Posted: 2024-11-14 00:50:15

The Queensland government is suspending a suite of construction sector conditions for major state projects. 

The Best Practice Industry Conditions (BPIC) policy lays out pay and conditions for construction union workers on all major state projects.

They include $100 a week if a worker has to use their own mobile phone or tablet, and double time when it rains.

Described by the LNP as a "sweetheart deal" with the construction union, BPIC dictates that workers can down tools if the air temperature reaches 35 degrees Celsius, or 29C and 75 per cent humidity. 

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said they will be paused for all new projects until the Productivity Commission releases its report into the construction industry's productivity. 

"This is to ensure that productivity can return to our construction sites, critical infrastructure our growing state needs can be delivered Queensland taxpayers money is respected," he told the Queensland Major Contractors Association (QMCA) breakfast on Thursday.  

"Once again, we want workers well paid, and they will be. We want workers to be safe. We also need to increase productivity on work sites."

Housing Minister Sam O'Connor said incoming briefs for the new government had shown "sweetheart deals with the CFMEU" were adding "extraordinary costs" to government projects.

Treasury modelling estimates BPICs will increase project costs by up to 25 per cent, and cost up to $17.1 billion over the next six years. 

"What are non-negotiable for us, what we are not touching, are the workplace health and safety principles. We're not touching the commitment to apprenticeships and traineeships," he said. 

"The only decision today is around BPIC."

The BPIC policy will still apply to all existing projects. 

QMCA chief executive Andrew Chapman said BPIC increase labour costs and lower productivity. 

Conditions under BPIC include 300 per cent the hourly rate for working over Easter and Christmas, and up to $100 a day for workers who live more than 50 kilometres from site. 

Metal and engineering workers also get double time and a half if they work through their annual metal and engineering picnic day. 

"We have argued long and hard about the impact BPIC has since day one," he said. 

"We said they were never best practice, and they certainly weren't standard industrial conditions." 

He said BPIC had upped project costs by as much as 30 per cent, according to independent economic analysis. 

A Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union spokesperson said suspending BPIC was a "clear signal" the government wanted to cut wages. 

"This will lead to a dangerous deregulation of the labour market and more workers dying on construction sites," they said. 

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