Chief Executive of Master Builders Australia, Wilhelm Harnisch, has delivered a withering broadside to the proposed changes to the Fair Work Act.

“The Bill is a clear case of pandering to the unions,” Mr Harnisch said.

“For instance, the Bill gives unions the ability to use an employer’s lunchroom to hold meetings. This is an unacceptable prospect for employers and for 82 per cent of Australian workers who are not members of a trade union.

“Lunchrooms are places where employees can take a spell from their job and enjoy their meal time in peace. Union meetings and activities should not be forced upon non-union workers enjoying their meal breaks.

“The Bill also includes provisions which require employers to pay for permit holders’ travel and accommodation to remote sites. This is an additional and unwarranted cost forced on employers, who are already facing difficult trading conditions in the building and construction industry.”