The national construction union and two of its officials have been fined $50,500 for stopping work at a $30 million apartment project in Melbourne over demands for an extra toilet and a larger shed.

The penalty judgment is the eighth this year imposed on the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union in Victoria for its industrial tactics on building sites. The latest fine takes the total penalties it has been ordered to pay this year to more than $500,000.

The CFMMEU and its officials have been fined for stopping work over demands for an extra toilet and bigger site shed. Luis Enrique Ascui

The fines are for an incident in April, 2015, when CFMMEU officials Stephen Long and Gerard Benstead organised for eight workers to walk off the job after complaining that amenities on the Bay Street building site in Brighton were not up to standard.

The Federal Court of Australia heard that Mr Benstead had demanded a bigger shed for 16 workers and a dedicated toilet for one female worker. The site supervisor had said the existing shed was big enough because it catered for 18 people.

The site supervisor said arrangements had been made, in consultation with Worksafe and the female worker, for the use of existing toilets on the building site.

The court heard that Mr Benstead then asked the site supervisor why the head contractor, Tarastar Pty Ltd trading as BPM Built, had not signed an enterprise bargaining agreement. The supervisor replied it was not feasible for the business.

Justice Mordecai Bromberg found the CFMMEU, Mr Long and Mr Benstead had engaged in coercion and adverse action in their organisation of the work stoppage.

“I accept that the contravening conduct on 22 April, 2015, should be regarded as objectively serious. The conduct was deliberate and, I would infer given Long and Bensteads’ long-standing experience as union officials, engaged in in the knowledge that it was unlawful,” he said.

ABCC Commissioner Stephen McBurney said the judgment was the eighth in Victoria involving

the CFMMEU since the start of the year, with penalties totaling $526,900.

“Similar to many other cases involving the CFMMEU, the officials attended the site with the

intention of coercing the head contractor to accede to their demands,” Mr McBurney said.

“When their demands weren’t immediately met the two CFMMEU officials organised for workers to walk off the job causing work on the project to be delayed."

Justice Bromberg penalised Mr Long $6000 and Mr Benstead $6500, to be paid out of their own pockets. The union was separately fined $38,000.