Attempts by the ABCC to prevent fines imposed on construction workers being paid through crowdfunding is an extraordinary abuse of state power from a vindictive regulator, ideologically driven to hurt working people.

“In Scott Morrison’s Australia construction workers are hit with massive fines for minor industrial action while bank executives get away with ripping billions out of working people’s pockets,” said Nigel Davies, CFMEU Assistant National Construction Secretary.

“The Morrison Government last week quietly dropped proposed million-dollar fines for bank executives from draft legislation arising from the Banking Royal Commission.”

“Meanwhile, construction workers face fines for taking minor industrial action or for activities that in any other industry would be entirely legal.”

“The ABCC now wants the power to bankrupt individual workers by forcing them to pay massive fines out of their own pockets and prevent them receiving assistance from anyone in the community who offers to support them.”

“If the ABCC gets its way, construction workers facing court-imposed fines would not be able receive financial support from their friends, their families, their workmates, or from anyone in the wider community.”

“No other segment of our community is subjected to this kind of Orwellian nonsense.”

“Contrast these relentless attacks on construction workers with Scott Morrison’s refusal to hold banking executives to account for their many financial crimes committed against the people of Australia.”

“It is clear that Scott Morrison is on the side of big business and banks, and not ordinary blue-collar workers.”

“This unprecedented overreach by a regulator that is drunk on power is an extraordinary attack on the rights and freedoms of working people that should have no place in a democratic society.”