The Supreme Court of Victoria has also ordered that the CFMEU must pay costs.
“The penalty is unprecedented in size and reflects the ongoing actions of a union’s disregard for the rule of law and standards of behaviour that apply to everyone else,” said minister for employment Eric Abetz. “Today’s decision sends a clear message that the sort of behaviour engaged in by the CFMEU is unacceptable.
“It is unacceptable to blockade a building site, intimidate staff, threaten and vilify employees and engage in battles with police in CBD streets. It is equally unacceptable to deliberately defy orders of the highest court in Victoria.”
The verdict was welcomed by the Victorian Employers' Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Vecci). “There is no place for intimidation and harassment at work, attacks on an employer’s right to decide who it wants to employ or contempt for our courts,” said Vecci chief executive Mark Stone. “Vecci applauds Grocon for having the courage to stand-up to the CFMEU and pursue it through the court system. No other business should have to go through what Grocon has endured.”
Stone added that Vecci congratulates the Victorian government for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with Grocon to demonstrate it will not tolerate the rule of law being so flagrantly ignored. “Its support for a business confronted with unlawful behaviour, and its recent ‘move-on’ laws, have both been welcomed by Victorian business,” he said.
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