Statement – Suspension of BPICS Wages and Conditions

STATEMENT14 OCTOBER 2024

Suspension of BPICS Wages and Conditions

The Queensland Council of Unions has slammed the announcement by the LNP Deputy Premier to suspend the rights of construction workers to fair and decent wages and conditions on government funded projects.

QCU General Secretary Jacqueline King said that there has been zero consultation with unions or workers over the announcement which would affect thousands of construction workers and jeopardise the delivery of Government infrastructure projects, including fixing the Bruce Highway and building future Olympic venues.

Queensland Unions said BPICS was introduced to ensure that along with quality construction work standards, the industry was underpinned by a fair level playing field for wages and conditions and systems to ensure strong health and safety compliance.

“Disappointingly, it would appear the LNP have now turned their back on ordinary Queenslanders by attacking conditions like rostered days off, when the majority of construction workers already work 55 hours plus every week to get projects finished on time”, Ms King said.

“This move by the Deputy Premier also signals the LNP is open to business with non-union contractors offering sub-standard wages and conditions. A non-union sector will also bring poor safety placing the lives of thousands of Queenslanders at risk.

Ms King said “Twenty six extra days a year that workers have already accrued hours for will not solve the productivity issue in construction. Rostered days off are a normal part of working arrangements for millions of Australian workers. This, along with attacking wages in the middle of a cost of living crisis, will simply see many construction workers walk with their feet out of the industry into mining, or simply move interstate for other project work”.

“If Jarrod Bleijie gets away with this we can kiss on time on cost delivery for government infrastructure goodbye and the LNP’s legacy will at best see third world Olympic venues built off the back of overseas workers and with industry fatality rates up there with the Qatar World Cup. Queensland Unions are asking David Crisafulli to step in and assure Queensland construction workers their wages, conditions and safety will be protected while further discussions are held about genuine productivity, including from the big end of town.

“If the LNP want to get serious about improving productivity on Government jobs they should review their contracts with the majors to ensure they are prevented from gouging Queensland taxpayers for alleged cost blow outs which seems to be par for course and standard business practice”, Ms King said.

ENDS