Construction site workers are told to 'button it'

Construction workers at a central Napier building site have been read the riot act after two complaints involving "unacceptable behaviour" towards women walking by.

Herbert Construction issued a notice advising workers to "button it" or risk being "evicted from the site for good".

The move echoes a recent case in Australia where construction workers on a building site owned by the Anglican church were told they faced dismissal if heard swearing while building a new hotel complex near a cathedral.

After discussions with the church, the hotel group, Accor, included a stipulation in the site agreement that workers not swear or blaspheme.

The local issue is more one of wolf-whistles and suggestive comments coming from the central city site. The company's notices states: "Sexual harassment of passers-by will not be tolerated", and goes on to declare that anyone on-site caught wolf-whistling or making obscene comments would be removed permanently.

Company spokesman Malcolm Herbert said the warning notices went up on the day the complaints were received.

There had been no further incidents since.

Mark Hamilton, of Alexander Construction, said his workers were made aware of workplace policies and that any harassment or other serious incident would be dealt with.

Other companies also had anti-harassment clauses built in.

- NZPA