Contractors to Fletcher Building-owned firm Rocla fired by text and emojis

Rocla makes a range of concrete products, including pipes. File photo / 123rf

Some of the former contractors to a Fletcher Building-owned concreting business in Australia were given the sack via a text message, signed off with emojis.

Queensland's Daily Mercury understands about some workers were told by a Rocla supervisor that their services were no longer required on Wednesday, after the company had laid off five workers, stood down 12 casuals, and cut 10 positions several months ago.

Workers contracted out to Rocla claim they were informed of the news by labour-hire company CHAMP Resources hours after an initial text message.

"Alright boys, u may have heard already u may have not, but Rocla prestress is no more [sic]," the message read.

Rocla, an Australian concrete company, is owned by Fletcher Building.

Bruce Nicholson, general manager of Rocla Pipelines, said:

"On Wednesday Rocla announced 11 staff would be stood down on full pay due to changing workflows."

"This news was not announced by text and the text referred to did not come from Rocla. We are working to redeploy Rocla staff or explore alternatives that would see their welfare come first," Nicholson said.

A Rocla worker, who asked not to be named, said rumblings began about three weeks ago when a contracting engineer asked for the paperwork needed to certify the concrete pylons being built were up to official standards.

Workers said that they believed there had been issues with tensioning and tool calibration with the pylons.

Those on contracts had been promised full-time work that hasn't eventuated.

"Everyone's a little bit messed up to be honest, everyone's freaked out because of what it's done to everyone," he said.

"A lot of the boys at work are young but they've got young families, children who can't eat."

Rocla was awarded a council-tender in excess of $375,000 for the "supply of concrete drainage" at Schmidtkes Rd, Ooralea. Rocla's main site, on Archibald St in Paget, was open on Thursday.

An operations manager directed The Daily Mercury's enquiries to head office, which did not respond to repeated calls. CPB Contractors Pty, who sub-contracts Rocla for work on the Mackay Ring Road, also declined to comment.

Former employees of Rocla were gathered at a local watering hole, drinking in the news, telling The Daily Mercury that the national concreting company had surprised them with 15 lay-offs, after also standing down 12 casuals, and several months ago cutting 10 positions.

Asked what they would do now, one worker responded simply, "buy a tent" - a harsh reality but a sobering thought.