Chaos was caused at a major project after family-owned demolition business Rosenlund was bullied into taking on Trent Broadhurst as a site manager, Queensland's Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU was told on Tuesday.
"He was a very volatile man," director Ryan Rosenlund said of the former light heavyweight boxer.
Mr Broadhurst was hired after Rosenlund - which had a long-standing relationship with the CFMEU - was engaged to demolish the flood-prone Toombul shopping complex in 2024 by site owner Mirvac.
Union delegate Eben Cox, a former mixed martial arts fighter, demanded Mr Broadhurst be employed, telling Rosenlund that the order had come from former CFMEU organiser Jade Ingham, the inquiry was told.
Mr Rosenlund said he was told if Mr Broadhurst was not hired "you won't pick up a shovel on the site again".
The threat amounted to an existential threat to the business, he said.
"We were locked in with Mirvac, and any delays would not only impact us, it had the potential to impact other Mirvac sites," Mr Rosenlund said.
Mr Broadhurst was alleged to have frequently shut down work, blowing out the cost of the project.
On one occasion, he allegedly deliberately "trashed" the site's toilets, only to then shut the site down on the grounds that the workplace was unsanitary.
Mr Broadhurst also festooned the site with CFMEU paraphernalia, with Mr Rosenlund agreeing the site office looked like a "shrine" to the union.
The inquiry was shown footage of Mr Broadhurst, Mr Cox and another former CFMEU organiser, Trevor "Roadkill" Sinclair, knocking out opponents in various boxing and MMA tournaments.
Counsel assisting Eddy Gisonda said the footage had previously been shown to Mr Rosenlund, who felt he had no choice but to comply with the CFMEU's demands.
He said an EBA struck between the CFMEU and Rosenlund before the project cost the company an extra $293,000 in wages.
The union allegedly charged Rosenlund a fee of $2970 for entering into the revised EBA.
Mr Gisonda said that was a possible contravention of the Fair Work Act, which prohibits bargaining services fees.
The inquiry also heard that Mr Rosenlund was pressured to force his workers to join BUSSQ, a small superannuation fund directed by former CFMEU strongman Michael Ravbar.
Mr Rosenlund said he resisted, saying that superannuation was a matter for individual workers.
"I think they thought we were able to swap people's superannuation funds over at a click of a button," he said.
Mr Broadhurst was removed as a CFMEU delegate in September 2024 by the union's administrator.
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