Fair Work Ombudsman
Citation: FWO-2024-04-19-cfmeu-yatala-penalty-media-release
At a glance
- Penalty
- $135,186
What happened
The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) and three officials, Dean Rielly, Matthew Vonhoff, and Margues Pare, have been penalised for breaching right of entry laws. The case involved an incident at the Yatala South Interchange upgrade project, south of Brisbane, in October 2021. The officials failed to sign a visitor register while exercising entry rights, despite being asked to do so. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) initially brought the legal action, which later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
What was decided
The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed a total penalty of $135,186 against the CFMEU and its officials. The CFMEU was penalised $113,886, Dean Rielly $15,000, Matthew Vonhoff $3,750, and Margues Pare $2,550. The officials admitted to breaching the Fair Work Act’s right of entry laws. Acting Fair Work Ombudsman Michael Campbell stated that penalties are important to reinforce the seriousness of these breaches.
What it means for employers
Employers in the building and construction industry must ensure that any union officials seeking entry to their sites comply with all legal requirements, including signing visitor registers when requested. Clear procedures for right of entry should be in place and enforced.
What it means for employees
Employees in the building and construction industry should be aware of their rights and obligations regarding union entry to workplaces. Union officials must adhere to the Fair Work Act’s provisions regarding right of entry.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/2024-media-releases/april-2024/20240419-cfmeu-yatala-penalty-media-releaseWant more cases like this?
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This summary was drafted by AI from the published decision and reviewed before publishing. It is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, speak to the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified lawyer. About these summaries & corrections →