Union wins windfall for building workers

[pies4ever]

Union wins windfall for building workers
November 30, 2007

WORKERS at a Melbourne construction site will receive $110,000 in allowances after the building union had a rare legal win.

The site allowances will be paid at the Caroline Springs community centre after the Industrial Relations Commission yesterday granted an appeal to the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union.

The CFMEU had been battling construction firm JA Dodd Ltd and the federal building industry watchdog over whether all workers on the site should get a $3.45 an hour allowance.

The contractor had argued that its employees should be paid a smaller site allowance because its share of the work was only a fraction of the site's total construction cost.

The dispute went to the IRC after JA Dodd took issue with a ruling by the Victorian Building Industry Disputes Panel.

The industry watchdog, the Australian Building and Construction Commission, and the Master Builders Association intervened in the case in support of the employer.

CFMEU assistant state secretary Bill Oliver said the decision would have repercussions for the entire building industry.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22845415-2862,00.html