The devastated mother of an 18-year-old who was relentlessly bullied and died after his first shift at a CFMEU worksite says his death exposes the type of people behind the “bully” construction union.
Tammie Palmer says her son Ben Nash was thrilled to land his dream job at a Melbourne construction company in January.
However, upon returning home after his first day, he confided that he had been harassed, humiliated, insulted and even locked in a shed.
“They locked him in a shed for three or four hours. He was just a little boy with mental health issues,” he said in an interview with 60 Minutes.
The next morning, on his 19th birthday, he was found in bed after a fatal overdose of prescription drugs.
Although the CFMEU denies the harassment allegations, Palmer said her Aboriginal son was relentlessly targeted because he turned up to work wearing the shirt of a small indigenous construction company he had previously worked for.
He said the CFMEU did not like the company because it was aligned with a rival union, the AWU.
“If Ben had been wearing a different shirt, none of this would be a problem,” he said.
Ben, who had mental health issues, died of an overdose after suffering relentless harassment at a CFMEU government workplace.
Tammie Palmer claims 18-year-old Ben was bullied to death
Tammie says CFMEU officials visited her and tried to downplay the role of workplace bullying in Ben’s death, but she will not accept any attempt by the union to shirk responsibility.
“Where was the duty of care for my son? Why was he locked in a shed for so long? Why wasn’t he told to turn his shirt inside out?” she told The Age.
“Children can’t go to work and end up dead the next day. No family should have to go through this.”
Despite concerns for his safety, the mother says she will not give in to the methods of fear and intimidation she says are common at the CFMEU and which took her son away from her.
“They can’t hurt me any more than I already am,” he said.
‘People should be able to go to work and be treated with kindness and respect, it’s not difficult.
“All I wanted to do was work.”
Ahead of his explosive interview with 60 Minutes, CFMEU union boss John Setka resigned on Friday amid a series of allegations about misconduct within the organisation, including links to underworld figures and motorcycle gangs.
On Sunday, it was reported that Setka had made a threatening visit overnight to the family home of Leo Skourdoumbis, who was also a senior figure in the CFMEU.
Former Victorian CFMEU leader John Setka (left) has resigned following investigations into a powerful branch
Ben was found in bed after a fatal overdose of prescription drugs.
The Victorian branch of the CFMEU has been referred to the state’s anti-corruption watchdog, IBAC, following allegations uncovered by Nine’s 60 Minutes program.
First Minister Jacinta Allan called the alleged behaviour “thuggery and appalling” as she addressed reporters at a news conference on Monday.
Prior to becoming First Minister, replacing Dan Andrews, Ms Allan had been Minister for Transport and Infrastructure since 2014, and in that capacity had extensive dealings with the CFMEU during its period of alleged corruption.
By this time, the ALP had received millions of dollars in financial support from the CFMEU.
