‘Like a zombie movie’: worker relives attack on digger
Andrew Stafford |
A plant operator on a worksite had his digger bombarded by rocks thrown by militant union members on a bitterly contested worksite, an inquiry has been told.
Kayne MacDonald had just witnessed a vicious brawl spill across a suburban road after a CFMEU picket line was breached on the Cross River Rail project at Dutton Park in Brisbane’s south on May 1, 2024.
After the brawl subsided, Mr MacDonald said he was directed to start work.
He told Commissioner Stuart Wood KC that as soon as he turned the ignition in his small earthmover, CFMEU members rushed towards him, their faces half-covered by balaclavas or items of clothing.
“It looked like something out of a zombie movie,” he said.
Rocks then rained down on his machine, which he said he chose deliberately as it had a protective cage.
“They started picking up rocks and throwing them in and I was just sort of stuck in the machine, waiting for them to stop,” he said.
“I’d say they ran out of rocks pretty quick, but it would have been for about 20, 30 seconds after the first rock (was thrown).”
He said some of the men were carrying knives that they used to cut privacy screens and threaten him, telling him he would come out in a body bag.
Mr MacDonald and other workers were later escorted from the site by police.
Another witness and participant in the brawl, Fou Ah Lam, said he was “jumped” by alleged CFMEU members outside his home three months later on August 1, 2024.
Video of the incident, caught on CCTV, was played to the inquiry.
Mr Ah Lam was asked how he knew his assailants were members of the CFMEU.
“I know it is,” he said.
“I’ve had no problems with anyone in any sort of way … they didn’t say anything, they didn’t take anything.
“They just came and did what they did.”
Earlier in the inquiry, a woman was left in tears as she recalled being at the centre of the brawl.
Sky Lewis was one of three women and a larger group of male employees trying to enter the site, with witnesses saying she was targeted by CFMEU rebels.
After being shown video of the incident on Tuesday, Ms Lewis started crying and shaking.
“I felt scared because there was workers trying to get in and trying to get us in and every time a worker came out to try and get us in, they got slammed in between the CFMEU,” she said.
“I noticed the CFMEU members targeted her and just bee-lined straight to her,” Mr MacDonald told Mr Wood.
“I think it was to draw some of the guys out and really intimidate her.”
Mr Ah Lam told Mr Wood he saw Ms Lewis knocked over by a large man in a black hoodie.
“I saw Sky getting pushed by his big jelly stomach … obviously it was quite aggressive, and she pretty much flew and hit the ground and started crying,” he said.
“And I was like, ‘Oh, I’ve got something for you mate’.”
The melee spilled from the site entrance onto Noble Street, with workers who were not engaged in fighting frantically trying to stop traffic.
The Cross River Rail site had been plagued by industrial relations issues, which escalated after a scaffolding worker fell up to 15 metres and was seriously injured, prompting strike action against contractor CPB.
Strike action increased in 2024, culminating in the brawl.
The inquiry is expected to hear from up to 30 witnesses during October’s block of hearings.
AAP