CFMEU officials will face court over allegations that they ordered work to stop on a Queensland construction site for six days, because the head contractor refused to remove a Safety Manager the CFMEU did not like.

The Federal Government’s Fair Work Building and Construction (FWBC) agency says the CFMEU unlawfully organised for up to 100 workers to withdraw their labour on the $60 million Queensland University of Technology Creative Industries Precinct Project at Kelvin Grove, Queensland.

Among the allegations are claims of favouritism, coercion and the breach of a Fair Work Commission order.

The CFMEU and its officials, Michael Myles, Kevin Griffin and CFMEU site delegates Ryan Whakaruru and Duncan McAllister, allegedly broke the law 78 times at the site.

The CFMEU incorrectly believed the Safety Manager at the site had provided workers’ details to FWBC.

Reports say the union reps demanded the head contractor stand the Safety Manager down.

“The boys have decided to sit this out until there is a resolution,” Mr Griffin allegedly told the Site Manager, referring to up to 100 workers who had withdrawn their labour.

When the head contractor refused to remove the man, Mr Myles allegedly said; “You make it pretty easy for me. I’ll go ahead and see the boys and let them know. We offered you to keep him in the shed and we go back (to work) but you did not take that up.”

Workers subsequently stopped work and left the site.

FWBC says Mr Myles said it would be “business as usual in the morning” if someone other than the Safety Manager carried out site inductions.

It is understood that when workers later returned to work, they would no longer talk to or acknowledge the Safety Manager, and all the Manager could do was instruct workers to wear their safety gear.

FWBC Director Nigel Hadgkiss said that allegations of coercion were extremely serious.

FWBC is alleging the CFMEU broke the law 39 times, Mr Whakaruru and Mr McAllister broke it 13 times each, Mr Myles 9 times and Mr Griffin 4 times.

The maximum penalties available to the Court in the case per breach are $10,200 for an individual, and $51,000 for a union.

A directions hearing is scheduled for March 2.