Cash, bullying claims against unionist

More claims have been made against a Canberra construction union organiser, including that he pushed a site manager while trying to reach his desk.

CFMEU national construction secretary Dave Noonan

The CFMEU admits one of its former organisers should be investigated over bribery claims. (AAP)

A site manager claims he was pushed by a construction union organiser, who's also accused of demanding cash bribes from Canberra businesses.

Donald McInnes told the trade union royal commission on Tuesday he's witnessed intimidation and bullying tactics by the CFMEU's ACT branch.

He said on one occasion in 2013, union organiser Fihi Kivalu became aggressive and pushed him while trying to read a document on his desk at a Victory Homes site.

At another time, Mr McInnes called the police when branch secretary Dean Hall and Mr Kivalu came to the building site despite not having the necessary access paperwork.

While the site manager was calling WorkCover, Mr Hall trespassed onto scaffolding, he claimed.

The situation ended with all the workers called into a shed for what Mr McInnes called a "grandstanding exercise" by Mr Hall which disrupted work.

Mr McInnes presented the commission with a text message he sent to a plasterer which contained a picture of Mr Kivalu.

"It was common knowledge in the ACT construction industry that Fihi would take cash payments from subcontractors in exchange for their workers to work on commercial sites without hindrance from the CFMEU," he said in his witness statement.

The plasterer, Jian Yu He, earlier told the hearing through an interpreter he had to pay Mr Kivalu $5000 in cash about two years ago otherwise the union organiser would "cause trouble".

The organiser's lawyers put it to Mr He that his recollection was mistaken and, given his poor English, that he doesn't always understand what is put to him.

But Mr He stood by his evidence, also explaining how he was made by another official known as "Johnny" to sign up 10 of his workers to the union.

After three company heads revealed on Monday they handed over money to Mr Kivalu, another two witnesses - Adam Jeffrey and Ivan Bulum - said they had heard of cases of companies being asked to pay the CFMEU in Canberra.

Mr Kivalu is expected to give his side of the story on Wednesday when the hearing resumes.

The union has already distanced itself from the former organiser, saying the allegations should be investigated by police.


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Source: AAP


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