SACKED QBuild workers yesterday donned black ribbons and demanded an explanation from state minister Bruce Flegg over why they had lost their jobs.

Mr Flegg fronted an emotional crowd of staffers, less than a day after they learned that 43 people from their Cairns office would be made redundant.

Arriving at QBuild’s Grove St office for the meeting about midday, the Public Works Minister took questions from sacked temporary staff, who raised concerns over how the cuts had been rolled out by the government.

"In QBuild, project services and certainly across my department, we’re unquestionably in very difficult times,’’ Mr Flegg told the crowd of more than 100.

"The financial position of the state is well known to everybody and it’s pretty grim.’’

Sacked QBuild employee Tracey Cripps called on Mr Flegg to consider the consequences of his announcement.

"I think what that higher level of government is forgetting in their decision making and their big picture, is that at the end of the day … you’re playing with people’s lives,’’ Ms Cripps said.

"You’re dealing with their welfare, you’re dealing with their families, their futures, their mortgages and we’re finding out about it in the media. That’s not good enough.’’

Responding to another question over whether the sackings were a knee-jerk reaction to save money, Mr Flegg denied that was the case, stating a "whole of government" approach was taken on the issue.

He said he was "not aware of any threat" to permanent staff at QBuild Cairns.

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