Construction Industry Plunged Into Two-Week Shut Down Amid COVID Concerns

Its tools down on construction sites across Melbourne and other locked down parts of the state after tensions boiled over outside the CFMEU headquarters on Monday.

Due to escalating COVID concerns and the "appalling behaviour" on sites, construction projects will be closed for two weeks.

The Andrews government said the situation demanded new measures to reduce movement, and in doing so reduce transmission.

It comes after riot police were called to disperse hundreds of people who stormed the Union headquarters on Monday, outraged over what they claim is a union push to mandate vaccines on construction sites.

However, the CFMEU have come back and accused “outside extremists” including anti-vaxxers' and neo–Nazis' of bombarding the protests outside union headquarters coercing workers.

CFMEU boss John Setka insists most of the troublemakers who stormed his union's headquarters yesterday were not union members. 

"It wasn't a massive contingent of our members that were there," he said.

"It wasn't a massive contingent of our members that were there. I mean these are rent-a-crowd, people that just go there, like last Saturday and pick fights and that’s the disappointing thing about it"

“Those drunken fascist un-Australian morons are the reason construction workers will be sitting at home and not getting paid for at least the next 2 weeks.” leader John Setka said.

Backing the unions stance, Sally McManus from the ACTU told 7:30 it's another example of unions being targeted by extremist anti-vaxxer groups.

"They want to get unions on their side with conspiracy theories and I can tell you this, Union movement in this country will not be intimidated by them. We will put safety first," Ms McManus said.

"We support people getting vaccinated. Getting vaccinated protects yourself and it protects the whole community and its actually the only way out of lockdown"

- Sally McManus

The industry closure at sites across Melbourne, Ballarat, Geelong, Mitchell Shire and the Surf Coast came into effect at midnight on Monday.

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