A SYDNEY work site where a Canadian backpacker was killed has been blockaded by unionists in protest over alleged non-payment of entitlements to him and other workers.
Mathieu Lopez-Linares, 22, suffered fatal head and chest injuries after being hit by metal beams during the demolition of a building in Camperdown on April 13.
The Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) raised safety concerns at the Ceerose development before the backpacker's death and says it has since emerged that full entitlements were not being paid to workers.
Early on Monday dozens of union protesters blockaded the site, preventing work from starting, and union officials went into negotiations with management to try to resolve issues over worker entitlements.
"We're hoping we'll get to a resolution here, if we can't it'll get ugly," CFMEU NSW Secretary Brian Parker told AAP.
He said Mr Lopez-Linares had not only lost his life but a financial pay-out to his family thanks to the "dodgy arrangements" under which he was employed.
Mr Parker said a union investigation had shown that Mr Lopez-Linares and other workers were not paid any superannuation, were not registered for long service leave and were not provided with payslips.
He said that meant Mr Lopez-Linares' family would not receive the death benefit that should have been paid out as part of his superannuation entitlement.
"We're hoping we'll get an outcome for the family and some underpayments that haven't been paid to this particular worker and his workmates," Mr Parker said before going into negotiations.
WorkCover is investigating the death of Mr Lopez-Linares and police will prepare a report for the coroner.
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