within the broader economy, giving rise to 46 jobs.

Kirk Coningham.
Kirk Coningham.
The construction industry not only creates the buildings and infrastructure that make Canberra a great place to live, but also jobs and opportunities throughout the entire economy.

The Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption has found evidence of bullying, intimidation and exclusion that is strangling competition and sapping the industry.

Evidence has been tabled that the CFMEU raised $1.2 million in 2013-14 from undisclosed payments in enterprise bargaining agreements (EBAs) – and that’s just in Canberra.

This has inflated costs, eroded competition and put jobs at risk.

Nationally, the union has paid out more than $10 million in court fines and legal settlements in the past year. These fines are passed on to members.

This week, Master Builders ACT is launching a campaign to dispel some of the myths about EBAs. For example, research shows that having a union EBA doesn’t necessarily improve safety on construction sites. Experts agree that the foundations of safety on construction sites are workplace culture, consultation and collaboration.

Construction industry workers are surprised to learn that they can get the same or better pay and conditions with an EBA that they negotiate with their employer.

Workers on construction sites around Canberra are talking to their teams about how to reclaim their right to choose when they want to take their rostered days off, when they want to work overtime and where to invest savings for retirement.

We can create a sustainable future built on co-operative workplaces, healthy competition and shared values – but only by working together.

It’s time to put the money back in pockets of workers and businesses, and build a better Canberra.

Kirk Coningham is the Master Builders ACT executive director. More information at mba.org.au/news-and-media/get-a-better-deal/

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