BUILDING AGREEMENT ON DRUGS

Fletcher Construction is considering introducing mandatory drug testing for
its workers, but a union is opposing the move.

Mark Binns, chief executive (concrete and construction groups) of parent
company Fletcher Building, said talks were being held about introducing a
new anti-drugs regime.

Northern Amalgamated Workers Union secretary Ray Bianchi said he was
discussing the issue with Binns but opposed random testing for his 1500
members.

Bianchi said he had also talked to representatives at Downer Construction
and Works Infrastructure about drugs on building sites.

He said alcohol was an issue and workers had moved away from using
marijuana to "P".

Auckland engineer John Scarry raised the drug issue in his controversial
report on the building industry released in March.

"Marijuana/cannabis use on site is widespread," Scarry wrote. "It
contributes to the 'couldn't care less' attitude. Widespread drug testing
must be introduced, but not for the structural engineers who visit the site.

"I would always pass such tests, but engineers should be presumed to be
responsible professionals, otherwise they shouldn't be designing the
building in the first place."

Binns said any major employer who claimed there were no drugs in their
workplace was most probably wrong, but he was aware of no significant
issues on Fletcher sites.

He said drug taking was cause for summary dismissal, for safety reasons,
under Fletcher's employment contract.

"But we need to be more pro-active on the issue and there have been some
initial discussions with the union on the matter.

"The extent of any policy will probably be drug testing for any new
employees and compulsory testing on people involved in any accidents or
near-misses.

"There are some difficult problems with random testing, and before we went
down that path we would need to ensure that we had very good processes so
the procedure was incapable of abuse. We would want to work with the union
on this and get its buy-in to the whole process, including the educational
side of addressing the problem," Binns said.

Bianchi said he was keen to help educate workers about drug issues.