The national construction union has been fined more than $100,000 for stopping two people from working on a Melbourne construction site because their union membership fees had not been paid.

The Federal Court of Australia on Monday fined union official Godwin Farrugia $10,000 and the CFMEU $95,000 after two people who were not financial members of the CFMEU were stopped from working on the Quest Apartments construction site in Melbourne in March 2014.

The Court found that CFMEU shop steward Godwin Farrugia asked two workers about their union membership saying: “I can't let you work if you're not paid up”.

The CFMEU march through the Brisbane CBD. Credit:Amy Remeikis

The court heard that one worker asked for an extra month to pay his fees because he had other bills to pay after not having worked for three months.