2009 finishes on a bad note with the demise of Wideform. Operating in Queensland for over 15 years, Wideform were one of the major formwork companies in Queensland and New South Wales, employing around 250 workers.
While doing our routine audit of BUSS, BERT, and CIPQ it was discovered that Wideform were behind by nearly three months. Taking a proactive approach, the BLF and CFMEU negotiated a payment plan to get them up to date with workers entitlements. But Wideform did not honour this agreement to pay. It is estimated Wideform owed Queensland workers an amount over two million dollars.
The BLF and CFMEU met with all Wideform workers and as a result they chose to sit down until entitlements were paid along with a solid guarantee of funds available to pay all annual leave and RDO accruals. Bovis and Laing O’Rourke both terminated Wideform contracts on the Law Courts and 123 Albert Street leaving workers in the hands of the builders. Laing O’ROurke lead the way on this issue; re-employing workers after they’d sat for five days. They have been picked up by Expanded Formwork with no loss of entitlements.
Bovis have a very different view about workers’ entitlements. They believe what’s yours is theirs and what’s theirs is theirs. On the Law Courts, ex-Wideform employees have about $1.1 million outstanding in entitlements. Bovis held 1.4 million of the workers money and only offered pay for the time accrued at Bovis. The union’s position on this was that worker’s entitlements are what the payslip says, whatever job your company is working on.
When you are finished up, your company goes broke, or your contract is terminated the builder wears the lot. They chose the subbie, and the builder should conduct better checks on the subbies they employ.
The Bovis Law Court site was at a standstill and many other sites were stood down as a result of the conflict. The bulk of the money owed is for accrued holiday pay. Some workers have 26 to 38 weeks holiday owing and up to 40 accrued RDOs owing.
Watpac and Parkview also had Wideform on their sites. Luckily they are at the end of the job and the amount is around $150,000. Between the both of them, we are hopeful they will pay. If not, they can expect the same treatment Bovis received.
Events such as this are a reminder for workers to take holidays and RDOs. This applies to you even if you feel you’re in a secure company, Wideform had a good reputation for sixteen years. It’s a case of, if you don’t use them, and you company goes broke, you will lose them.
I hope you and yours have a very merry and safe Xmas and a prosperous New Year. And get plenty of rest for next year as there will be plenty of campaigning around the ABCC and National Safety Harmonisation, and of course next year is our 100 years.
UPDATE: Bovis has since agreed to pay all entitlements before Xmas. Congratulations to all and we look forward to giving you more detail as this story unfolds.
David Hanna
