THE subcontractor working on the earthworks of the Cloncurry heavy vehicle bypass did not tell its fly-in, fly-out employees that they would not be returning to finish the job when they left on their break last week.
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Northern Mining and Contracting Services pulled out of its subcontracting duties this week.
Ten employees flew back to locations including Melbourne, Adelaide and Tasmania for a four-day break with their families before scheduling to return to work on Monday.
Adelaide-based engineer David Chatwin said he was told on Monday that he would not be returning to finish the job.
The workers left their personal belongings in their rooms at the Wagon Wheel Motel after assurances from the company that they would be returning.
But the company, which entered into voluntary administration with Grant Thornton on August 12, changed its mind.
The company would not be responsible for the items that were left at the motel.
“We’ve been cut adrift and told ‘tough titties’,” Mr Chatwin said.
He said he had left $3000 worth of items at the motel that were too bulky to take with him to Adelaide on every break he had.
The workers had been doing 10-day stints since July 29, and were scheduled to complete five more.
Mr Chatwin said he was disappointed that the workers had to leave before the earthworks were completed, considering that the hardest part had been done.
The engineer estimated that about 60 to 70 per cent of the earthworks had been completed.
He was also disappointed in the company and the administrator’s lack of communication. “I don’t think they understand remote civil construction projects,” Mr Chatwin said.
