A new construction building code in Victoria will fail to address the state’s failing economy or its skills sector but instead will attack workers rights and freedoms, according to the AMWU.

The union joined thousands of construction workers marching on state parliament last week to declare the fight had only just begun against the government’s building code.

AMWU State Secretary Steve Dargavel said the code was anti-union and designed to limit freedom of association of workers.

“This is a cynical and wasteful attack on the rights of workers. The focus of the code is to attack the freedom of association of workers by denying their right to wear stickers. That’s right, a sticker.

“This government and its appointee, Mr Hadgkiss, hate unions and they hate workers uniting together to improve wages and conditions. We have successfully negotiated with private building companies on our enterprise bargaining agreements. This is just a case of the government seeking to interfere the industrial set up.”

Mr Dargavel said the Baillieu government had done nothing for skills or local jobs since arriving in office eighteen months ago.

“This is a bad government, it’s done nothing for local projects, and it’s done nothing for skills, nothing for local jobs by sourcing products locally, and nothing to stop the job losses in Victoria’s manufacturing sector.

“We want the government to act properly in the interest of working people by investing in TAFE, skills, jobs and local procurement. Not by stopping union stickers or flags being flown on construction jobs,” Mr Dargavel said.