Union forced building firm to hire CFMEU-linked companies
CFMEU blocked a Melbourne rail underpass until John Holland agreed to replace rival union contractors.
John Holland was building the Sunbury rail underpass. CFMEU organisers stopped work and blocked the site completely.
The union's leader, Joe Myles, made a demand. John Holland had to replace two labour-hire firms linked to a rival union.
In their place, he needed two CFMEU-connected businesses. John Holland first said no. But pressure mounted.
Police would not help. WorkSafe took two days to act.
So John Holland gave in quickly. The company also agreed to hire a CFMEU health and safety representative.
Trains had stopped for construction. The stakes were too high to lose.
The project's cost rose by $6 million. The royal commission opened with this case.
It showed how union coercion infected Victoria's $100 billion-plus infrastructure pipeline.
- $110 million
- Underpass cost
- $6 million
- Project cost increase
- $100 billion-plus
- Victoria's infrastructure pipeline
- Sunbury, Melbourne
- Location
Why it mattersThe case shows how unions used work stoppages. They forced construction companies into costly deals. This raises questions about whether other projects across Victoria faced similar pressure.
AustraliaIf the royal commission uncovers systemic union coercion across Big Build projects, it could reshape industrial relations on major Australian infrastructure and trigger policy changes.
Corroborated byThe Nightly·The Guardian
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 4 d ago
