A judge has slammed the militant CFMEU as a notorious "embarrassment" to the union movement as he fined it and six officials almost $180,000 over an illegal blockade in Melbourne.
Federal Justice Christopher Jessup says the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union's record of non-compliance has become "notorious".
"That record ought to be an embarrassment to the trade union movement," he said in judgment in Melbourne on Friday.
"Quite obviously, over the years the CFMEU has shown a strong disinclination to modify its business model in order to comply with the law."
He fined the union over unlawful industrial action at the Yarra Edge Tower 8 project between February 17 and 19, 2011.
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Five CFMEU officials - Elias Spernovasilis, Shaun Reardon, Derek Christopher, Billy Beattie and Theo Theodorou - formed a picket at the Docklands site in an ongoing dispute with contractor Grocon, stopping delivery of a tower crane and materials.
The union's state secretary at the time, Bill Oliver, told Grocon management the blockade was organised because the union wanted the contractor to hire a fourth person on the crane crew and the employee representatives were to be people nominated by the CFMEU.
Justice Jessup said Oliver's leadership fell "well short" of the standard expected by the community.
Oliver was handed five fines over his involvement in the actions of the five officials who led the blockade.
Fair Work Building and Construction director Nigel Hadgkiss said the case highlighted the CFMEU's "complete disregard for workplace laws and using their industrial might to enforce its own illegitimate agenda".
The CFMEU have been contacted for comment.
FEDERAL COURT FINES TO CFMEU AND OFFICIALS OVER YARRA EDGE BLOCKADE
* CFMEU - $85,000
* Elias Spernavasili - $12,500
* Shaun Reardon - $14,000
* Derek Christopher - $11,250
* Billy Beattie - $11,500
* Theo Theodorou - $9500
* Bill Oliver - $6850
* Bill Oliver - $7300
* Bill Oliver - $6850
* Bill Oliver - $7300
* Bill Oliver - $6400
