Falsified documents were handed to the unions royal commission at the instruction of a Canberra plumbing boss, a lawsuit claims.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But Jason Hooper claims he is the target of a union smear campaign, and the lawsuit is the work of the construction union who has targeted an ex-employee to make false allegations against him and his company, Advanced Plumbing and Drains.
The allegations are laid out in court documents, from a personal injury lawsuit, filed by former Advanced Plumbing and Drains employee Megan Williams in Canberra last week.
The ACT Magistrates Court lawsuit alleges Ms Williams – whose duties included payroll and human resources – suffered injury and disability after Mr Hooper subjected her to bullying, threats, harassment, and unreasonable direction.
Court documents said that, in the course of her employment, Ms Williams had been directed by Mr Hooper to undertake tasks which caused her distress, including the creation of fake pay slips, information, and documents.
He then provided the bogus items to the trade union royal commission and Fair Work Commission, she says.
It is also alleged that Mr Hooper had sought a prepaid mobile phone so he could anonymously threaten a union official.
The alleged fake documents provided to the TURC are said to include false pay slips concerning a former staff member's employment and other information attached to Mr Hooper's statement.
The Fair Work Commission was allegedly provided doctored warning letters so it appeared that sacked staff had been disciplined before their employment had been terminated.
The allegations have been referred to ACT Policing.
Documents said Mr Hooper had directed Ms Williams to deal with employees' pay and entitlements incorrectly, and then abused her and accused her of being a "union spy" when she raised concerns.
On other occasions, Mr Hooper allegedly swore at and belittled Ms Williams, which included telling her she could "stand up and pee" after refusing to provide appropriate female bathroom equipment.
It is alleged that Advanced Plumbing and Drains' negligence and breach of duty caused Ms Williams psychological injury, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and insomnia.
The lawsuit alleges she had been incapacitated from work as a result and claimed for past and future economic loss and out of pocket expenses.
In a statement, Advanced Plumbing and Drains said it had referred the lawsuit to its insurers, who had appointed solicitors to act on the company's behalf.
The company said it would not be appropriate to comment on a matter before the courts, but confirmed it would file a defence in due course.
Last Thursday, in an email to 2CC breakfast host Mark Parton, which was read out on air, Mr Hooper said he had been bullied and intimidated since 2013 by the Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union (CEPU), and Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union after he refused to sign a union enterprise agreement.
He said he had been subjected to a smear campaign after he gave evidence against both unions in the Royal Commission.
"Recently, it seems the CFMEU has turned their attention to different tactic and targeted a recent employee and encouraged them to make false allegations to Fair Work.
"I have unlimited evidence that will prove both the individual and the union to be colluding to fabricate and implicate the smear campaign."
