Building workers picket for their pay

By Chris Spindler SYDNEY — Members of the CFMEU working at the Prince Alfred Hospital site have had their pay stolen. As a result there is an "all day, every day picket" at the site and a black ban on any further work until the workers get paid. AMACON constructions, contracted by the Labor state government, hired the workers and when the company went "broke" failed to pay them for their work. Some workers are owed up to seven or eight weeks' pay. The public works department has also refused to pay the workers. CFMEU organiser James Perkins said that as well as the demanding their pay, workers want the introduction of legislation guaranteeing that they and sub-contractors are paid for their work. Under existing law, AMACON's owners could set up another company without fulfilling any of their responsibilities to their former employees.

From GLW issue 211